Investigations

Investigations that should be considered are outlined in the table below:

Special test Rationale
Chest X-ray Used to exclude aspiration risk when patient is unaware of where a missing tooth or tooth fragment is.
Soft tissue view Useful to exclude fragments of teeth becoming lodged within deep lacerations to the lips, cheeks and face
Orthopantomogram (OPT or OPG) Assessment of dental structures. Can be useful if doubt exists over whether tooth is a deciduous (baby) or adult tooth, and useful to assess degree of damage to dental and periodontal structures. This type of x-ray can also be beneficial to assess if a tooth has fractured at crown level, or have been intruded, as in both scenarios only a very small “tip” of a tooth can be seen.
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