Mouth injuries that are forceful enough to knock out a tooth may also damage other teeth or other structures in the mouth or face, such as the roof of the mouth, gums, lips, or cheeks.
A baby tooth (primary tooth) is not reimplanted after it has been knocked out because the reimplantation may cause problems with later development of the permanent tooth. Your child will need to be checked by a dentist even if the tooth was getting ready to fall out soon.
- If a primary tooth is knocked out before it is ready to come out, the premature loss of the tooth may delay the permanent tooth from coming in. A dentist may recommend putting a spacer in the empty socket until the permanent tooth comes in.
- If a tooth fragment is left in a cut, healing can be delayed and infection can develop. A dentist may take an X-ray to make sure a tooth fragment wasn't left in a cut.
A permanent tooth that has been knocked out can be reimplanted if it is done quickly. The best results occur if the tooth is put back in its socket by a dentist within 30 minutes. After 2 hours, successful reimplantation of the tooth is unlikely. Be sure to follow first aid steps to handle and transport the tooth properly.
If you have a permanent tooth knocked out, see your dentist as soon as possible.
Credits
| Author | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Editor | Alison Allen |
| Editor | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Martin Gabica, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Steven K. Patterson, BSc, DDS, MPH - Dentist |
| Last Updated | December 1, 2006 |
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