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Immediate and Long-Term Care for Traumatic Tooth Injuries
Mouth injuries can sometimes cause teeth to be pushed back into their sockets. Your endodontist or general dentist may need to reposition and stabilize the affected tooth. Root canal treatment is typically initiated within a few weeks following the injury, and a medication like calcium hydroxide will be placed inside the tooth. Eventually, a permanent root canal filling will be applied.
Managing Partially Dislodged Teeth
Sometimes a tooth may be partially dislodged from its socket. Your endodontist or general dentist may need to reposition and stabilize the tooth. If the pulp is still healthy, no further treatment may be needed. However, if the pulp is damaged or infected, a root canal may be necessary. Untreated, complications can arise, including infection of the tooth, root system, or surrounding tissue, difficulties with oral hygiene due to the dislodged tooth, and potentially, tooth loss.
Types Of Injuries
Avulsed Teeth
If a tooth is completely knocked out, it is crucial to seek immediate treatment. Keep the tooth moist by either placing it back into the socket or storing it in milk or a glass of water with a pinch of salt. Keeping the tooth moist increases the chances of saving it. Your endodontist may begin root canal treatment depending on the tooth’s root development stage. The duration the tooth was out and how it was stored can affect the type of treatment required
Injuries in Children
An injured immature tooth may require one of the following procedures to enhance the likelihood of saving it:
Apexogenesis
This procedure promotes continued root development while the pulp heals. A medication is applied to the soft tissue to stimulate growth. As the child grows, the root tip (apex) will continue to close, and the root canal walls will thicken. If the pulp heals successfully, no further treatment will be needed. A more mature root increases the likelihood of saving the tooth.
Apexification
In this procedure, the unhealthy pulp is removed, and medication is placed into the root to stimulate the formation of hard tissue near the root tip. This hardened tissue acts as a barrier for the root canal filling. Since the root canal walls will no longer continue to develop, the tooth may become more prone to fractures. Therefore, it is crucial to have the tooth properly restored by your dentist.
