Developmental disturbances of permanent teeth following trauma to the primary dentition.

The topographic relationship of the apices of the primary teeth to the permanent tooth germs explains the potential for possible developmental disturbances of the permanent teeth after injuries to their predecessors. The anatomical, histologic and clinical aspects of permanent tooth malformation following trauma to the primary teeth are described. One hundred and fourteen children with originally 255 traumatized primary teeth have been re-examined (with an average period of 5.1 years after the trauma) to assess any developmental disturbances of the corresponding permanent teeth. Twenty-three per cent of partially or completely erupted permanent teeth showed developmental disturbances. The most frequent malformation was enamel hypoplasia including enamel discoloration and/or enamel defects. The highest prevalence of developmental disturbances of permanent teeth was found after intrusive injuries of primary teeth.