What is Dental Trauma?
Dental Trauma or tooth trauma is a condition in which there is a damage to tooth structure or there is a complete loss of tooth.
Dental Trauma exhibits two peaks of incidence in boys at 1-3 and 10-12 years and one peak in girls at 1-3 years of age.
The age of 2-3 years is the period of acquisition of walking skills with lesser control on motor coordination which makes these children more vulnerable to falls and injury to front teeth.
The higher incidence of trauma to permanent teeth in boys is related to their increased indulgence in contact sports and adventure activities.
Children with proclined teeth are at higher risk.
What are the types of Dental Trauma?
- Visible part of tooth/ Crown fracture
- Fracture at the gum line/ Crown root fracture,
- Root fracture
- Concussion (severe pain with no mobility and bleeding),
- Subluxation (pain and bleeding from gum),
- Tooth moved inside bone/ Intrusive Luxation
- Tooth hanging out of socket/ Extrusive Luxation
- Tooth moved in a direction other than axial/ Lateral Luxation
- Avulsion (complete dysjunction of tooth from its socket).
- Complicated Crown Fracture – A fracture involving enamel and dentin with loss of tooth structure and exposure of the pulp.
What to do if a milk tooth is knocked out?
- Contact your dentist as soon as possible – immediate action reduces the complications.
- Rinse the mouth with water and apply icepack to reduce swelling.
- Remember baby teeth should not be replanted because of potential damage to the developing permanent teeth.
What to do if a Permanent tooth is chipped or broken?
- Contact your Dentist immediately. Quick action can save the tooth and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment.
- Rinse the mouth with water and apply icepack to reduce swelling.
- If you can find the broken tooth fragment, it is important to take it to the dentist by storing it cold milk or child’s saliva.
What to do if a milk tooth is knocked out?
- Contact your Dentist immediately. Quick action can save the tooth and reduce the need for extensive dental treatment.
- Rinse the mouth with water and apply icepack to reduce swelling.
- Find the tooth; rinse it gently in cool water, do not scrub it or use soap.
- Never hold the tooth by the root surface
- Replace the tooth in the socket and hold it there with clean gauze or cloth.
- If you cannot put the tooth in the socket, place the tooth in cold milk or child’s saliva.
How to prevent Dental Trauma?
- By wearing mouthguards prepared by the dentist.
- By correcting proclination of teeth with braces treatment.