Odontoid fracture epidemiology

Fractures of the odontoid process (the dens) of the axis account for 10–20% of acute cervical spine fractures ^{1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8)}.

Significant force is required to produce an odontoid fracture in a young individual, and is usually sustained in a motor vehicle accident (MVA), a fall from a height, a skiing accident, etc. In patients > 70 years age, simple ground level falls (GLF) with head trauma may produce the fracture. Odontoid fractures comprise ≈10–15% of all cervical spine fractures ⁹⁾

Odontoid fractures are the most common geriatric cervical spine fractures.

Fractures of the odontoid process of C2 have become increasingly prevalent in the aging population and are typically associated with a high incidence of morbidity. They comprise the majority of all cervical fractures in patients older than 80 years and remain the most common cervical fracture pattern in all geriatric patients ¹⁰⁾.