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FRACTURED TEETH - CONTINUED | Up
Dental Volume 1 - Dentist training manual for military dentists | Next
FRACTURES OF THE MANDIBLE AND MAXILLA - CONTINUED |
Signs
Upon examination of a type IV fracture, the dental
officer may direct you to take a radiograph of the tooth
to determine if there is a fracture of the root. You may
observe:
A fractured root (as seen in the patient’s X-ray),
which may be further complicated by a fracture
of the crown
Tooth mobility
Other facial trauma associated with the
accident
Treatment
Perform emergency treatment guidelines.
Because of the severity, almost all cases of type IV
fractures will be treated by the dental officer. Only in
very rare cases, will the Dental Technician provide
treatment. In such rare cases, the dental officer might
authorize the DT to place a splint in the same way as for
the type III fracture.
TRAUMATICALLY EXTRACTED
TEETH
If a tooth has been traumatically extracted from the
socket, notify the dentist as soon as possible. The
dental officer may instruct you to replace the tooth
back in the socket after rinsing it with sterile saline.
Time is of the essence for the replantation to be a
success. Perform emergency treatment guidelines and
control hemorrhaging until the dentist arrives.
FRACTURES OF THE MANDIBLE AND
MAXILLA
The dentist will treat this type of injury. Your
responsibility is to prevent further injury and to lessen
the pain while waiting for the dentist. A person who
has a fractured jaw may suffer serious interference
with breathing. One of the most important phases of
emergency care is to clear the upper respiratory
passage of any obstruction. Fractures are usually the
result of a high-velocity accident (e.g., the face striking
the dashboard of a car). Of all the facial bones, the
nasal bones, followed by the mandible, are the most
frequently injured.
Less common is a fracture of the maxilla. It can be
distinguished from a mandibular fracture because the
fractured maxilla will cause severe malocclusion
consisting of an open bite. The face will also look
elongated. Both the mandible and maxilla fractures are
treated in the same manner until a dentist arrives.
Symptoms
Symptoms for fractures of the mandible and
maxilla may include some of the following:
Difficulty in breathing, talking, eating, or
swallowing
Pain when the mandible or maxilla is moved
Figure 6-8.—Bandaging to immobilize both mandible and maxilla.
6-10
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