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Abstract

Aim: This study aims to analyze the competency level in diagnosis of maxillary fractures among dental college students. Background: Maxillary fractures are the second most common midfacial fractures, first being the zygomatic fractures. Some of the common causes of maxillary fractures are road traffic accidents (RTAs), assault, and other causes. Usually, the best way to diagnose or identify fractures is by analyzing radiographs. Radiographs can be of two types – intraoral and extraoral radiographs. Maxillary or midfacial fractures are analyzed using extraoral radiographs which include the following: Occipitomental view, submentovertex view, lateral cephalogram, Water’s view, and cone-beam computerized tomography. Maxillary fractures are not common when compared to mandibular fractures. This could be due to the anatomy of maxilla. However, it is most important to read about maxillary fractures due to the increasing RTA. Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted at Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Tamil Nadu, India. Dental college students of all years starting from the 1st year to interns were included in the study, whereas those students who were unwilling to participate in the study were excluded from the study. A self-administered questionnaire consisting of 1 essay type and 11 multiple-choice questions in English was developed and handed over to the students. The participants were instructed not to discuss the questions or answers among themselves or others. Results: From the collected data, it was found that most of the dental students irrespective of the year had inadequate knowledge of maxillary fractures and the tools used for its diagnosis. Conclusion: From the above study, it can be concluded that the knowledge regarding the diagnosis of maxillary fractures among dental students is poor. Although majority of them have adequate knowledge regarding the clinical features of maxillary fractures, radiographic knowledge and confidence level in diagnosing the same seem low and inadequate. Hence, it is important for the dental curriculum to focus more on the radiographs and diagnosis part of maxillary fractures as their frequency rate is increasing with the increase in RTAs.

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	JPR Solutions

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