The effect of luxation and subluxation upon the prognosis of traumatized incisor teeth

Findings are reported for a study into the prognosis of permanent incisor teeth luxated or subluxated by trauma. The main complications were pulp death, pulp calcification and external root resorption. The findings supported the concept of concussion of the dental pulp following trauma since 57 per cent of the teeth that initially did not respond to pulp testing later gave positive responses. Luxated teeth showed significantly more complications than subluxated teeth. Teeth of children over the age of nine years were more likely to suffer pulp death than those of younger children. Although most of the luxated and severely subluxated teeth were splinted these teeth were still more likely to suffer complications than the less damaged and therefore non-splinted teeth.