Avulsed tooth
Dentists call a tooth that has been knocked out as an avulsed tooth. It is one of the most serious dental emergencies for permanent teeth. The damage can be fixed if you act quickly. You may be able to save your tooth.
What can you do about an avulsed tooth?
When you have an avulsed tooth, the nerves, the blood vessels, and the supporting tissues are damaged in the process. The nerves and the blood vessels can not be repaired but if your dentist can put the tooth back in place within an hour from the trauma, there is a good chance that the supporting tissues will reattach and hold the tooth back in its place.
The first and most immediate thing to do when your tooth gets knocked out is to go to the dentist right away. In the meantime, here are some of the things you can do
- pick the tooth up by its crown. This is the part of the tooth that you can see when you open your mouth. You should avoid touching the root end or the part which attaches to the gums
- if the tooth is dirty you should not clean it. This may damage the tooth. Place the tooth back into its socket. It has a better chance of healing if it's kept in its natural environment. If you can not get the tooth back in its socket then you should tuck it in between your cheek and gums. One other option is to put the tooth in a container of milk. You can buy a kit at some pharmacies that contain a solution similar to saliva. The most important thing to do is to keep the tooth as moist as possible
Remember that if you act quickly and get to your dentist as soon as possible then there is a good chance that your tooth can be saved.
What will your dentist do?
Putting the tooth back in its place is simple. Sometimes it can be complicated especially if the tooth or the bone is broken. Your dentist will use water to flush out any debris from the socket. Then, the dentist will slip the tooth back into place. The tooth will be splinted to the adjacent teeth using plastic resin and orthodontic wire. This will keep the tooth stable so it can heal and reattach itself once again.
A tooth will not always reattach itself in the right way. If it doesn't reattach itself properly, it may eventually fuse to the jawbone. When this happens, the root of the tooth can erode and be reabsorbed back into the body. This will occur slowly and may even take months. Sometimes, it may even take years. Your dentist will monitor the tooth and may suggest further treatment like root canal treatment.
The nerves and the blood vessels that were injured when the tooth was knocked out have a very small chance of healing and returning to normal. A root canal treatment is often recommended to prevent the tooth from changing colour or developing an abscess.