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Tooth contusion: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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[ Symptoms of a tooth bruise
When a child's tooth is bruised, it first acquires a raspberry-pink color, then reactive inflammation of the periodontium and necrosis of the pulp occur, causing the crown of the tooth to darken. The stability of the tooth is slightly impaired. From the 2nd to 3rd day after the injury, the intraoral contact radiograph clearly shows thickening of the entire periodontium, and on the 8th to 12th day, a focus of osteoporosis appears around the apex of the tooth root, sometimes even affecting the area of adjacent teeth.
Later, a normal bone structure gradually appears at the site of osteoporosis, but a small rarefaction center remains for a long time at the apex of the root of the damaged tooth, reminiscent of a picture of granulomatous periodontitis. Sometimes a cyst begins to form from this center (8-12 months after the injury). In some cases, the destructive process at the apex of the root of the bruised tooth progresses, causing bone destruction, perforation of the bottom of the nasal cavity, inflammation of the maxillary sinus, osteomyelitis of the jaw.
Treatment of a tooth bruise
Treatment of a tooth contusion is initially conservative - liquid food, lubrication of the gum around the damaged tooth with a 5% alcohol solution of iodine 1-2 times a day, UHF therapy, and with increasing clinical picture of acute traumatic periodontitis - introduction of antibiotics under the mucous membrane of the transitional fold, trepanation of the tooth with extirpation of the dead pulp to evacuate the exudate from the periodontium. After this, the root canal of the tooth is carefully sealed, having treated it with medications in the appropriate manner.