Oral and Dental Emergencies

Pediatric visits to the emergency department for oral and dental complaints are common and may be due to either traumatic or nontraumatic etiologies. Dental or oral–maxillofacial surgery consultants are often unavailable for acute emergency department evaluation. Fortunately, few dental and oral conditions require immediate intervention by a specialist, and basic principles may be applied to their triage and management. A fundamental understanding of the basic triage and management of dental and oral-related conditions, which is the focus of this chapter, is worthwhile for today’s emergency practitioner.