April is National Facial Protection Month. Do you know what to do to protect your teeth if you experience a dental emergency? Dr. Trushar gives us some helpful tips to lessen the severity. What should I do if I experience an injury to my face and I lose a tooth?
If the injury is severe, call 911, and get to an emergency room as soon as possible. Head trauma can be life threatening so it is important to be seen by a physician to rule out any major concerns. Controlling the swelling and bleeding is important and can be achieved by placing ice on the face to decrease swelling. It is also important to keep the tooth socket as sterile as possible – a warm salt water rinse is usually the best remedy. Call your dentist and try to be seen as quickly as you can. Once a tooth is out of its socket most times we need to think of alternative therapies to replace a missing tooth. There are a number of solutions to replace missing teeth including Dental Implants, which are the ideal solution, there are also bridges and partial dentures. Your dentist will want to make sure that you are out of discomfort and swelling has subsided before determining the best option for you.
If I lose a permanent tooth due to a facial injury, can it be put back?
Rarely can it be put back and if it can a number of therapies are required for it to be a successful re-insertion. A better long term solution can be discussed with your dentist.
If I lose a baby tooth due to a facial injury, will that make my teeth crooked later?
There is a chance that your teeth can become crooked after a facial injury and loss to a baby tooth, however as a youth, orthodontic treatment is readily available to correct any crowding and spacing associated with loss of a baby tooth.
What should I do if I chip or break my tooth while playing sports?
If your tooth chips or breaks while playing sports it is important to seek professional advice as quickly as possible. Trauma to the tooth can lead to infection of the tooth and the severity of the injury can only be assessed by your dentist.
Can a chipped, cracked, or broken tooth be fixed?
Absolutely, if there is enough tooth and root structure, there are a number of treatments that can be performed to save teeth. We want to save teeth and there are some therapies to fixing chipped, cracked or broken teeth. It all depends on the severity of the injury. We can simply restore the tooth with a filling or in major cases restore with a crown.
Have more questions about your dental health? Give us a call at 19th Street Dental!
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