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Dental Trauma

What Happens After Dental Trauma?

Loose teeth need to be stabilised using an appropriate splint, which may be made from resin or metal. Dental trauma can also damage the neurovascular bundle that supplies the tooth. For this reason, the vitality of the affected teeth is monitored after an injury. If the neurovascular bundle becomes non-vital, root canal treatment is performed to preserve the tooth where possible.

A blow to the teeth or a fall can also cause a fracture of the tooth crown or root. The location and course of the fracture line are crucial for determining the prognosis and appropriate treatment. If the fracture does not extend into the pulp chamber, the defect can be restored using a composite material (“white filling”).

If the fracture extends into the pulp chamber but the root remains intact, root canal treatment can be performed, followed by the placement of a post and core. The post should be made from a high-quality, durable alloy and cemented into the root canal. The tooth can then be restored to its original shape with a crown, preferably a porcelain crown. However, if the fracture line follows an unfavourable course and extends into the root, the tooth cannot be preserved.

The root must then be extracted. Once the area has healed, the missing tooth can be replaced either with a dental implantor, after preparing the neighbouring teeth, with a fixed dental bridge.

Following dental trauma, it is essential to take and assess a panoramic dental X-ray.