Dental injuries and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and traumatic dental injuries in children. A total of 194 children aged 7-15 years participated in this study. Fifty-seven traumatic injuries to permanent teeth were observed in 33 children. Although a statistically significant difference was not found (p= .848), the rate of incidence was higher in the group with ADHD (17.5%) than in the control group (16.5%). The maxillary right central incisors accounted for nearly half of all injured teeth, while the maxillary central incisors represented the most frequently injured teeth. Enamel fracture was the most common type of dental injury observed. The incidence of enamel fracture was higher in the control group (66.7%) than in the subjects with ADHD (43.3%). There was a significant association between the occurrence of traumatic dental injury and the presence of an overjet greater than 3 mm (p= .020).
(© 2012 Special Care Dentistry Association and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)