Danos bucomaxilofaciais em mulheres: registros do Instituto Médico-legal de Ribeirão Preto (SP), no período de 1998 a 2002 Oral and maxillofacial injuries in women: Records of the Medical-legal Institute of Ribeirão Preto (SP) from 1998 to 2002

Purpose: Based on current statistics that violence is a major risk factor for women’s health and well-being, this study was conducted to quantify the body injuries affecting the maxillomandibular complex in women as recorded at the Forensic Medicine Institute in the city of Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil, between 1998 and 2002. Methods: Descriptive study of n=28,192 Forensic Medicine reports, which were recorded to document physical violence crimes, considering the following variables: age group, ethnic group, etiology and legal classification of the injury, and affected body region. Results: The most prevalent age group was from 26 to 30 year-old (19.9 %), and the most common ethnic group was white women. For injury etiology, the most frequent cause was physical abuse (57 %); there was a trend for traumas resulting in scratches, edema, and rash. The mouth region was the most affected facial location, followed by the nose.