International journal of oral and maxillofacial surgery
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We present data on the incidence, aetiology, age, sex and ethnic distribution of facial fractures in New Zealand for the 20-year period from 1979-1998. Most facial fractures (78.9%) occurred in males with a rate of 65.5/100,000, person-years compared with 21% in females with an incidence of 17/100,000. ⋯ The most common causes of facial fracture in both genders were assault (14/100,000) and being unintentionally struck by an object or person (9.5/100,000) which is consistent with similar data from South Africa and the USA. The rates of fracture in Maori (68.1/100,000) were approximately twice those of Pacific Islanders (37/100,000) or other ethnic groups (34.2/100,000).