AN INVESTIGATION OF DENTOALVEOLAR TRAUMA AND ITS TREATMENT IN AN ADOLESCENT POPULATION .1. THE PREVALENCE AND INCIDENCE OF INJURIES AND THEEXTENT AND ADEQUACY OF TREATMENT RECEIVED

Aim To measure the prevalence and:incidence of dental trauma and to as sess the extent and success of treatment provided. Design Cross-sectio nal and one-year incremental study. Subjects and methods 2022 11-14-ye ar-old pupils were examined in schools for clinical evidence of trauma of anterior teeth. 1891 were examined 15 months later. A history of t he trauma and treatment provided were obtained together with some soci al data. Radiographs were taken of affected teeth. Main outcome measur es Degree of trauma, whether treatment was provided and its quality, A CORN classification. Results 34% had suffered trauma but only 12% need ed treatment for 332 teeth. 47% of these teeth had received treatment, of which 59% was inadequate. After 15 months 4% had experienced new i njuries. 42% of boys and 28% of girls (P < 0.01) had sustained injurie s, as had 38% from ACORN group III and 30% from groups I and II. 67% o f those with pain and 40% of those without attended for treatment (P < 0.01), while 69% who were unhappy with the appearance and 35% who wer e not (P < 0.01) attended. Conclusions The primary care services curre ntly available for the treatment of dental trauma are inadequate.