Dental avulsion: what to do after dental trauma?

dental avulsion

Dental avulsion: what to do after dental trauma?

What is dental avulsion?

Dental avulsion occurs as a result of a severe traumatism to the mouth and causes an entire tooth to fall out. In other words, the tooth is not compromised and leaves the socket completely without obvious damage. On the other hand, the nerve or pulp of the tooth may have been damaged as well as the gums. Also, aesthetics are obviously affected by the loss of that tooth.

What can we do in the face of a dental avulsion of a permanent tooth?

The first thing to do is to pick up the tooth, trying not to touch the root. If possible, wash the tooth with saline for 10 seconds or else with water and insert it back into the socket. The socket is the ‘hole’ that remains in the maxilla or mandible where the tooth was located before the trauma. The tooth must be placed before a blood clot forms.

In the case of not being able to insert the tooth back into the socket, it is necessary to go urgently to a dental clinic. The tooth must be transported in one of these mediums: skim milk, saline or in the mouth itself. Avoid transporting it in water.

The success of the reimplantation of the tooth will depend on the time it takes for the dentist to act and the environment where the tooth has been preserved.

Teeth that are reimplanted within thirty minutes to two hours of trauma have a high chance of regaining function.

Once at the clinic, the necessary diagnostic tests will be performed and the tooth will be splinted with the adjacent teeth so that it remains immobile for 3 weeks. It will be treated with pain relievers and antibiotics depending on the severity.

What if the avulsed tooth is temporary tooth?

If the fallen tooth is a baby tooth, we must avoid reimplantation as it could damage the final tooth that is erupting. What we must try is to maintain the space of the lost tooth so that it does not close and not have problems when the final one comes out. That is why our pediatric dentist or orthodontist would place a removable space maintainer.

How should the monitoring be done?

Hard diet should be avoided during the first days. Avoid biting with the treated tooth, good hygiene in the area and visit the dentist frequently.