Traumas caused by orthodontic treatment: A retrospective review

Abstract

Even though orthodontic treatment is indispensable for nearly 16-20% of the whole world population with functional efficiency, structural balance and aesthetic harmony as its main advantages and rationale, the treatment particularly with a range of removable, fixed, functional and extraoral orthopaedic appliances can cause various deleterious hard tissue and soft tissue injuries in particular, intraorally. These intraoral and extra oral hard and soft tissue injuries can be iatrogenic, self-induced, caused by bad patient compliance or just by accidents intervened by the patient while wearing the appliance. These traumas/injuries are not uncommon since an orthodontic treatment are mainly done with stainless steel [metal] and the treatment usually continues for a long period of time ranging from 6- 36 months in the majority of the cases. The high pervasiveness of individuals with dental trauma preceding to orthodontic treatment justify the safety measures that should be followed before and during treatment while bearing in mind all the possible effects of orthodontic movement on traumatized teeth. Among the major traumatic dental injuries, avulsion with subsequent tooth reimplantation entails a higher than average risk of complications, such as pulp necrosis, root resorption, and ankyloses. Therefore, it gives orthodontists numerous reasons for apprehension during orthodontic treatment.