4 Common Dental Injuries & What You Can Do About Them
Dental trauma can be painful and aesthetically unappealing, and in some cases, pose a serious health risk. It’s important not to wait to see an emergency dentist. We’ve put together tips for dealing with four of the most common dental injuries to help you make the right choice for yourself. If in doubt, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
- Tooth Fracture
- Chipped Tooth
- Knocked-Out Teeth
- Displaced Tooth
1. Tooth Fracture
Serious fracturing of a tooth exposes both the dentin (the protective layer) and pulp tissue (the inner living tissue) to damage. The tooth will likely be displaced, feel loose, and the gums will be bleeding. Because this leaves you vulnerable to decay and infection, it’s important to see an emergency dentist right away.
We will evaluate whether the tooth might be saved, require a root canal, or if an extraction is necessary.
2. Chipped Tooth
A chipped tooth involves the chipping of the enamel only. This is typically minor and usually just a cosmetic issue. This type of dental injury is usually not painful. However, you’ll likely notice the tooth is rough or sharp and may irritate your tongue or cheeks. A cosmetic dentist can fix a chip with a dental filling or a crown.
3. Knocked-Out Teeth
Most commonly, it’s the upper front teeth that get knocked out. In some cases, we can save your tooth. Make sure to handle the tooth from the crown (the area which is used for chewing) and not the root. Gently wash with clean water or milk and either place it back in the socket or store it in milk.
Seek help from an emergency dentist immediately, as the sooner the tooth is reimplanted (ideally within an hour), the more likely the root will be able to reattach.
4. Displaced Tooth
A displaced tooth may appear elongated or shortened, depending on if it’s been pulled out or pushed in. It may be protruding forward or backward, rotated or sideways. A displacement is another injury where you should seek immediate attention from a doctor.
The sooner the dentist can splint your tooth, the less likely you are to have more serious conditions such as pulp injury.
Seek Immediate Attention From An Emergency Dentist
Contact Dr. Carol Jinn, DDS in San Ramon, CA, for help with your next dental injury. We’ll provide the attention you need to help prevent further complications and do our best to save broken or displaced teeth. Once you’ve healed completely, we can also perform cosmetic dental services to restore your smile.