Traumatic injuries in the preschool child.

The dental management of traumatic injuries in the preschool child demands a careful and methodical approach to the clinical patient care. Insurance claims and litigation possibilities require detailed documentation of the accident, the nature and extent of the injury and all treatment rendered, follow-up care, and verbal instructions given to the parent. The prognosis of the treatment and the damage to the permanent teeth depend upon the nature and extent of the injury and, in part, upon the treatment rendered and the follow-up care received by the patient. The dental records must be retained until the permanent teeth erupt to fully assess the extent of the damage to the developing dentition.