Dental Injuries

Quick action can save your tooth after an injury. Expert care for dislodged, knocked-out, and injured teeth.
Patient Registration
Call 972-430-9771

What are traumatic dental injuries?

Dental Trauma and Injured Teeth

An injury to the mouth can cause a tooth to become displaced, loosened, or completely knocked out. Prompt evaluation by a dentist or endodontist is important, as early treatment may improve the chances of saving the tooth.

Dental Injuries in Children

Trauma to a developing permanent tooth may require specialized treatment to encourage continued root development.

Apexogenesis preserves healthy pulp so the root can continue to mature naturally.

Apexification is used when the pulp cannot be preserved. The damaged pulp is removed and medication is placed inside the tooth to create a barrier at the root tip. Because the root will not continue developing, a strong permanent restoration is important to protect the tooth from fracture.

Signs you may need treatment

Dislodged Tooth

Knocked-Out Tooth

Pain & Swelling

Children's Injury

What to expect

1

Diagnose

If a tooth is pushed back into its socket or partially out, we reposition and stabilize your tooth. If the pulp remains healthy, no other treatment is necessary. Yet, if the pulp becomes damaged or infected, root canal treatment will be required within a few weeks, with medication like calcium hydroxide placed inside.

2

Treat

If a tooth is completely knocked out, treatment must be immediate! Keep the tooth moist – if possible, put it back into the socket. A tooth can be saved if it remains moist. You can put it in milk or water with a pinch of salt. We will start root canal treatment based on stage of root development and how long the tooth was out and how it was stored.

3

Restore

For an injured immature tooth, we may perform: Apexogenesis – this encourages root to continue development as pulp is healed, soft tissue is covered with medication, tip of root continues to close and walls thicken. Or Apexification – unhealthy pulp is removed, medication is placed to help hard tissue form near root tip to provide a barrier for filling. It is then important to have tooth properly restored by your dentist as it is susceptible to fractures.

Common questions

My tooth was pushed out of place. What should I do?
Repositioning and stabilization is needed immediately. Contact your endodontist or dentist right away. If pulp remains healthy, no other treatment is needed. If pulp becomes damaged, root canal treatment will be started within a few weeks. If left untreated, complications like infection and loss of tooth can occur.
Yes, if you act fast and keep it moist. If possible, put it back into the socket immediately. If not, keep it in milk or a glass of water with a pinch of salt. A tooth can be saved if it remains moist. The length of time out of mouth and storage method will influence treatment. Seek immediate treatment!
For immature teeth, we use Apexogenesis to encourage continued root development if pulp can heal, or Apexification if unhealthy pulp must be removed to create a hard tissue barrier for filling. The more mature the root becomes, the better the chance to save the tooth, but proper restoration is crucial to prevent fracture.
Not always. If a dislodged tooth’s pulp remains healthy after repositioning, no other treatment is necessary. However, root canal treatment is usually started within a few weeks for teeth pushed into sockets, and is required if pulp becomes damaged or infected. We will monitor and decide based on healing.
If left untreated, many complications can arise including infection of the tooth, root system or surrounding tissue, inadequate hygiene due to inability to properly clean the dislodged tooth and gums, and eventual loss of the tooth. Early repositioning and stabilization is key.