Dental Trauma

Summer Chavez, MPM, MPH, DO Reviewed 05/2023

BASICS

DESCRIPTION

Loss or fracture of a tooth and/or supporting bone and tissue due to trauma

EPIDEMIOLOGY

Dental injuries constitute 5% of all injuries worldwide and as many as 17% in preschool childr...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

Assess airway, breathing, and circulation (ABC).
Determine mechanism of injury, time of injury, associated injuries.
Multiple fracture and luxation types that result in different healin...

TREATMENT

ABC and neurologic exam for associated problems

GENERAL MEASURES

Primary goal of reimplantation/repositioning is to protect periodontal ligament; tooth pulp may die, but tooth can be treated ...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Follow up with dentist or oral surgeon within 24 hours of any dental trauma.

Restrict use of pacifiers if dental injuries are involved.

Ellis III fractures in chi...

REFERENCES

Kenny KP, Day PF, Sharif MO, et al. What are the important outcomes in traumatic dental injuries? An international approach to the development of a core outcome ...

ADDITIONAL READING

Dental trauma guide. Available at: https://dentaltraumaguide.org. Accessed July 19, 2021.

CODES

ICD10

S02.5XXA Fracture of tooth (traumatic), init for clos fx
S02.5XXB Fracture of tooth (traumatic), init encntr for open fracture
K08.119 Complete loss of teeth due to trauma, unspecified class
S...

CLINICAL PEARLS

Do not reimplant primary teeth. Avulsed permanent teeth are a medical emergency. Reimplant permanent teeth ASAP.
Milk is the best (and most widely available) transport medium; Hank solu...

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