The Role of First Responders to Traumatic Injuries

Instructor:  Asgeir Sigurdsson, D.D.S., M.S., Board-Certified Endodontist

For most dental injuries, the time from the injury to treatment can differentiate between saving a tooth and losing it to complications.   Therefore, it is paramount for all dentists to have some understanding of the diagnosis and emergency treatment of the most common dental injuries. The first part of the lecture will give a detailed description of diagnostic procedures needed in case of oral and dental trauma.  Necessary radiographic, facial-skeletal, and oral evaluations will be explored and discussed with the support of actual cases. The second part will focus on the most common treatment modalities for fractured crowns and roots, luxation, and avulsion, emphasizing the best initial or emergency response. The lecture will include numerous case presentations.

Objectives:
Upon completion, participants will be:

1. able to correctly assess and diagnose the most common dental injuries
2. able to perform or recommend appropriate emergency treatment for the most common dental injuries.
3. able to  give the patient/patient likely prognosis of the tooth after the injury