Learning objectives

• Management of dental emergencies resulting from airway management to maximize the chances of saving the tooth

Definition & mechanisms

• Tooth luxation occurs when trauma disrupts the tissues, ligaments, and bone that hold the tooth in place
• Can also affect the tooth’s nerves and blood supply
• Tooth avulsion occurs when the tooth is completely dislodged from its socket
• Avulsed teeth are dental emergencies and require immediate treatment

Signs and symptoms

• Teeth that are mobile or completely dislodged from the jaw due to airway management

Risk factors

• Bad dental hygiëne
• Difficult intubation
• Laryngoscopy by an inexperienced operator

Management

Suggested reading

• Bourguignon C, Cohenca N, Lauridsen E, et al. International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines for the management of traumatic dental injuries: 1. Fractures and luxations. Dent Traumatol. 2020;36(4):314-330.
• Fouad AF, Abbott PV, Tsilingaridis G, Cohenca N, Lauridsen E, Bourguignon C, et al. International Association of Dental Traumatology guidelines for the management of traumatic dental injuries: 2. Avulsion of permanent teeth. Dent Traumatol. 2020;36(4):331-42.