Orofacial trauma management. Patient assessment and documentation

New technologies and treatments for managing children with orofacial trauma are constantly updated and available to the practitioner through current literature. What often fails to be appreciated, however, is that orofacial injury is a subset of head trauma and may have systemic emergent considerations that supersede the oral conditions being addressed. The complexity of a thorough assessment of the child from both medical and dental standpoints requires a systematic approach, which in turn can be guided by an appropriate document for inclusion in the chart. Further, such a document will serve as an important record should future civil litigation ensure from the traumatic incident.