Facial fractures can be disabling injuries, leading to long-term functional, aesthetic, and psychological impairments. Comprehensive assessment of their disease burden in China is essential for informed health policy and prevention strategies.

Data regarding facial fractures in China from 1990 to 2021 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) 2021 database. Incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLDs) were estimated using DisMod-MR 2.1, a Bayesian meta-regression modeling tool. Estimates were presented as numbers and rates, with comparisons to global averages and socio-demographic index (SDI) quintiles, and stratified by sex, age, cause, and year.

In 2021, China recorded 1.19 million new cases and 18,744.38 YLDs from facial fractures. Although age-standardized rates of incidence, prevalence, and YLDs in China remained below global and high-SDI quintile, a notable upward trend emerged after 2010. The age-standardized incidence rate was approximately twice as high in males as in females, with peaks among children under 5 years, young adults aged 20–24 years, and a steep increase after age 70. Falls, road injuries, mechanical forces, and interpersonal violence accounted for 90% of new facial fracture cases. Since 2010, a trend reversal has occurred as fall-related facial fractures have risen markedly, in contrast to the declining trend observed for the other three causes.

These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions, including fall prevention as well as injury control strategies aimed at young males, to address the rising facial fracture burden in China.