The phone is ringing

Patient’s father: Hello Doctor.

Doctor: Good morning, what seems to be a problem, Sir?

Patient’s father: I’m calling about my daughter. She is 8 years old. During our summer vacation in the mountains she fell down, luckily, nothing bad seemed to happen then. She just scratched her face. However, yesterday we saw that her front top tooth is slightly darker in comparison with other teeth and it worries us a bit. This is certainly a permanent tooth, because she lost her upper milk teeth in the first grade.

Doctor: As I understand, you would like to come to my office with a child?

Patient’s father: Yes, if we could come within next two weeks, it would be great, as later there is a break in school and we plan to go abroad for two weeks.

Doctor: Good. Therefore, I suggest Friday, at 5 p.m.

Patient’s father: Thank you,  Doctor. We will be there on Friday. Goodbye.

Doctor: Goodbye.

After three days

Patient’s father: Good afternoon, Sir. We have an appointment for 5 p.m.

Doctor: Hello, welcome and please sit down in the chair immediately. Yes, indeed, the right one is much darker than the other teeth. Tell me how it happened?

Child: I hit my mouth on a fallen tree, but I only scratched it a little. I felt the teeth too, but it did not hurt me then. Now it hurts me more and more.

Doctor: I understand. In a moment I will examine whether the discolored tooth responds, that is whether the pulp is alive.

Child: And will it hurt?

Doctor: It shouldn’t. I’ll touch your tooth with a cotton swab and you will tell me what you’re feeling? Ok?

Child: Ok.

After a while the doctor performs a discussed procedure

Doctor: Are you feeling anything?

Child: No, I’m not.

Doctor: And now?

Child: Ouch! Such unpleasant cold.

Doctor: Well, unfortunately, pulp has degenerated and therefore the tooth got discolored. Sometimes it happens even after a slight injury.

Patient’s father: And what will you do now, Doctor?

Doctor: Now I will write a referral for an X-rays. I have to see if root development is completed – probably it is not. And I have to check if the root is not broken, but I guess it’s not. Please do it today, and get back to me. If you’re leaving in 10 days, I need to know exactly what the situation is like. I have one more patient and I can see your daughter again in 1,5 hours.

Patient’s father: Of course, Doctor. We’re going to take a picture right now. At what time do we have to be back here exactly?

Doctor: Please be here at 7 p.m.

Patient’s father: So see you at 7.

Doctor: See you.

VOCABULARY PRACTICE

Match questions asked by a doctor with rasons for which they should be asked

Q1: Where did the injury occur?

Q2: How did the injury occur?

Q3: When did the injury occur?

Q4: Was there a period of unconsciousness?

Q5: Is there any disturbance in bite?

Q6: Is there any reaction in the teeth to cold/hot?

R1: Amnesia, nausea, loss of consciousness and vomiting are all signs of brain damage and require medical attention.

R2: This may lead to identification of the impact zones i.e. a chin injury is often combined with crown or crown-root fractures in premolar and molar regions.

R3: An affirmative answer may indicate a luxation injury with displacement, an alveolar or jaw fracture or a fracture of the condylar region.

R4: This information may  indicate the possibility of contamination.

R5: A positive finding indicates exposed dentin and/or pulp.

R6: This information may be essential in relation to many injury types. In relation to a tooth avulsion the extent of time and the extraoral storage condition becomes very decisive for later treatment.

 Complete the text with words from the table

Most dental injuries are the result of sports, car accidents, or bad falls. Any dental injury needs to be 1)___________ by a dentist immediately.

Most chipped teeth can be repaired by 2)____________ the chipped piece or by placing a tooth-colored filling.

If a large portion of the tooth is broken, a dental crown may be placed to 3)____________  the tooth.

An injured tooth may be pushed out of or further into its 4)___________.

We say that the tooth is dislodged or 5)____________ then. 

Our dentists can reposition the tooth and stabilize. Dislodged permanent teeth often need root canal treatment. However, primary teeth that become dislodged usually do not 6)___________ root canal treatment since they are still developing.

If a tooth gets knocked out, in other terms 7)____________, it should be handled very carefully.

The tooth root must not be touched. If the tooth is dirty, it must be 8)______________ with water. 

The tooth must be placed back in the socket if possible. If the tooth will not easily 9)___________, keep it 10)__________ until you can see our dentists

If the tooth root becomes fractured, a splint may be needed to stabilize it for a time.

Chipped primary teeth can be restored with a dental filling and dislodged teeth may be repositioned. Knocked out 11)______________ teeth should not be replanted.

Resorption is when body 12)_____________ its own tooth because of a dental injury.

Lesson 72 - answers