Dental Trauma Care
Fast care for teeth that are knocked out, pushed out of place or injured, for adults and children.
Falls, sports and accidents can injure teeth in ways that are not always visible. Quick care from an endodontist gives an injured tooth the best chance of being saved.
If a tooth is knocked out
- Pick the tooth up by the crown, not the root.
- Rinse it gently if it is dirty. Do not scrub it.
- Keep it moist: in milk, in a little salt water, or inside your cheek.
- Call the office and come in right away. The sooner a tooth is replaced, the better its chance of surviving.
A tooth pushed out of place
If a tooth has been pushed into or partly out of its socket, it needs to be repositioned and held steady while it heals. Depending on the health of the nerve, a root canal may be needed before or after the tooth is stabilized.
Injuries in children
A young permanent tooth may not have a fully formed root yet. Dr. Fitzgibbons uses treatments designed for these teeth. Apexogenesis protects the living nerve so the root can keep growing. Apexification helps a protective barrier form at the end of the root when the nerve cannot be saved.