Every year, more than 5 million teeth are knocked out in the United States. It's a common injury, especially among athletes, although it can happen to anyone.
Although painful, a knocked-out tooth doesn't mean you have a permanent gap in your smile. With quick, modern dental treatments, we can reimplant your tooth and preserve your dental health.
With locations in Atwater Village, Los Angeles, West Hills, Canoga Park, Ojai, Oak View, Los Feliz, Woodland Hills, and Calabasas, California, Ali Saeghi, DDS, and his team at Modern Age Dentistry offer convenient emergency dental care services that can save your smile.
Should you knock out or break a tooth, find the tooth — or the pieces of your tooth — and rinse them with tap water for a few seconds. Avoid touching the tooth's roots, and don't scrub them to remove dirt, blood, or other debris. This could damage your tooth.
Then, if possible, gently place your tooth back in its socket, or tuck it between your cheek and gum. This keeps your tooth moist and prevents root damage. If you can't put the tooth back in your mouth because of pain or bleeding, put it in a small, sealed container of milk or a special tooth-preserving substance like Save-A-Tooth. The pH level of milk and its proteins and carbohydrates ensure that your tooth's root cells will continue to grow while being stored in an antibacterial environment.
Don't store your tooth in tap water. Though it's okay to rinse your tooth, the chemicals in tap water can damage your tooth with overexposure.
If you knock out a tooth, getting dental care within 30 minutes offers you a 90% chance of saving your tooth. Call our nearest office when you're on your way. Give us details about your injury, and we can make sure Dr. Saeghi can see you immediately.
If you've done your part and kept your tooth moist, there's a good chance that Dr. Saeghi can reinsert your tooth in its socket. He secures your tooth and prevents it from moving around or falling out by applying a stabilizing splint.
In most cases, you need to wear the splint for a few weeks while the root and the bone heal. After the recovery period, you have a follow-up appointment. Dr. Saeghi examines your tooth and takes X-rays to see how it is settling back into your jaw. In some cases, he might need to perform a root canal to remove any damaged tissue or blood vessels in the pulp of your tooth.
If we can't reimplant your tooth, we offer other treatments to restore your smile. Dental implants, for example, are an excellent option for replacing a missing tooth. They look and act just like a natural tooth.
If you knock out a tooth or have another dental emergency, contact any of our offices for rapid, expert dental care to preserve your smile and dental health.
