[The importance of triage in dental trauma. De differences between the hospital and dental practice]

In dental trauma, the first thought is often: 'Where is that tooth?' And, of course, it is certainly true that fast repositioning is beneficial for the prognosis of the tooth. Nevertheless, it is extremely important to focus on the condition of the patient before focussing on the treatment. A structured approach is mandatory for optimal diagnosis and treatment. This includes possible concomitant injuries such as neurotrauma. The principle of initial screening of the severity of the injury is called triage. There is a clear difference in the severity of injuries of patients with dental trauma presenting themselves in hospital or the dental practice. In hospital there are protocols for primary care; these principles can be applied in the dental practice as well.