Traumatic Injuries

Dental traumatic injuries are sudden and often unexpected events that can significantly impact your oral health. Whether caused by a sports mishap, a fall, or an accident, you can rely on the immediate expertise of Bryan Berteaux, DMD, and the team at Cinco Ranch Endodontics in Katy, Texas. They understand the causes and provide effective treatments, which can make all the difference in preserving your smile. Call or book an appointment now, or for less urgent matters, you can always schedule online.

What are examples of dental traumatic injuries?

Dental traumatic injuries are relatively common and can range from minor to severe, affecting the teeth, gums, and surrounding oral structures. Examples of traumatic injuries include:

Dislodged teeth

Dislodged teeth involve a partially dislodged tooth from its socket, or it may be pushed deeper into the socket due to trauma, typically caused by a blow to the face or a fall. Dislodged teeth require immediate dental attention.

Avulsed teeth (complete knockout)

Your tooth is avulsed when it’s completely knocked out of its socket, typically caused by a direct impact to your mouth during sports or accidents. If possible, reinsert the tooth into the socket immediately after rinsing it gently with water. 

If you can’t reimplant the tooth immediately, store it in milk or saline solution and take it to your Cinco Ranch Endodontics dentist within 30 minutes for the best chance of saving it.

Apexogenesis

When a child has an injured immature tooth that still has vital pulp tissue, it requires an apexogenesis procedure, which encourages the continued development of the tooth’s root with medication. If an injury occurs when the root hasn’t fully developed, it can lack growth. 

Apexification

When you have complete root development yet the pulp has died, you need an apexification procedure that uses materials to stimulate the formation of a hard tissue barrier at the root tip, which allows the filling of the root canal.

What can cause traumatic injuries?

Dental traumatic injuries can result from various causes, including sports injuries, car accidents, falls, physical altercations, and even biting on hard objects. These incidents can significantly damage your teeth and surrounding oral structures, requiring prompt and appropriate treatment to prevent long-term complications.

How are dental traumatic injuries treated?

At Cinco Ranch Endodontics, treatment for dental traumatic injuries varies depending on the severity and type of injury. For example, dislodged teeth may need repositioning and splinting to stabilize them, while you should immediately reimplant avulsed teeth, if possible. 

If you have damaged pulp, you may need root canal therapy. Severe injuries may require surgical intervention to repair or restore damaged areas. 

For immature teeth that haven’t fully developed, you may need procedures like apexogenesis and apexification to encourage proper root development and closure.

Call the office today if you have questions about how to handle traumatic injuries, or book an appointment online to learn more.