Prevalence and complications of trauma to the primary dentition in a subpopulation of Spanish children in southern Europe

Background: During the first years of life, when children begin to walk and socialize, they are particularly vulnerable to traumatic injuries to the primary teeth; indeed, after dental caries, such injuries are the second most frequent cause of pediatric dental consultation. Nonetheless, the reported prevalence of trauma to the primary teeth varies depending on the literature source, type of injury, the patient's age, and the most common associated complications. Aim: To analyze new epidemiological data and complications associated with traumatic injuries to the primary teeth of Spanish children. Material and methods: A retrospective study was carried out in a subpopulation of 879 Spanish children in southern Europe aged between one and 7 years old, with primary and early mixed dentition. Clinical and radiological records were obtained from all pediatric patients who presented trauma to the primary teeth, with a follow-up period of 3-5 years. Results: A total of 21.72% of children examined had some kind of dental trauma and the most common age range for injuries to the primary teeth was 1-3 years old. The most common injuries in deciduous teeth were subluxation (47.29% of injuries affected the periodontal ligament), intrusion (23.15%), and avulsion (13.63%). On the other hand, comparatively more complications were recorded as a result of intrusion (32 of 47 intruded teeth). Conclusions: In this Spanish subpopulation, a pediatric dental consultation as a result of traumatic dental injuries in primary dentition is most frequent in 1- and 2-year-olds, and subluxation is the commonest injury in the primary dentition. In turn, intrusion is associated with an increased frequency of complications in both the deciduous and the permanent teeth.