A heavy impact from an accident, contact sports, and other traumatic events can dislodge a permanent tooth from its socket. Once the damage is done, it becomes a dental emergency that requires the urgent attention of our dentists. With timely intervention, the teeth can be replanted into its permanent natural position, whether it was knocked loose or ejected completely.
However, if the loose tooth isn't restored in a timely fashion, the situation could deteriorate to a painful and costly one that requires root canals or other complex treatments. In children, dislodged or knocked out tooth can quickly degenerate into serious complications since the permanent teeth are underdeveloped.
How Best to Handle a Partially Knocked Out Tooth
Once the tooth falls out of position, it's important to try repositioning it immediately. Grab it by the crown (the white section that sits above the gum) and try returning it to its position. If it's fallen out completely, rinse it in water gently (don't scrub), and then try putting it back in place. Don't try doing this with baby teeth in kids. If you can return it in place, soak it in milk and call our dentists right away.
If you're able to roughly position the tooth in place, try biting on a handkerchief to wedge it down further into place. Contact our office as soon as you can so we can get your tooth restoration procedure underway on time.
The Restoration Techniques for Partially Knocked Teeth
At our office, our dentists will first anesthetize and clean the injury site, and then examine the tooth through a series of x-ray to find the fault lines in the root's nerves and blood vessels around the affected area. Our dentists will then use a suitable splinting technique to replant the loose tooth into its natural place.
Depending on the level of damage, our dentist may schedule a series of follow-up appointments to ensure that the healing process unfolds normally without any complications that may require more complex procedures like root canals.
Remember, the timing of the dental intervention is critical to your chances of saving your loose tooth. So give us a call immediately your tooth goes loose.
A heavy impact from an accident, contact sports, and other traumatic events can dislodge a permanent tooth from its socket. Once the damage is done, it becomes a dental emergency that requires the urgent attention of our dentists. With timely intervention, the teeth can be replanted into its permanent natural position, whether it was knocked loose or ejected completely.