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, and depending on the severity of the pulp damage, root canal treatment is usually started within a few weeks.

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, try to put the tooth back in the socket. If this is impossible, keep the tooth moist by putting it in a glass of milk or water, or keep it inside your cheek.  Contact your general dentist immediately to have the tooth repositioned and splinted. Root canal treatment will follow once the tooth is stabilized, generally within 1-2 weeks.

Injuries In Children

An injured immature tooth may need one of the following procedures to improve the chances of saving it:

Apexogenesis

This procedure encourages the root to continue developing as the pulp is healing. The injured tissue is covered with medication to encourage further root development and thickening of the root canal walls. If the pulp heals, no additional treatment is necessary. The more mature the root becomes, the better the chance to save the tooth. In some cases, apexogenesis is not successful and the patient may need apexification.

Apexification

In this case, the unhealthy pulp is removed and medication is placed into the root to form a barrier 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 and thicken, making the tooth susceptible to fractures. It is important to have the tooth properly restored by your dentist.