Traumatic Injuries in gig harbor, wA

Dislodged Teeth

Injuries to the mouth can cause teeth to be pushed back into their bony sockets (intrusion). Your endodontist or general dentist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. Depending on the severity of the injury and stage of root development, root canal treatment is usually started within a few weeks of the injury and a temporary medication, such as calcium hydroxide, may be placed inside the root canal system. Eventually, a permanent root canal filling will be used to seal the canal system. If you have had a traumatic injury call our Gig Harbor office for an appointment.

Sometimes a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket (luxation). Again, your endodontist or general dentist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. If the pulp remains healthy, then no other treatment is necessary. Yet, if the pulp becomes damaged or infected, root canal treatment will be required.

Avulsed Teeth

If an injury causes a tooth to be completely knocked out of your mouth, it is important that you are treated immediately. If this happens to you, keep the tooth moist. If possible, reposition the tooth back into the socket. If you cannot replace the tooth, keep it in saliva or lowfat milk as a transport medium. Endodontic treatment may be initiated. The length of time the tooth was out of your mouth and the way the tooth was stored, may influence the type of treatment you receive.

Injuries in children

An injured immature tooth may need one of the following procedures to improve the chances of saving the tooth:

Apexogenesis

If you would like more information on traumatic injuries, root canals, or other endodontic procedures in the Gig Harbor, Tacoma, or greater Seattle,WA area please contact us

This procedure encourages the root to continue development as the pulp is healed. The pulp tissue is covered with medication to encourage continued root growth. The tip of the root (apex) will continue to close and grow in length as the child gets older. In turn, the walls of the root canal will thicken. When sufficient root growth has occurred, root canal treatment may be initiated. The more mature the root becomes, the better the chance to save the tooth.

Apexification

In this case, the unhealthy pulp is removed and a medication is placed into the root to help a hard tissue form near the root tip. This hardened tissue provides a barrier for the root canal filling material. At this point, the root length will not increase and the root walls will not thicken as seen with normal growth. This can make the tooth more susceptible to fractures so it is important to have the tooth properly restored by your dentist.