Management of dentoalveolar injuries in children: A case report

• Published in: Journal of the Indian Society of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry Vol. 25; no. 4; pp. 183 - 186
• Main Authors: Das, UM, Viswanath, D, Subramanian, V, Agarwal, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01.10.2007; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Child; Children; Contusions - therapy; Cuspid - injuries; Dentoalveolar fracture; Health aspects; Humans; Incisor - injuries; Male; Mandibular Fractures - therapy; maxillofacial injuries; Maxillofacial Injuries - therapy; Mouth Mucosa - injuries; Nasal Bone - injuries; Orbital Fractures - therapy; pediatric facial trauma; Skull Fractures - therapy; Tooth Avulsion - therapy; Tooth Fractures - therapy; Tooth Injuries - therapy; Tooth Mobility - therapy; Tooth, Deciduous - injuries
• ISSN: 0970-4388
• DOI: 10.4103/0970-4388.37015

Children aged 6-15 years old experience more injuries to their teeth and the injuries sustained are more serious as evidenced by a higher percentage of luxations, avulsions, fractures and dislocations. The mandible is the most frequently fractured facial bone and mandibular alveolar injuries have been reported to range between 8.1-50.6%. Those with mandibular or midface fractures have a higher incidence of associated chest, extremity, abdomen and cervical spine injuries. The growing patient with facial injuries presents the clinician with a series of thought-provoking circumstances. Dentoalveolar and mandibular injuries are especially important to understand because of the potential complications related to tooth eruption, alveolar development, occlusion and facial growth. However, the principles involved in the treatment for children need to be modified by certain anatomical, physiological and psychological factors specifically related to childhood. This case report documents the trauma, management and follow-up care of an 11-year-old boy who sustained undisplaced infraorbital, nasal fractures and mandibular dentoalveolar fracture along with other associated injuries of the extremities.