Traumatic Injuries
Injuries to the mouth can cause teeth to be fractured, pushed out of position, or knocked out of their socket. Your dentist or endodontist may be able to reposition and stabilize the tooth, allowing it to heal. After the trauma, you will most likely require close follow up by an endodontist. Our doctor will carefully assess the tooth over the following weeks to determine if your tooth will require further treatment. Children’s teeth in early development have the ability to recover from trauma without root canal treatment. As for adults, our teeth often require root canal treatment a few weeks after the trauma.
Dislodged Teeth
Injuries to the mouth can cause teeth to be pushed back into their sockets. It is important to seek care as soon as possible as your endodontist or general dentist may need to reposition and stabilize your tooth. In most cases, root canal treatment may be required within the first two week after the injury and a medication, such as calcium hydroxide, will be placed inside the tooth. Eventually, a permanent root canal filling will be performed.
Sometimes a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket. Again, your endodontist or general dentist should reposition and stabilize your tooth as soon as possible. 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! Time is of the essence! It is highly recommended to put the tooth back into the socket. If this is not possible, the tooth can be saved if it remains moist. Avoid touching the root and place the tooth in a glass of milk. Immediately after seeking care with your endodontist or general dentist. As sooner as the tooth is re-implanted, the better outcome will have. Your endodontist will start root canal treatment within the first two weeks after the trauma. 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 and the outcome of the procedure.
Injuries In Children
An injured immature tooth 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 medication to encourage 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 better the chance to save the tooth.
Apexification
In this case, the unhealthy pulp is removed. The doctors place 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. At this point, the root canal walls will not continue to develop, making the tooth susceptible to fractures. So it is important to have the tooth properly restored by your dentist.