Help! I Have a Knocked-Out Tooth!

In the dental world, we refer to a knocked-out tooth as an “avulsed” tooth, and it’s one of the most serious dental emergencies that can happen.

Luckily, if you act quickly, there’s a good chance that your tooth can be saved.

What You Can Do

• Handle the tooth with extreme care. Avoid touching the root surface itself, because that’s where all of the sensitive components are.

• If it’s dirty, quickly and gently rinse it in cold water. Do not use soap and do not scrape or brush the tooth.

• If possible, carefully place the tooth back in the socket, because that will minimize damage and increase the likelihood of saving the tooth.

• If you’re unable to put it back in the socket, place the tooth in a cup of milk or between your cheek and gums. The goal is to keep the tooth from drying out, and milk or saliva will keep the cells on the surface alive for a few hours.

• Do not place the tooth in a paper towel, washcloth, or bag.

• Call your dentist. This is the most important thing to do, because you need to get into the office as quickly as you can. Ideally, this is within 30 minutes of the incident.

What Your Dentist Will Do

When you make it into the office, your dentist will evaluate your gums and teeth for any additional facial injuries. They will then fit the tooth back into place and stabilize it with a splint depending on the state and severity of your injury.

Your dentist or endodontist may begin root canal treatment a week or two later. She or he may place a medication inside the tooth and then follow up with a permanent root canal filling at a later time.

What if My Dentist Can’t Save My Tooth?

Unfortunately, not every tooth can be saved. If your tooth dries out or the root is too severely damaged, there may be no chance at reattaching it to the nerves and blood vessels in your mouth. In this case, you will need to seek a replacement.

Most dentists will agree that your best option is a dental implant. While dentures and bridges can replace the crown or visible part of your teeth, a dental implant replaces the entire root. This will keep your jawbone from deteriorating and your other teeth from shifting.

Dental implants also look just like your natural teeth, completely mitigating the damage done by your knocked-out tooth. Within the span of a few months, no one will even be able to notice that you’re missing a tooth!

Have a Missing Tooth?

While it’s our hope that you avoid the need for a tooth replacement treatment, we also understand that accidents happen. In fact, recent research shows that 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth.
If you’re living with a gap in your smile. Let us help. Call us today to speak with one of our talented staff members about dental implant treatment.