Traumatic dental injuries - practical management guide

Abstract

Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) with a prevalence of 25% among school children and 33% among adults are a public health problem and can have a negative influence on the quality of life. The treatment prognosis of some teeth injuries is heavily dependent on the actions taken at the place of injury. The objective was to summarize evidence-based knowledge on the topic of TDIs and present a practical management guide for first aid in an accessible way. The authors searched the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. The review included only papers published in 2013 or later. Tooth injuries are proven to cause physical, social as well as economic consequences. The most frequent type of injury in primary dentition is avulsion, whereas crown fractures are most common in permanent dentition. TDIs occur most often at home and in school. Certain risk factors for TDIs were identified which include, among others, male gender, younger age, obesity. The general community knowledge of correct first aid in case of dental trauma is limited. Guidelines published by the International Association of Dental Traumatology include practical recommendations for first aid after avulsion. Permanent teeth should be replanted immediately at the accident site, whereas primary teeth should not be replanted when avulsed. Broken teeth fragments ought always to be collected if possible. After dental trauma it is vital that the patients seek professional help. Measures preventing TDIs (e.g., mouthguards) should be encouraged. It is of great importance that parents, teachers, guardians or bystanders witnessing a TDI are equipped to assist after a dental trauma or give advice on first aid when needed. Raising public awareness on the topic of dental injuries is a strongly advised general objective.

Keywords: avulsion; luxation; prevention; tooth fracture; trauma.