ObjectivesThe aim of this retrospective study was to compare the peculiarities of maxillofacial injuries caused by interpersonal violence with other etiologic factors.Material and MethodsMedical records of 3,724 patients with maxillofacial injuries in São Paulo state (Brazil) were retrospectively analyzed. The data were submitted to statistical analysis (simple descriptive statistics and Chi-squared test) using SPSS 18.0 software.ResultsData of 612 patients with facial injuries caused by violence were analyzed. The majority of the patients were male (81%; n = 496), with a mean age of 31.28 years (standard deviation of 13.33 years). These patients were more affected by mandibular and nose fractures, when compared with all other patients (P < 0.01), although fewer injuries were recorded in other body parts (χ2 = 17.54; P < 0.01); Victims of interpersonal violence exhibited more injuries when the neurocranium was analyzed in isolation (χ2 = 6.85; P < 0.01).ConclusionsFacial trauma due to interpersonal violence seem to be related to a higher rate of facial fractures and lacerations when compared to all patients with facial injuries. Prominent areas of the face and neurocranium were more affected by injuries.

Agradeço ao meu orientador Mário Fernando de Góes pela oportunidade de ser seu orientado e poder aprender e trabalhar junto com uma das mentes mais brilhantes desta instituição, por todo o incentivo, ensinamentos, lições de vida e conselhos, mesmo que as vezes duros, mas que sem dúvida contribuíram imensamente pro meu crescimento não só profissional como pessoal.Agradeço especialmente também ao Fabian de Jesus Murillo-Goméz, por todo o companheirismo, paciência, conhecimento e experiência compartilhado durante a execução deste trabalho.