Dental Trauma in Children: A Survey

Resident’s Name: Chad Abby Date: 8/22/2008
Article title: Dental Trauma in Children: A Survey
Author(s): Perez R, Berkowitz R, McIlveen L, Forrester D.
Journal: Endodontic Dental Traumatology
Volume (number): 7: pp 212-213
Month, Year: 1991
Major topic: Dental Trauma
Minor topic(s): Dental Trauma
Type of Article: Survey
Main Purpose: To determine the type and prevalence of injuries presenting to the pediatric dental service of the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington D.C.
Overview of method of research: This was a twelve-month study consisting of 227 patients who presented to the Children’s National Medical Center with a traumatic dental injury. A clinical examination was performed and the indicated dental radiographs were obtained. The following information was collected for each patient: age, sex, time and cause of injury, presence or absence of intraoral and extraoral soft tissue injury, presence or absence of fracture and/or displacement injury to teeth, and presence or absence of alveolar fracture. All crown fractures were classified using Ellis classification system, all root fractures were grouped together and displacement injures were grouped as follows: Group 1 – sensitivity to percussion and mobile without displacement; Group 2 – direct extrusion from socket or extrusion from socket in labial, lingual, mesial, or distal direction; Group 3 – intrusion into socket; Group 4 – avulsion from socket.
Findings: Of the 227 patients presented 96 were <5y of age, 85 were 5-12y age and 46 were > 13y age. The leading cause of injury was due to falls 46%. 132 children sustained soft tissue injury or 58%, approximately 33% of the patients presented with at least one fractured tooth, 62% of the patients sustained a dental displacement injury, and approximately 5.5% of the patients presented with alveolar fracture which was usually associated with an automobile accident.
Key points/Summary: Falls are the most common cause of dental injury, males experience more dental trauma than females, injuries occur more during late spring, summer and early fall and soft tissue injury is present in approximately half of all dental trauma cases.
Assessment of article: Very good study; coincides with pervious and future studies of related topics.