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- Poliklinik für Kieferorthopädie, Präventive Zahnmedizin und Kinderzahnheilkunde (1) (remove)
Primary tooth trauma occurs commonly during the development of motor coordination. Its consequences do not only affect the traumatized primary tooth but may affect the underlying permanent successor as well. Its management may involve very high costs on patients and insurance companies and complicated injuries can have negative effects on the quality of life of preschool children. Investigating the causes and patterns of trauma in primary teeth are highly needed to aim for preventive measures. This retrospective study compared the patterns of dental trauma injuries at the trauma center at Greifswald University/Germany for a recent pediatric cohort (2014-16, 103 children) with a historic one before the German unification and the health care system reformation (1974-1989, n=120). The data contained details on etiology, injury types and treatment delivered for 450 injured teeth (247 historic, 203 recent). In both cohorts, the occurrence was more common in males than females (63%/55%, resp.) with an age peak from 2 to 6 years. Maxillary incisors were most affected (89.6%/88.6%, resp.) and periodontal ligament injuries dominated (77.8%/90.3%, resp.).
Almost half of the injuries occurred at home (46.6%), mostly due to falling (48.5%) or during playing (37.8%) in the recent pediatric cohort which provided better forensic data due to insurance issues and potential concern about child abuse. Advice and follow up was the most common approach in the recent pediatric cohort (76%).
Trauma patterns in the primary dentition seem to be rather universal due to the activities of small children and their anatomic conditions. Trauma to primary dentition occurred mostly at home or in the nurseries and possibly is hard to avoid due to falls or accidents during normal playing. Even after 30 years and a change in the health care system due to German unification, the patterns remain similar.
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