Save Knocked Out Teeth
Did you know that over 5 million teeth are knocked out in the US every year?
Injuries that involve permanent teeth can have long lasting cosmetic, economic, functional and psychosocial consequences.
The success of re-implanting a permanent tooth depends on how fast you can get it back into the socket and how you care for the tooth if you cannot get it back in immediately.
Successful replacement of a lost tooth is close to 90% if you follow these simple steps:
- Get the tooth re-implanted ASAP! The ideal time is within 15 minutes. If the tooth is clean, pick the tooth up by the crown and push it back into the socket. Never touch the root of the tooth or scrub the tooth before replacing it in the socket. Get to your dentist immediately!
- If you aren’t able to place it back in the socket, place the tooth in an Optimal Storage Environment (OSE) solution. The OSE can maintain the vitality of the tooth for up to 24 hours and is by far the most effective way to store the tooth. If you don’t have an OSE kit and play sports, please ask us about getting one.
If you don’t have access to an OSE kit, at minimum, wrap the tooth in a clean cloth and get to us right away.
Suspect a tooth is cracked, broken or chipped?
If you are having tooth sensitivity or avoiding chewing on one side due to tooth pain, you may have a cracked or broken tooth. No matter how this pain started, we can help determine the source and choose an appropriate treatment together. Afterwards, we can review your existing sports mouthguard or help you select a new sports mouthguard to help avoid similar problems in the future.
Lost a Filling or Crown?
A lost filling or crown is rarely an emergency. But it can be painful. Temporarily, you may be able to slip the crown back over the tooth. A small amount of tooth “cement,” or dental adhesive, purchased at the pharmacy will help to hold it in place until your appointment. If not, put the crown in a safe place and take it with you to your dental visit. Adding a small amount of dental cement over the exposed tooth, even without the crown, can help seal the exposed area until you’re able to come in and see us.
Prevention
Many recreational and organized sports activities are high risk for dental injuries. Some of the best injury prevention accessories are helmets and face guards/face shields.
A fantastic way to prevent sports-related dental injury is through the use of mouthguards. Custom mouthguards are among the best defenses against mouth injuries sustained by athletes during practices and games. 425 Dental offers personalized adult and youth mouthguards in a variety of colors and sizes. Over the counter mouthguards provide reasonable protection if they’re ADA certified, but when you consider the value of your smile, a custom mouthguard with an exact fit is a sensible investment. Our custom-fit mouthguards are suitable for any contact sport, and greatly reduce the risk of extensive treatments and costs that come with treating sports-related dental trauma.
Don’t let an unfortunate accident ruin the game! Many dental injuries are preventable by simply minimizing falls and contact and using the correct protective equipment. Reach out to us today to discuss the best ways to keep your smile protected through the action, and if a custom-made mouthguard is right for you.
