The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental trauma attendance: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dental trauma patient attendance. The study was registered in the PROSPERO system, using the CRD42021288398 protocol. Searching was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, Lilacs, and OpenGrey databases, using the following keywords: “Tooth injuries,” “Dental trauma,” “Traumatic Dental injury,” and “COVID-19". We included observational studies evaluating dental trauma in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Quality assessment was performed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Cross-Sectional Studies. Meta-analysis was performed in RevMan 5.4 software with Odds Ratios as a pooled measure of effect, with a 95% confidence interval, and using random-effects modeling. After applying the eligibility criteria, 32 studies were included for qualitative analysis, in which 10 were used to assess the frequency of dental trauma diagnoses in dental emergencies. Despite the decrease of visits during COVID-19, the analysis revealed no difference between the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Regarding the type of dental trauma, two of the studies revealed no differences for the periods before and during the pandemic. This study revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has not impacted the frequency or type of dental trauma compared to previous periods.

摘要 本项系统综述与荟萃分析旨在分析新型冠状病毒肺炎（COVID-19）疫情对牙科创伤患者就诊情况的影响。本研究已在PROSPERO系统注册，采用CRD42021288398方案。本研究在PubMed、Scopus、Web of Science、Embase、Lilacs及OpenGrey数据库中开展文献检索，检索关键词包括："牙损伤"、"牙科创伤"、"创伤性牙损伤"以及"COVID-19"。本研究纳入在COVID-19疫情背景下评估牙科创伤的观察性研究。采用乔安娜·布里格斯研究所横断面研究关键评价量表（Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Cross-Sectional Studies）进行研究质量评价。使用RevMan 5.4软件完成荟萃分析，以比值比（Odds Ratios）作为合并效应量，设置95%置信区间，并采用随机效应模型进行统计分析。经纳入排除标准筛选后，共纳入32项研究开展定性分析，其中10项研究用于评估牙科急诊中牙科创伤诊断的发生频次。尽管疫情期间牙科就诊总量有所下降，但分析结果显示，疫情期与疫情前的牙科创伤患者就诊情况无显著差异。针对牙科创伤类型，有2项研究表明，疫情前与疫情期间的创伤类型无明显差异。本研究结果显示，与疫情前相比，COVID-19疫情未对牙科创伤的发生频次及创伤类型造成影响。