For decades dentistry has said “Save that tooth, don’t extract it”, There is no replacement that is as good as the original equipment. We have recommended doing root-canal therapy and crowns to save a tooth that was badly broken down yet still restorable, for as long as I have been a dentist. This is also important for a youngster who by accident knocks out a front tooth, while playing sports or what ever.
The tooth should be placed in saline water (Contact lens wetting solution) or the like, milk in an emergency. Even placing the tooth in the child’s (or mom’s) mouth, is good if the situation is under control. Get the child to a dentist as soon as humanly possible, to have it replaced in the mouth. I have seen a situation where the father even replaced it in to the child’s mouth and came into the office.
The tooth will re-attach and regrow if this is done in a very timely manner. The longer the tooth is out of the mouth the lower the chances of reattachment. If the re-plantation occurs within 30 minutes, there is a very high probability that it will be successful. After 1 hr, the success rate drops off rapidly. After the tooth has been stabilized, weeks to a month or two, the tooth will need root canal therapy, because the nerves and minor blood vessels that enter the tooth at the root tip have benn severed as a result of the trauma.
Next week we will explore the value of saving a badly decayed tooth verses removing it in favor of placing an implant and a porcelain crown. This might surprise you…
Dr Tom Poirier - PearTree Dental, Saline, MI 48176
