Mapping the Global Research Landscape of Traumatic Dental Injuries in the Primary Dentition: A Bibliometric Analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Traumatic dental injury (TDI) in the primary dentition represents a significant global public health problem. This study aimed to analyse the worldwide trends and perspectives on TDI between 2016 and 2026 through bibliomsetric analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search of the Web of Science Core Collection was conducted using predefined search terms related to TDI and primary dentition. Two independent investigators screened the retrieved records according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The included articles were analyzed according to the following aspects: (a) countries; (b) journals; (c) authors and co-authorship patterns; (d) citation counts; (e) study designs and level of evidence; and (f) research topics. Bibliometric techniques, including thematic mapping and keyword co-occurrence analysis, were also performed. Bibliometric analyses were performed using VOSviewer 1.6.20 and the Bibliometrix package in RStudio R4.5.3 to map collaboration networks, visualise keyword co-occurrence patterns, and identify thematic structures within the literature. RESULTS: A total of 132 articles indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection were included. Brazil was the most productive country with 43 articles. Australia ranked first in total citation impact with 967 citations. The journal Dental Traumatology accounted for 45.45% of all included articles. Epidemiology and aetiology was the dominant research theme (30.62%), followed by sequelae & prognosis (27.5%), and clinical treatment & materials (16.88%). Thematic mapping identified artificial intelligence and digital clinical decision support tools as developing research areas. Research on knowledge and attitudes showed a declining trajectory. Cross-sectional and retrospective designs predominated. Level 3 evidence accounted for the majority of the dataset. CONCLUSIONS: High-quality, well-designed studies are notably absent from the literature on traumatic dental injuries in primary dentition. Publications addressing prevention, clinical and social dimensions, and quality-of-life outcomes remain disproportionately scarce relative to their significance. Digitalisation of evidence-based guidelines may support wider dissemination among clinicians.