If you’ve knocked out a tooth, you may be able to have it reimplanted, if you act quickly. If you have had a tooth knocked out, here’s how you should respond.
Keeping Tooth Ready for Reimplantation
When your tooth has been knocked out, you should:
- Pick it up by the crown, the part that is normally visible
- Rinse it off with water
- Place it back in the socket, if possible (except for children, see below)
- If it won’t go in the socket put it in warm water or milk
- Call us immediately at (02) 9686 7375 to make an appointment
Your tooth’s odds of successfully being reimplanted depend on quick action. We will try to fit you in as quickly as possible. If we can’t fit you in in a timely fashion that would be best for you, or if you are too far to reach us on time, we can refer you to a more appropriate office for treatment.
Avoid These Mistakes for Your Tooth
The following mistakes could damage the odds that your tooth will be able to be reimplanted:
- Touching the root
- Scrubbing the root
- Putting the tooth in acidic or alcoholic liquids
- Failure to get timely treatment
It’s most important that you see a dentist quickly with your lost tooth. A tooth placed back in the socket may not properly grow back in, leaving you with a dead tooth in place. In addition, a poorly placed tooth may grow back in crooked, resulting in poor alignment or bite problems.
For children who have lost baby teeth, it’s best not to put it back in the socket because the healing may go too well. The tooth may actually be incorporated with the jawbone and prevent the adult teeth from coming in.
If Your Tooth Doesn’t Survive
Fortunately, even though a tooth may not always survive once it’s been knocked out, there are good options these days for replacing teeth with dental implants or dental bridges. We can ensure that even if your tooth is lost, your smile is preserved.
Please contact My Hills Dentist in Baulkham Hills area of Sydney today for more information about emergency care or tooth replacement options.
