Here at Beacon Dental Group in Dorchester, Massachusetts, we want all of our patients and nearby residents to know that we have your back when it comes to dental emergencies. One of the most common dental emergencies that can really happen at any time is a broken tooth. This post is meant to help educate you on what you can do when a knocked out or broken tooth occurs. Being educated can make the difference between saving your tooth or having to go through several restorative procedures. 

 

What to Do First if you Have a Broken Tooth:

The moment your tooth is broken, you need to locate the tooth and inspect the condition of it. If it is a partial break, hold onto the tooth and come into our office right away. If the entire tooth has been removed, the root included, put the tooth back into the tooth socket and find a cloth, bandana, handkerchief, etc. that you can bite down on until you can come into our office. It is possible to save the original tooth, but it will depend on how quickly you can get into our office. 

If you are unable to put the tooth back into the tooth socket, but the tooth is still whole, you need to keep the tooth moist until you can come see us. The best way to do this is by putting the tooth in a glass of milk. Find something you can use to apply pressure on the tooth socket to help with bleeding. It is likely that you will experience sensitivity, inflammation of gums, or swelling, you can take whatever over-the-counter medication you prefer to help with the pain. Be sure to take any medication with care, following the instructions exactly. 

 

In the Office: 

Once you arrive at our office, the doctor will have you back immediately to examine the condition of your tooth. If you were unable to locate the tooth, or do not have the broken piece, the doctor will go straight to helping you understand what restoration options are available to you. If you do have the missing tooth, the doctor will examine the tooth and see if it is possible to replace the original tooth. If not, different options such as dental bonding, crowns, implants, bridges, etc. will be offered to you. Beacon Dental Group is educated and professionally trained on how to perform each of these procedures and more. We can assure you that you are good hands. 

 

Beacon Dental Group is ready to help you with any dental emergency that may come about, but especially a broken tooth. Knowing what to do when the unexpected occurs is the best way to avoid further damage. If you have any questions about a broken tooth or any other dental emergency, please feel free to reach out to us at any time!