Dental Trauma

Dental trauma refers to Trauma (injury) to the teeth and/or periodontium (gums, periodontal ligament, alveolar bone), and nearby soft tissues such as the lips, tongue, etc. The study of dental trauma is called dental traumatology.

In many cases of traumatic dental injuries, the timeliness of care is key to saving the tooth. It is thus important for all dentists to have an understanding of how to diagnose and treat the most common dental injuries — and this is especially critical in the emergency phase of treatment.