The Impact of Traumatic Dental Injuries on the Mental and Social Well-Being of Children and Adolescents: Recommendations for Patient Management

Abstract

Traumatic injuries to the oral cavity are frequent during childhood, with a documented rate of more than 30% worldwide. These injuries commonly include the skull and mouth, and thus teeth are frequently impacted. Consequently, the individual ends up in pain accompanied by both esthetic and functional issues. The combination of these factors can have a detrimental impact upon normal functioning of a young individual’s lives if the injury is not efficiently treated or managed. This then impacts on the individual’s mental health and their quality of life. Not being able to function as part of a society that they are accustomed to, can cause people to withdraw from society and lose self-confidence. The negative psychological effect of traumatic dental injuries is specific to an individual, and as such each patient should be treated holistically with all factors taken into account. There is a dearth in literature around the full psycho-social impacts of traumatic dental injuries. Dentistry as a clinical field is advancing in treatment of such injuries, but there is still a lack of knowledge and awareness regarding the individual experience and how this could be managed going forward in terms in-chair strategies and the involvement of a multi-disciplinary team.