Toddlers, once they learn how to walk, tend to move around a lot. And when they do, they experience a lot of falling, slipping, and tumbling. Sometimes, these accidents knock off the baby teeth, an injury otherwise known as luxation.
Luxation is a dental emergency that requires prompt attention and treatment. If left untreated, the injury will damage not only the tooth, but also the surrounding structures.
Depending on the severity of luxation, possible treatment options are as follows:
Avulsion is a dental emergency characterized by the complete displacement of the tooth from its socket. If a baby tooth is avulsed, replantation is not necessary. However, you must account for the tooth that was displaced to ensure that your kid didn’t ingest or aspirate it.
Intrusion is when a tooth is pushed back up into the gums. When this happens to a baby tooth, it can sometimes be left alone and it will come back through the gums again later. But depending on the position of the tooth, it may need to be removed from the gums.
Subluxation is the partial dislocation of a tooth from its socket. It causes the tooth to become loose, as the injury primarily affects the fibers that attach the tooth root to the bone of the socket. If subluxation happens to a baby tooth, treatment depends on how loose the involved tooth is. If it’s slightly loose, no treatment is required, but if it’s too loose, removal then becomes necessary.
If your kid’s tooth has been knocked out, it is best to see a dentist as soon as you can. If there’s a pediatric dentist near your location, it is best to consult with them since they have better knowledge, training, and experience when it comes to dealing with baby teeth.
Baby teeth may come off eventually, but while they’re still in, you must take care of them in the best way you can. Healthy baby teeth lead to a great smile later on, so don’t take them for granted. Take your kid to the dentist at the first signs of problems on his or her baby teeth.
Looking for a dentist to take care of dental emergencies? Make an appointment with our Kool Smiles partner dentists.