Young children at risk of dental problems after tooth injury

Dental Tribune International

Tue. 8. July 2025

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark: Traumatic dental injuries to the primary dentition, particularly luxation events such as intrusion, avulsion, lateral luxation and subluxation, pose significant risk of developmental defects in the permanent successors. A recent retrospective cohort study has quantified this risk and demonstrated that both younger age at injury and greater luxation severity significantly increase the likelihood of sequelae in the developing permanent dentition.

The study, undertaken by researchers at the University of Copenhagen and Rigshospitalet, underscored the high incidence of oral trauma in preschool children, noting that it accounts for up to 17% of childhood injuries. The research further highlighted the frequent involvement of primary incisors in trauma, owing to their prominent position and anatomical vulnerability. The study aimed to assess the risk of developmental defects—demarcated opacity, diffuse opacity, hypoplasia and malformation—in the permanent successors after various injuries to the primary teeth.

The researchers analysed clinical and radiographic follow-up data from 206 patients and 360 affected teeth, compared with 1,057 matched control teeth from the same children. The cohort was stratified into three age groups at the time of injury (0–2 years, 3–4 years, and 5 years and older), and sequelae were categorised as demarcated opacity, diffuse opacity, hypoplasia and malformation.

The findings indicated that traumatic injury to primary teeth increased the risk of sequelae in the permanent dentition by more than sevenfold. Additionally, severe trauma occurring at a younger age was found to further elevate the risk. For example, children aged 0–2 who experienced lateral luxation, intrusion or avulsion were significantly more likely to develop hypoplasia or malformation compared with older age groups. Across all age groups, both demarcated and diffuse opacities were observed after various luxation injuries, including subluxation and extrusion.

The study underscores the importance of educating caregivers and clinicians on the critical nature of luxation injuries in early childhood and the need for prompt assessment and long-term follow-up—particularly in children under 3 years—to detect and manage potential sequelae in the permanent dentition.

The study, titled “Sequelae in permanent dentition after traumatic dental injury in the primary dentition—a retrospective cohort study”, was published online on 4 March 2025 in the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, ahead of inclusion in an issue.

Topics:

Pediatric Dentistry

Tags:

Avulsion Dental injuries Dental research Dental trauma Paediatric dentistry Primary dentition Sequelae

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