Dental trauma is defined as physical harm to the teeth, gums, alveolar bone (the bone
that contains the tooth sockets), or soft tissue of the mouth, along with the lips and
tongue.
Some of us occasionally find ourselves in the midst of an accident. Every day, someone
will experience tooth trauma, whether it be due to an accident on the road, an
experience away from home, or a terrible domestic catastrophe. The seriousness of the
incident and the extent of your tooth’s damage will determine how to handle and treat
your traumatized tooth.
For teeth that have been cracked or chipped, a tooth-colored filling may be
suggested to restore the missing portion of the tooth. An artificial crown or cap
may be substituted if a sizable portion of the crown has been lost.
An exposed pulp may require a root canal.
Back teeth injuries, such as those with shattered cusps, may call for a root canal
and a full coverage crown.
The least severe type of trauma-related oral injury is a concussion. Although
some or all of the periodontal ligament fibers may be pulled or torn, there is still
enough support to hold the tooth in its socket. The gums around the tooth may
swell and bleed, and the tooth itself may be sensitive to touch or diagnostic
tapping. The neurovascular structures in the dental pulp are unaffected.
The term “lateral luxation” refers to tooth displacement that is nearly parallel to
the tooth’s longitudinal or axial axis. This type of luxation is very common on
either the labial (lip) or palatal/lingual (palate/tongue) side of either jaw arch, and
the socket alveolar bone is typically shattered.
