Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 7, 2026
Systematic Assessment of Mammalian Skull Specimens for Dental and Temporomandibular Joint Pathology
Published on: August 22, 2022
The Validity of ICD-10 Codes in Recording the Incidence of Traumatic Dental Injuries
Ehsan N Azadani1,2, Jodee McDaniel2, Jin Peng3
1Division of Pediatric Dentistry, The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Background/Aim:
Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) significantly affect quality of life and healthcare costs. Large administrative datasets using ICD codes offer opportunities for epidemiological research; however, the accuracy of International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes for TDIs remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the validity of ICD-10 codes in identifying TDIs and their ability to specify injury type in a pediatric emergency department (ED) setting.
Materials And Methods:
A cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study was conducted at a large urban-based children's hospital. Children aged 0-18 years presenting to the ED between January 2021 and August 2022 were included. Patients with documented dental injuries (positive controls) or facial injuries (negative controls) were identified using structured dental trauma flowsheets and computed tomography (CT) scan records, respectively. Manual chart reviews served as the reference standard. Accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of ICD-10 codes for TDI were calculated. Secondary analysis assessed whether ICD-10 codes matched the specific type of TDI (fracture vs. periodontal injury).
Results:
A total of 405 patients (mean age 10.5 ± 4.7 years) were analyzed. Overall accuracy of ICD-10 codes for TDIs was 78.5%, with sensitivity of 60.1% and specificity of 98.4%. Positive predictive value was 97.6%, and negative predictive value was 69.4%. Among true positives (n = 127), 96% of ICD-10 codes correctly reflected the specific injury type (fracture vs. periodontal injury). The most frequent correct codes were S03.2XXA (dislocation of tooth, initial encounter) and S02.5XXA (fracture of tooth, initial encounter). The most common incorrect code among false negatives was S09.93XA (unspecified injury of face).
Conclusions:
ICD-10 codes demonstrate high specificity but moderate sensitivity for TDI in pediatric ED records. Undercoding remains a concern and may lead to underestimating TDI prevalence and incidence. Improved education and coding practices are essential to enhance data reliability for research and healthcare planning.
More Related Videos
06:55Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Propensity Score using the Military Health System Data Repository and National Death Index
Published on: January 8, 2020
05:49Author Spotlight: Advancing CBCT and Digital Dental Image Integration with AI-Assisted Digitization
Published on: February 23, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:15Teeth
In the bud stage, the tooth germ (an aggregation of cells) starts to form in the developing jawbone. During the cap stage, the tooth germ differentiates into enamel organ, dental papilla, and dental sac, which will later develop into the tooth's enamel, dentin...
01:28Traumatic Brain Injury l: Introduction
01:21Tooth Anatomy
The Crown, Neck, and Root
The visible part of the tooth is referred to as the crown. It's covered by enamel, the hardest substance in the human body. The crown is uniquely shaped for each type of tooth, allowing for different functions such as cutting, tearing, or...