Traffic accidents, fights and assaults are the main causes of some on average 32 monthly visits to hospital for a facial fracture.
According to health officials, the Hospital Mexico now sees between 6 and 8 new cases a week, while not long ago it was one a week.
Last year the CCSS (Seguro Social) reported 23.000 head and face injuries.
Up to last month there have been 47.725 traffic accidents in Costa Rica. Motorcyclists bear the brunt of the facial injuries in traffic accidents, as helmets protect the head but not necessarily the face.
During the same period poice arrested 4.262 people for assault or involved in fights.