A tumble on the playground, a fall from the couch, a stray elbow in a pickup game: injuries to the teeth and mouth are a normal part of growing up. If your child injures a tooth, a San Antonio pediatric dentist should take a look, even when nothing seems wrong. Quick care, followed by careful monitoring, gives an injured tooth its best chance.
Right after a tooth injury
Stay calm; your child will take their cue from you. Check the mouth for bleeding and press clean gauze on any cut. A cold compress on the outside of the face eases swelling. Gather any tooth or broken pieces you can find, then call us so we can see your child.
If an adult tooth has been knocked out, follow the step-by-step instructions on our Emergency Dentistry page; every minute counts. A blow to the head, or bleeding you can’t stop, calls for the emergency room first.
Common dental injuries in children
- Chipped or fractured teeth: small chips often only affect enamel, while deeper breaks may reach the nerve.
- Loosened teeth: a tooth may wiggle more than usual after a bump.
- Displaced teeth: a tooth can be pushed sideways, forward, back, or up into the gum.
- Knocked-out teeth: the whole tooth leaves its socket.
- Soft tissue injuries: cuts to the lips, tongue, cheeks, or gums often come with a dental injury.
Injuries to baby teeth matter too. The permanent tooth develops right under the baby tooth, so a hard knock can sometimes affect it as well. That’s one reason we follow up even after a baby tooth looks fine.
How we evaluate and treat an injured tooth
We start with a careful exam and Digital X-Rays to look at the root, the bone, and any permanent tooth developing underneath. Treatment depends on the injury and your child’s age:
- Chips can often be smoothed or rebuilt with tooth-colored Dental Bonding.
- If the nerve is involved, Pulp Therapy may help save the tooth.
- Some injuries need no treatment right away, only watching.
We’ll explain what we find and what the next few months may look like.
Follow-up care after a dental injury
An injured tooth can change slowly, so we’ll want to see it again over the next several months. Between visits, call us if you notice:
- The tooth turning gray, yellow, or darker
- Swelling, or a small pimple-like bump on the gum near the tooth
- Sensitivity to hot or cold that lingers
- The tooth becoming looser
For a few days after an injury, softer foods are easier on a tender tooth. If your child plays sports, a properly fitted guard is the simplest way to prevent the next one; see Mouth Guards.
My child’s front baby tooth turned gray after a fall. What does that mean?
Color change can be a sign of bruising inside the tooth, and sometimes it fades. It can also mean the nerve has been affected. Schedule a visit so we can check it with an exam and X-rays.
Can a chipped permanent tooth be fixed?
Usually, yes. Many chips are repaired in one visit with tooth-colored bonding. If you found the broken piece, bring it with you in a little milk or water.
Do we need to come in if the tooth looks fine?
Yes, it’s worth a visit. Damage to the root or nerve doesn’t always show on the outside, and catching it early gives us more options.
Related: Emergency Dentistry, Dental Bonding, Pulp Therapy, Mouth Guards