title: Clinical audit of children with permanent tooth injuries treated at a dental hospital in Ireland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To audit key demographic and clinical factors relating to treatment of trauma to the permanent dentition at the Paediatric Dental Department, Cork University Dental School and Hospital, Ireland and to compare clinical management with guideline recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical audit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive clinical records for children attending for treatment of dental trauma were audited with regard to age, gender and distance travelled. The number of teeth per patient, the cause, type and prevalence of injury were examined. Splinting of mobilisation injuries and the prevalence of pulp extirpation were compared with published guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Records were available for 94 children (65 male, 29 female) with a mean age at time of injury of 10.1 (SD±2.64) years. There were 82% of children living within 50 km of the Hospital. A total of 168 teeth were involved. Dental injuries comprised 39 uncomplicated crown fractures, 18 complicated crown fractures, 37 subluxations, 9 root fractures, 10 extrusions, 14 lateral luxations, 7 intrusions, 30 avulsions and 4 were unclassified. Sport injuries accounted for 23.2% of injuries to teeth, falls for 22.6%, bicycles were involved in 15.5%, other domestic accidents 6.5%, assault 4.2%, vehicles 3.0%, swimming 0.6%. and the remaining 24.4% were unclassified. In some instances of avulsion, lateral luxation, subluxation and extrusion injuries, a tendency to splint for durations longer than that recommended in guidelines was observed. Prevalence of pulpal extirpation for replanted teeth was in keeping with recommendations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  General adherence to guidelines in respect of splinting and prevalence of pulp extirpation was demonstrated. Utilising a standardised recording system would facilitate the clinical audit process.
authors.affiliation: Dr C Stewart, Dept. of Paediatric Dentistry, Cork University Dental School and Hospital, University College Cork, Ireland. c.stewart@ucc.ie
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kinirons
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delaney
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D001642:Bicycling / Q000293:injuries; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019230:Dental Audit; D003796:Dental Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019229:Dentition, Permanent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010516:Periodontal Splints / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D011670:Pulpectomy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018677:Tooth Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014090:Tooth Replantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data