If a permanent tooth falls out or is knocked out, it might be possible to save it. While you should see a dentist right away, there are a few things you can do in the meantime to increase the possibility of saving the tooth. Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk, the highly skilled dentists at our offices in Miami Beach and North Miami Beach, FL, practice hospital dentistry and can help save your permanent tooth.
Tips for Saving a Tooth
There are several steps you can take to preserve a permanent tooth that has either fallen out on its own or been knocked out due to injury. Taking certain steps to properly care for the tooth increases the likelihood that the dentist can successfully place the tooth back in its socket. Tips for saving a permanent tooth include:
- Pick the lost tooth up by its crown and not the root
- To prevent further damage, avoid touching the root
- Gently rinse the tooth in milk, saliva, or a sterile saline solution
- If possible, place the tooth back in its socket using gauze or a washcloth to hold it in place
- If the tooth cannot be easily reinserted in the socket, place it in a glass of milk or between your gums and cheek to keep it moist
- See an emergency dentist right away and bring the tooth
Treating a Knocked-Out Tooth
It is important to seek treatment as soon as possible for a tooth that has been knocked out. If you wait too long, it might not be possible to reinsert the tooth and the socket could become infected. We offer dental treatment at our Miami Beach and North Miami Beach, FL, dental offices for treating emergency dental situations, such as a permanent tooth being knocked out.
When a permanent tooth is knocked out, it can often be reinserted. The dentist will need to flush out the socket to remove any debris. Once the socket is clean, the tooth can be placed back in. A special splint is used to attach the tooth to the surrounding teeth and will be left on for several days to help stabilize the tooth. It usually takes about three or four weeks for the tooth root to reattach to the bone. However, it can take longer if there was damage to the bone around the tooth that was knocked out.
Taking certain steps and seeing a dentist right away when you lose a permanent tooth makes it possible to successfully reattach the tooth. Our experienced dentists, Dr. Ressler, Dr. Hirschl, and Dr. Lelchuk, provide hospital dentistry as well as dentistry in a typical dental office environment at our Miami Beach and North Miami Beach, FL, offices for treating knocked-out teeth. Call the Miami Beach office at (305) 532-1444 or the North Miami Beach location at (305) 949-2630.