Dental injuries can happen anytime, anywhere. Some kids just play rough and sometimes their teeth bear the brunt of their actions. The most common causes of dental injuries include falling down, being hit in the face, or contact sport related accident. As a dentist, I have seen a fair share of dental emergencies, from chipped teeth to avulsed (completely knocked out) teeth. Here are some tips for parents:
- If you suspect head trauma or a serious injury, call 911 or take your child to an emergency room immediately.
- Stay calm. Children take their emotional cues from their parents, so it's very important to remain as calm as possible to lessen their anxiety.
- Call your dentist as soon as possible. An exam with x-rays will allow him or her to determine the amount of damage to the external and internal structure of the tooth and root.
Chipped front tooth
Chipped front teeth are probably the most common dental emergencies I see in my office. A small chip can easily be repaired. If you wiggle the tooth and it feels a little loose, don't worry -it will tighten with time.
If the tooth was broken to the nerve (if you see a pinkish center or blood coming from the inside of the tooth), then the treatment might require a root canal therapy.
Avulsed tooth (knocked-out tooth)
With an avulsed permanent (adult) tooth, time is of the essence. Find the tooth, handle it by the crown only and try not to touch the root. Put it in the cup containing the saliva of the child who lost it, milk, or a tooth preservation medium that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance, but not water.
The child who lost their tooth must see a dentist IMMEDIATELY. The tooth has the best prognosis if it is reimplanted within 20-30 minutes of the accident. If that is not possible, store it in an optimal storage medium and get to your dentist within one hour of the accident. When a tooth has been knocked out, the nerve and blood vessels are damaged too and cannot be repaired, which is why all avulsed teeth will need a root canal.
A baby tooth should not be reimplanted, because of the risk of damage to the permanent tooth underneath.
Intruded tooth (pushed into the bone), Extruded tooth (partially removed from socket)
Intrusion, extrusion, luxation, and lateral displacement are all different types of tooth displacements, depending on the tooth orientation following trauma. A permanent tooth that has been displaced in any way should be examined and treated by a dentist immediately in order to save it and prevent infection.
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