Kids love to play outside and ride their bikes so it’s inevitable that at some point in their lives, they may experience dental trauma. In fact, sources show that around 50% of children will at some time in their childhood suffer a tooth injury. A child who has fallen off their bike, for example, may have damaged one or more teeth and be in need of cracked teeth repair or even worse, they may have suffered a knocked out tooth. As anyone with children knows, accidents can and do happen and they can happen at any time of the day or night which is why as an emergency dentist in Manchester we’re kept pretty busy.
Injuries to children’s teeth are most likely to happen between the ages of 1 and 3 when toddlers are starting to take their first steps, and between te ages of 8 to 11 when children get more boisterous and less cautious particularly when they’re participating in contact sports. Mouth injuries can also happen when a child trips or if they’re pushed from behind.
It’s very distressing both for the child and their parents when dental injuries occur and many patients find themselves wondering whether they should seek immediate dental help. Injuries to your child’s mouth can include fractured teeth, teeth that have been knocked out, and teeth that have been pushed out of position pushed up or loosened. With any injuries, it’s always best to keep calm and focus on your child’s well-being.
Wounds should be washed with cotton or gauze very carefully for around 5 minutes. Injuries to primary teeth can have long-term consequences on their eruption and development, so it’s always best to seek dental help as quickly as possible. If it’s during the day your dentist should be able to see your child right away. They’ll be able to check for signs of cracked teeth and other damage that you won’t be able to see yourself. If it’s out of hours then contact your emergency dentist in Manchester.
If permanent teeth have been damaged, then it can have long-term consequences both on their eruption and development. A cracked or chipped tooth isn’t life-threatening and in most cases, your dentist can carry out cracked teeth repair. The most serious injury is when a tooth has been knocked out of its socket altogether, which is known as dental avulsion.
A knocked out baby tooth usually looks far worse than it is and although it can’t be placed back in its socket like a permanent tooth, it’s not likely to impact on your child’s future teeth. You might want to rinse it off and place it under his or her pillow for the tooth fairy to find!
If a permanent tooth has been knocked out, then it’s important to get it back into the socket as quickly as possible. If you can, it’s best to try and do this at the scene of the accident before seeking dental assistance – by acting quickly there’s a good chance that your child’s tooth can be saved but it’s also very important not to damage the tooth further.
There’s more chance of saving a younger child’s knocked out tooth but with prompt action, that of an older child or adult can often be saved too.
For an older child, you could try placing the tooth back into its socket but make sure it’s facing the right way. Most times it will slip back in but be careful not to force it. If it won’t go back in, then as above, keep it moist with milk, water, or saliva and get to your dentist asap.
Treatment for a knocked out tooth varies depending on how long the tooth has been out of the socket and the extent of damage to the tooth and supporting bone. Sometimes it is placed back into the socket easily and other times the process may be more complicated. We’ll need to ensure its position is correct and take an X-ray. We may splint the tooth on either side to hold it in place while the bone attaches, or we may need to carry out a root canal. In the worse case scenario, we won’t be able to save the tooth.
If the tooth couldn’t be found at the scene of the accident or it can’t be saved, then please don’t worry – we still have options. Your child’s tooth gap could be filled with a bridge and then when they’re older we could take a look at restoring it with a dental implant.
Accidents happen, it’s a fact of life. Whether you or your child needs cracked teeth repair or they’ve been unfortunate enough to suffer a knocked out tooth, call Emergency Dentist Manchester on 0161 486 0743 we’re here for you and your family when you need us the most.
Tags: Cracked Teeth Repair, Emergency Dentist Manchester, Knocked Out Tooth
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