Oh No! I Lost a Tooth!

There can be any number of reasons for a tooth to come out. Often a tooth comes out simply because it is time for that tooth to come loose (think baby teeth). At other times, sports trauma or accidents may cause a tooth to come loose. For many people who lose a tooth, the question of what to do now pops into their heads. Let’s look at some options that your local medical profession has available.

If you lose a tooth through accident or trauma, chances are you will first see an ER doctor who may not be a dentist. If you have the tooth, bring it with you to the doctor, wrapped in a damp cloth. You doctor will take a medical history to make sure he or she understands what your injuries are and will examine you.

The attending doctor may need to have other tests performed if your injuries are serious. They will want to know more about any fractures, teeth that may be in place but have been moved out of correct positions, and other abnormalities. You may be asked a variety of questions, including questions on pain and sensitivity to the area. If needed, you may be requested to get x-rays or CT scans.

It should be noted that not all teeth that come loose are able to be put back into place. Here are the general guidelines that apply to re-implanting a tooth.

If a tooth can be re-implanted, it should be done as soon as possible. This applies only to adult teeth, not baby (or primary) teeth. If the tooth cannot be replaced in a fast, professional manner, the tooth should be placed into a special solution to keep it from drying out.

Many dentists say that if a tooth has been out of the mouth for an hour or more, then a more appropriate approach is to schedule a root canal before the tooth is reimplantated. Once the tooth has been reimplanted, any other injuries that may be present should be repaired.

It is important to know that for smaller children who have lost teeth through any manner, those primary teeth are never to be reimplanted. The reason for this is because reimplantation of primary (baby) teeth can actually cause harm to the child’s permanent tooth as it develops.

As you might imagine, there are times when the missing tooth simply cannot be replaced into the mouth. If the tooth is lost, for instance, or if it is damaged, the tooth cannot be reimplanted. When this is the case, the person should make an appointment to see a cosmetic dentist who can discuss the problem with the patient and offer advice and guidance on what can be done. It should be known that today cosmetic dentistry can do things that were not possible a few decades ago.

Cosmetic dentists now have a wide variety of options available to them when it comes to creating beautiful smiles for their patients. The vast majority of these procedures are painless and affordable.