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Dental Trauma
It is important that the practicing clinician be familiar with the different types of dental trauma and be able to appropriately triage injured patients. Dental follow-up is necessary for all tooth trauma because even seemingly minor injuries can result in tooth death. In general, management of primary tooth injury is dictated by concern for the safety of the permanent dentition.

Tooth injury can be divided into 7 main categories:
 
1.
Concussion - Injury to the tooth and its supporting structures without causing abnormal loosening or displacement of the tooth
 
2.
Subluxation - Injury to the tooth and its supporting structures with abnormal loosening but no displacement
 
3.
Lateral Luxation - Injury to the tooth and its supporting structures, resulting in tooth displacement
 
4.
Intrusion - Tooth is pushed into the socket and the alveolar bone
 
5.
Extrusion - Tooth is partially displaced from its socket
 
6.
Avulsion - Tooth is completely out of the socket
 
7.
Fracture

Missing teeth should be accounted for. Do not assume they were lost at the scene of the accident, as they may be imbedded in soft tissues, intruded into the alveolar bone or sinus cavity, aspirated, or swallowed. Radiographs (soft tissue and chest X-rays) should be done to look for missing teeth. Consider tetanus prophylaxis for wounds or lacerations if the primary tetanus series was not completed or the patient has not received a booster within 5 years.
 
 
Tooth injury can be divided into 7 main categories.
 
It is important that the practicing clinician be able to appropriately triage injured patients.
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