Accidents happen, especially when kids are involved. After all, little ones can get into all sorts of trouble and mischief! If your child knocked out a tooth, though, the incident deserves a quick and serious response. Otherwise, their other teeth and gums could develop long-term dental problems. Thankfully, your local dental practice knows just what to do. Here’s a summary of how to respond when a child knocks out a tooth, as well as how an emergency dentist can help.
What to Do if Your Child Knocks Out a Tooth
Ultimately, care for a child’s knocked-out tooth will depend on whether it is a baby one or a permanent one.
The situation isn’t quite as bad if the pearly white was a baby tooth. You don’t need to replace it, as doing so could damage the permanent chomper beneath it. Still, you’ll need to ensure your child has no other injuries and stop any bleeding that’s occurred. From there, you should call your local dentist to book a visit at once. They’ll need to examine your little one’s mouth to confirm if treatment is necessary.
If your child has knocked out a permanent tooth, you must be extra careful. A dentist could save the pearly white, so try to find it quickly. Once you do, please pick it up by its crown, clean it in tap water, and try to place it back in your child’s socket. For that last action, have them bite down until you reach a dentist.
How a Dentist Can Help
Depending on your child’s situation, an emergency dentist could offer one of three possible treatment options. They are the following:
Tooth Re-attachment
If the lost tooth is permanent, there’s a good chance your dentist can reattach it. In that case, they would splint it to the adjacent teeth using a thin metal or plastic wire. Over a few weeks, the knocked tooth’s ligaments would regrow and reconnect to the jawbone. The dentist could then remove the splint once the tooth is strong and fully reattached.
Implant or Bridge
When a permanent tooth’s reattachment isn’t an option, your dentist will suggest your child get an implant or bridge. Implants are long-term but expensive, while bridges are less long-lasting but cheaper. Given their differences, talk to your dentist about which would suit your little one.
Space Maintainer
Should your child have knocked out a baby tooth, they’ll most likely need a space maintainer. Once inserted, the appliance will keep the affected area open so the permanent tooth beneath it can safely emerge. Otherwise, your tyke could suffer overcrowding, crooked teeth, and eating issues.
As you can see, you need to act well if your child ever knocks out their tooth. Thankfully, following the steps above will ensure the issue is quickly resolved.
About the Practice
True Care Dentistry is based in Mesquite, TX. As led by Dr. Dhavalkumar Rana, our practice offers top-notch dental care in a friendly environment. More specifically, we perform treatments that span preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental care. Our office is also a certified provider of periodontal therapy. For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (469)-399-7288.