Traumatic Injuries

Dislodged Teeth

Injuries to the mouth can cause teeth to be pushed back into their sockets. Your endodontist or general dentist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. Root canal treatment is usually started within a few weeks of the injury and a medication may be placed inside the tooth. Eventually, the procedure will be completed with a thorough cleansing and sealing of the canal spaces.

Sometimes a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket. Again, your general dentist or endodontist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. If the pulp remains healthy, then no other treatment is necessary. Yet, if the pulp becomes damaged or infected, root canal treatment will be required.

Avulsed Teeth

If an injury causes a tooth to be completely knocked out of your mouth, it is important that you are treated immediately! If this happens to you, keep the tooth moist. If possible, put it back into the socket. A tooth can be best saved if it remains moist. For best results, place the tooth in a glass of milk or water (add a pinch of salt.) Your Endodontist may start root canal treatment based upon the stage of root development. The length of time the tooth was out of your mouth and the way the tooth was stored may influence the type of treatment you receive.

Injuries in Children

An injured, immature tooth (a tooth who's root is not fully formed) may need one of the following procedures to improve the chances of saving the tooth:

Apexogenesis

This procedure encourages the root to continue development as the pulp is healed. Soft tissue is covered with a special material called MTA, which helps to maintain pulp life and encourage continued root growth. The tip of the root (apex) will continue to close as the child gets older. In turn, the walls of the root canal will thicken. If the pulp heals, no additional treatment will be necessary. The more mature the root becomes the stronger it becomes, providing a better chance to save the tooth.

Apexification

In this case, the unhealthy pulp is removed. The doctor places medication into the root to help a hard tissue form near the root tip. This hardened tissue provides a barrier for the root canal filling. Sometimes a special material called MTA is placed as a barrier so treatment can be completed sooner.  With apexification, the root canal walls will not continue to develop, making the tooth more susceptible to fracture in the future.

Sports Guards

The use of sports guards are highly recommended to avoid the common dental injuries we see to front teeth. They help to provide the best solution of avoiding the trauma in the first place!