While root canals are common in our endodontic practice, we see patients for a number of reasons – including traumatic injuries to a tooth, its roots or surrounding tissue. Traumatic dental injuries can be the result of a sports-related accident or any number of other mishaps. The most common traumatic injuries include chipped and broken teeth, but more severe injuries may cause one or more teeth to become entirely dislodged from the gums. An endodontist is skilled at examining and diagnosing traumatic teeth injuries to determine the amount of damage to the tooth, its roots and surrounding tissue, as well as determining what can be done to save the injured tooth.
If your tooth is cracked, chipped or dislodged in a traumatic injury, you may want to consider consulting an endodontist. While general dentists receive some endodontic treatments, only endodontists receive in-depth, specialized expertise through additional schooling and training. Your traumatic injury may require endodontic treatment ranging from routine to highly complex. Plus, an endodontist may be better equipped to diagnose a more complex traumatic injury than your general dentist.
Traumatic Injuries: Dislodged or Knocked-Out Teeth
A traumatic injury may result in teeth that are dislodged or completely knocked out. A dislodged tooth could be pushed out of its socket and require stabilization and repositioning. These types of injuries usually require a root canal in order to repair the root of the tooth.
Knocked-out teeth are more difficult to save the longer they are outside the mouth, so you should see your endodontist immediately following this type of traumatic injury. Your endodontist may place a stabilizing splint into your mouth to help reposition the tooth, after which he will likely perform a root canal treatment.
Sometimes, a traumatic injury results in root fractures, which can jeopardize the long-term health of your tooth. Your endodontist may treat your fracture with a splint for stabilization.
If you’ve had a traumatic injury that has affected one or more of your teeth, call our practice immediately. Injured teeth that are diagnosed and treated early on are much more likely to be saved than those that aren’t.
