How an Endodontist Will Treat a Knocked Out Tooth

It is important to rush to the endodontist when your tooth gets knocked out. A tooth is organic. It needs to stay alive. That way, your dentist can place it back into its socket. If you want to know how your endodontist will treat your knocked-out tooth, here are the details.

Before going to the dentist

Going to the dentist right away is necessary to save a knocked-out tooth. This applies to both permanent and baby teeth. Cleaning the tooth while holding it by the crown is important. The roots must not deteriorate. Rinsing it in water will be fine.

Placing the tooth in milk will help keep the tooth moist and alive. Calling the endodontist ahead will alert the clinic about the situation. An alternative would be to go to an urgent care dental facility. The tooth will embed on its own into its socket the sooner the patient arrives at the clinic. Attempting to re-implant the knocked-out baby tooth might damage the developing permanent tooth. Placing the tooth in milk and bringing the child to the dentist will result in proper re-implantation.

What the endodontist will do for a permanent tooth

Re-implanting the tooth into its socket may be simple or complicated. It often becomes complicated when the jawbone or tooth is broken. The dentist will remove the debris from the dental socket first. Then, the endodontist will place the tooth back in its original place. Doing this as soon as possible is important. The procedure must happen within the hour of the dental trauma.

Some dentists start root canal treatment on the same day. Others choose to wait. The most important factor to consider before re-implanting the tooth is how long it was out of its socket. The endodontist also thinks about the way the tooth was handled. Splinting the tooth on both sides with a composite material or soft wire will follow.

The dentist will decide how long the splint must stay in place. An intact jawbone around the tooth will result in a stable tooth reattachment in three or four weeks. A damaged jawbone may need six or eight weeks of self-repair. The endodontist will check the tooth again in three to six months. The presence of infection will need another appointment right after. Otherwise, the dentist can see the patient again on the next annual dental check.

What an endodontist will do for a baby tooth

Attempting to re-implant the knocked-out baby tooth is not a good idea. Doing so could damage the growing permanent tooth. Controlling the bleeding is possible by letting the child bite down on a piece of sterile gauze. Taking the child to the endodontist right away is important for proper re-implantation of the knocked-out tooth.

The dentist will check the socket and jawbone for any damage. A dental X-ray will make this possible. There are cases when the dental trauma ends up forcing the tooth into the child’s gums. This can damage the emerging adult tooth. The loss of a possible permanent tooth may result in dental shifting into the dental space. The emerging tooth may also come out crooked.