After-Hours Versus Office-Hours Dental Injuries in Children: Does Timing Influence Outcome?

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes and factors associated with after-hours dental trauma.

Methods: Study sample consisted of 1762 permanent teeth injuries in children, gender and age matched with office-hours injuries. Epidemiological and clinical data were collected from 4 university dental trauma centers.

Results: During median follow-up time of 4.3 years, complications have occurred in 14.5% of injured teeth. Age, type, and degree of tissue injury and after-hours time of injury were significantly associated with complications. Unfavorable outcomes were 34% more likely in the after-hours group compared with office-hours. Urgent treatment was significantly delayed in after-hours group with a delay of more than 3 hours in 90.5% versus 38.9% in the office-hours group. Multivariate regression model showed that after-hours time of injury was significant predictor of complications.

Conclusion: Delayed urgent treatment was one of the main factors associated with unfavorable outcome of after-hours injuries.