Our permanent adult teeth are meant to be exactly that — permanent. They aren’t meant to come out on their own. But popular sports and unforeseen accidents might lead to a tooth getting loose or completely knocked out (the fancy word is avulsed). What would be the best procedures when something that’s supposed to stay in your jaw comes out of it?
Dealing with Loose Teeth
A tooth might become loose due to infection, bone loss, illness, orthodontics, or side-effects from medication. It you experience loose teeth, or if your teeth seem to be shifting position on their own, it’s very important to have a professional examine the situation to determine the best action to take. One treatment is using a splint or wire bracket to keep the teeth in place as the bone and gum tissue heal.
Dealing with Avulsed Teeth
If the tooth is fully separated from its socket, it is certainly a dental emergency, but all is not lost. Even if the tooth is in pieces, your dentist at the Placerville Dental Group might be able to put the tooth back together, but time is of the essence. The likelihood of a successful reimplantation reduces after 30 minutes from the injury. Therefore, make sue to call us or the nearest dentist as soon as the issue happens.
For an intact tooth, gently rinse it off with clean water, but do not scrape or scrub it. Handle the tooth by touching only the crown or top of the tooth, not the root. If possible, reinsert the tooth into its original socket to keep it warm and moist and bite down on a gauze pad to keep the tooth in place. If it cannot fit in the socket, carefully place it in the mouth between the jaw and the cheek until you arrive at the dentist office.
If the tooth broken or is in pieces, sake sure to collect all tooth fragments. Place them in a plastic bag with a small amount of whole milk or saliva to keep the tooth moist. By the way, this can also be done with a whole tooth if you cannot place it in the original socket or the person’s mouth. Make the call to the Placerville Dental Group at (530) 444-5322 as soon as possible, even if it’s after hours.
Alternative Treatments for Avulsed Teeth
If a child lost the tooth, and it was a baby tooth, then it might be best to live with the gap until the permanent teeth come in. Although adult teeth don’t get natural replacements, losing a tooth is not the end to a great smile. The Placerville Dental Group has other options to replace it — such as bridges or dental implants. We also have decades of experience and skill to make sure any loss does not compromise the functionality of your mouth.
And keep in mind that you don’t need to lose a tooth to find out more. Simply give us a call, schedule an appointment online, or discuss the topic with us at your next semiannual checkup. With the Placerville Dental Group on your side, a dislodged tooth doesn’t dislodge your smile.
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