[Treatment of dental trauma injuries in a public health department]. / Prise en charge des traumatismes dentaires dans un service public de sante au Senegal.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to show that the socioeconomic situation in Africa influences the treatment of dental trauma. MATERIALS AND METHOD: This retrospective study on the treatment of dental trauma was carried out in the department of stomatology in the Universitary Teaching Hospital Aristide Le Dantec (HALD). It concerned 568 patient's records on an 11-year-period, with 1759 teeth. RESULTS: The therapeutic attitude consisted almost exclusively in avulsion of traumatised primary teeth (95.9%), and privileged conservative treatment of traumatised permanent teeth (67.8%), while taking in consideration the socio-economic conditions responsible of delayed consultation, few treatment options and difficult follow up. CONCLUSION: The systematic avulsion of the traumatised primary teeth is justified and the conservative treatment of the traumatised permanent teeth must always be tried in first intention.