Harefuah
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The management of cranio-maxillofacial trauma includes treatment of facial bone fractures, dentoalveolar trauma, and soft tissue injuries. Integration of several specialties is often needed due to the proximity of the cranial bones to important organs such as the eyeballs, the nose, the ears, and the brain. The epidemiology of facial fractures varies in type, severity, and cause depending on the population studied. The differences between populations in the causes of maxillofacial fractures may be the result of risk factors and cultural differences between countries but are more likely to be influenced by the injury severity. Many epidemiologic investigations of maxillofacial fractures have appeared in the scientific literature over the years. Six main causes of injury were identified: motor vehicle accidents, occupational accidents, sport accidents, falls, assaults, and gun shot wounds. However, few reports, representing continuous long-term data on maxillofacial fractures in the state of Israel, are to be found. ⋯ Data from the world literature is similar to our findings, as regard to gender and age. Major differences between males and females regarding age, etiology, and diagnosis were found in our study. Nevertheless, the two most common fracture sites among males and females are the Zygomatic complex and the subcondylar area. Apparently, the Israeli society is becoming more violent, whereas the technological improvements, especially in the field of motor vehicle passenger safety, may play an important role in the decrease of upper body injuries.