Effect of social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic on the occurrence of maxillofacial fractures in a Finnish Tertiary Trauma Centre.

To evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the occurrence of facial fractures in a tertiary trauma centre. All facial fracture patients evaluated by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon during the first stage of the pandemic in spring 2020 were included in the study and compared to the corresponding periods in 2017 and 2018. Differences in age, sex, timespan from accident to diagnosis of facial fracture, injury mechanism, fracture type, treatment method, associated injuries (AIs), and alcohol consumption at the time of injury were analyzed between the forementioned time periods. The total number of patients ( COVID restrictions did not affect the overall facial fracture occurrence, but there was a significant decrease in assaults. The proportion of alcohol-related injuries did not decrease despite restrictions.