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COMMON DENTAL EMERGENCIES - AN ILLUSTRATION
Some of the common Dental Emergencies
may be as follows;
|
Diagnosis |
Definition |
Presentation |
Complications |
Treatment |
|
Reversible
pulpitis |
Pulpal
inflammation |
Pain
with hot, cold, or sweet stimuli |
Periapical
abscess, cellulitis |
Filling |
|
Irreversible
pulpitis |
Pulpal
inflammation |
Spontaneous,
poorly localized pain |
Periapical
abscess, cellulitis |
RCT,
extraction |
|
Abscess |
Localized
bacterial infection |
Localized
pain and swelling |
Cellulitis |
I
& D and RCT or extraction |
|
Cellulitis |
Diffuse
soft tissue bacterial infection |
Pain,
erythema, and swelling |
Regional
spread |
Antibiotics
and RCT or extraction |
|
Pericoronitis |
Inflamed
gum over partially erupted tooth |
Pain,
erythema, and swelling |
Cellulitis |
Irrigation,
antibiotics if cellulitis also present |
|
Tooth
fracture |
Broken
tooth |
Clinical
examination and radiography |
Pulpitis
and sequelae |
Fillings,
with or without RCT, extraction |
|
Tooth
luxation |
Loose
tooth |
Clinical
examination and radiography |
Aspiration,
pulpitis, and sequelae |
Splinting,
with or without RCT, extraction |
|
Tooth
avulsion |
Missing
tooth |
Clinical
examination |
Ankylosis,
resorption |
Reimplantation
and splinting |
RCT = root canal therapy; I &
D = incision and drainage. |