Treatment of traumatic dental injuries. Shift in strategy.

A more conservative approach to the treatment of traumatic dental injuries has been made possible by knowledge concerning the pathogenesis of external root resorption, increased knowledge about wound healing processes in the pulp and periodontium, as well as by advances in restorative dentistry (reattachment of crown fragments with a dentin bonding system, the use of adhesive bridges, and advances in autotransplantation and implantation). However, a rethinking by the public, clinicians, and third-party payers is necessary for these procedures to gain wider acceptance. The present article describes the state of the art of treating dental trauma in the hope that these advances can become an accepted part of the dental trauma armamentarium and not merely scientific curiosities.