LAUSR

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To analyze and evaluate clinical features that define complex dentoalveolar trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-five patients, with a mean age of 36.1 years, were included in the study; most patients were male (82.2%). The main clinical features defining dentoalveolar fractures were evaluated, including the status of the tooth, alveolar socket and adjacent soft tissues and their relationships with tooth loss. The relationship between splinting and tooth loss was also studied. The data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical methods. RESULTS A significant relationship was observed between the different clinical variables and tooth loss, in particular the status of the alveolar socket as the most relevant clinical factor; there was also a significant relationship between splinting and tooth loss, as this was the main protective factor. CONCLUSIONS Tooth loss prognosis following complex dentoalveolar trauma is related to the clinical features of the fracture, particularly the status of the alveolar socket and the possibility of using splinting as treatment.