BACKGROUND/AIM: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) in the primary dentition occur frequently. Long term complications may potentially cause damage to the permanent successor. The aim of this study was to report the risk of pulp necrosis (PN), pulp canal obliteration (PCO), infection-related resorption (IRR), ankylosis-related resorption (ARR) and premature tooth loss (PTL) in primary teeth following extrusion or lateral luxation, and to identify risk factors for PN and PTL.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 24 patients with 26 extruded primary teeth, and 242 patients with 331 primary teeth with lateral luxation. Laterally luxated teeth were left without treatment. Extruded teeth were repositioned. Follow-up included examination after 4 weeks, 8 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and when the patients were 6 years old. The minimum follow-up was 1 year or until tooth loss. Kaplan Meier and Aahlen Johansson tests were used along with Cox regression analysis. The level of significance was 5%.

RESULTS: Risk estimated after 3 years - Extrusion: PCO 39.8% (95% CI: NA), PN 15.6% (95% CI: 1.5-29.7), IRR 3.8% (95% CI: 0-11.2), PTL 43.3% (95% CI: 25.5-61.2). All cases of PN and PTL occurred within the first year. Lateral luxation: PCO 41.3% (CI: 95% 35.7-46.9), PN 19.8% CI: 95% (15.3-24.2), IRR 7.0% (95% CI: 4.1- 9.8), ARR 1.4% (95% CI: 0-3.3) and PTL 24.8% (95% CI: 18.8-30.8). Risk factors for PN: concomitant crown fracture and patient aged 4 years or more. Nearly all teeth (95%) realigned spontaneously within the first year. Nearly all cases of PN and PTL (95.7%) occurred within the first year.

CONCLUSION: The healing potential for laterally luxation teeth was high and more than half of the extruded teeth, which were repositioned after injury, showed long-term survival. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.