There’s nothing quite as terrifying as pressing your tongue against your teeth and feeling the telltale wiggle of a loose tooth.
Whether you were playing sports and suffered an impact injury, or you were merely biting into a crisp and delicious apple, feeling a loose tooth isn’t the end of the world depending upon a variety of factors, your tooth can still be saved, and your smile restored.
Acting Fast is Key to Saving Your Tooth
If your tooth becomes loose or partially removed due to impact trauma or injury, that means that your tooth has become “extruded.” Fortunately, if your tooth has not been broken and the nerves and blood vessels haven’t become detached, you can still save your tooth.
You must move quickly, though, and waste no time. The longer that you delay treatment, the worse the outcome will be for your extruded tooth.
If you are in pain, you can take a NSAID such as ibuprofen to relieve the discomfort. Avoid aspirin, as it can make bleeding worse. Resist the urge to yank the tooth – that can things worse, and effectively sabotage your chances of saving your tooth.
If you’re not suffering from a concussion, then please make haste to our office. If you get in within an hour, your chances of saving the tooth are greatly improved.
When we see your tooth, we’ll inspect it to ensure that the nerves and blood vessels are still intact. If they are, we’ll proceed with a procedure called “replanting.” This includes returning the tooth to the socket then supporting it with a series of wires and splints to ensure that it stays in place.
If your blood vessels and nerves have become dislodged, don’t panic! We can still perform a root canal to save the tooth. This will help prevent infection and discoloration of the tooth. If the tooth cannot be saved, we may extract the tooth and insert a bridge or implant.
Of course, nobody can predict when dental emergencies will happen. Taking preventative measures such as utilizing mouth guards when playing sports can help prevent these things from happening, but if you find yourself in a dental emergency with an extruded tooth, give us a call right away. Our skilled dental team can begin working right away to save your tooth and prevent unwanted gaps in your beautiful smile!
