Traumatic Injuries

Dislodged Teeth

Injuries to the mouth can cause teeth to be pushed back into their sockets. Your endodontist or general dentist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. Root canal treatment is usually started within hours or days after injury, depending on the severity of the trauma.  A medication, such as calcium hydroxide, may be placed inside the tooth.  Eventually, a permanent root canal filling will be placed.

Sometimes a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket. Again, your endodontist or general dentist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. 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! If this happens to you, keep the tooth moist. If possible, put it back into the socket within 60 minutes. You can put the tooth in milk or a glass of water if it is not possible to put it back in the socket.  Your Endodontist may start root canal treatment based upon the stage of root development. 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.

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 if the pulp is healing. 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 may be necessary. The more mature the root becomes, the better the chance of saving the tooth long-term.

aPEXIFICATION

In this case, an unhealthy pulp is removed. The doctor places 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 more susceptible to fractures in the future.  It is important to have the tooth properly restored by your dentist to reduce the risk of fracture.