Dental Trauma

Dental trauma describes any physical injury to the teeth, bone or soft tissue in the mouth (gums, lips, tongue). 

It is most common in children from 2-4 years old (who are learning or have just learnt to walk) and 8-10 years old (who are playing more sports). 

Common causes include:

• Accidental falls (particularly around coffee tables!)
• Bicycle/scooter accidents 
• Trampolining
• Sports injuries (football, rugby)
• Road traffic accidents (more common in adults)
• Fights (more common in adults)

Children with an increased overjet (upper teeth stick out much further than lower teeth) are up to 8 times more likely to suffer from dental trauma. For this reason, children with an increased overjet often benefit from orthodontic treatment (LINK). 

Treating dental trauma can be both costly and time-consuming. The consequences are unpredictable. Multiple appointments are often needed for monitoring and treatment over the course of many years. 

Whilst it is important for children to have fun and stay active, it's also important to take precautions when needed - such as wearing a mouthguard when playing contact sports. You can find out more about the different types of mouthguards here (LINK).

What are the different types of trauma?

These injuries can occur concurrently - i.e. more than one injury may happen at the same time. 

The different types of dental trauma, along with the consequences and treatment, are described below for both baby teeth and adult teeth.