Pulpal sequelae after trauma to anterior teeth among adult Nigerian dental patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epidemiological studies show that about 11.6% to 33.0% of all boys and about 3.6% to 19.3% of all girls suffer dental trauma of varying severity before the age of 12 years. Moderate injuries to the periodontium such as concussion and subluxation are usually associated with relatively minor symptoms and hence may go unnoticed by the patient or the dentist, if consulted. Patients with these kinds of injuries present years after a traumatic accident most of the time with a single discoloured tooth. This study sets out to document the incidence of various posttraumatic sequelae of discoloured anterior teeth among adult Nigerian dental patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred and sixty eight (168) traumatized discoloured anterior teeth in 165 patients were studied. Teeth with root canal treatment were excluded from the study. Partial obliteration was recorded when the pulp chamber or root canal was not discernible or reduced in size on radiographs, total obliteration was recorded when pulp chamber and root canal were not discernible. A retrospective diagnosis of concussion was made from patient's history of trauma to the tooth without abnormal loosening, while subluxation was made from patient's history of trauma to the tooth with abnormal loosening.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 168 traumatized discoloured anterior teeth, 47.6% and 31.6% had partial and total obliteration of the pulp canal spaces respectively, 20.8% had pulpal necrosis. Concussion and subluxation injuries resulted more in obliteration of the pulp canal space, while fracture of the teeth resulted in more pulpal necrosis (p < 0.001). Injuries sustained during the 1^stand 2^nddecade of life resulted more in obliteration of the pulp canal space, while injuries sustained in the 3^rddecade resulted in more pulpal necrosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Calcific metamorphosis developed more in teeth with concussion and subluxation injuries. Pulpal necrosis occurred more often in traumatized teeth including fractures.</p

Incidence of dental traumatic injuries in children 0–4 years of age: a prospective study based on parental reporting

Aim: To collect prospective information reported by parents regarding dental traumas occurring in children 6months to 4years of age, furthermore, to collect data on complications from the dental records. Methods: The staff from the child health services distributed a questionnaire at the regular health check-up reviews for a number of age groups, i.e., 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, and 42months of age. The parents were to observe and register factors around dental trauma for the following 6-month period. The questionnaires (138) were returned, irrespective of any trauma having occurred or not. If a child was seeing a dentist (emergency visit), the diagnosis of trauma and later complications were collected from the dental records. Results: There were 35 of 138 children experienced trauma (6–47months of age). The half-year incidence of trauma in children 6months to 4.0years of age was between 12 and 48%. A total of 41 traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) were reported. Of these 24 occurred indoors. The most common reason for trauma was falling accidents. In 24 out of the 41 reported TDIs the children were not seen by a dentist in connection with the trauma. The reason was that the parents thought the trauma did not matter. Conclusions: The high incidence of TDIs reported in toddlers in this study indicates that there is an under-reporting of TDIs in previously reported studies. The research design used in the present study has an advantage and should be tested in further studies. © 2018, European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry