Traumatic Injuries
Dislodged teeth:
Mouth injuries can cause teeth to be moved within their sockets. Your endodontist or general dentist may reposition and stabilize your tooth. Within a few weeks of the injury, a root canal treatment is usually started, and a medication, such as calcium hydroxide will be placed inside the tooth. Eventually, a permanent root canal filling will be implanted.
Sometimes a tooth may be pushed partially out of the socket. If the pulp remains healthy, then no other treatment is necessary. Yet, if the pulp is infected or damaged, root canal therapy will be required.
Avulsed Teeth:
If you have one of your teeth completly knocked out of your mouth, it is important that you are treated immediately. If this happens to you, it is vital that the tooth is kept moist, and if possible, placed back into the socket. If placing it back into the socket is not an option, the tooth can be put in milk or a glass of water with a pinch of salt. Root canal therapy may be started based upon the stage of root development. The length of time the tooth was out of the mouth and the way the tooth was stored, may influence the type of treatment you receive and the treatment outcome.
Injuries in children:
If an immature tooth becomes injured, it may need one of the following procedures to improve the chances of saving the tooth:
Apexogenesis:
This procedure encourages the root to continue development as the pulp heals. The soft tissue is covered with medication to encourage growth. The tip of the root (apex) will continue to close as the child gets older, and in turn, the walls of the root canal will thicken. If the pulp heals, no additional treatment will be necessary.
Apexification:
In this case, the unhealthy pulp tissue is removed, and a medication is placed on top of the remaining healthy tissue. This will allow a hard tissue barrier to form at the end of the root, however, the root walls will not develop any further. Once formed, the root can be filled via root canal therapy. It is important to have the tooth properly restored after this procedure to minimize any further problems.
At any time before, during and after the surgery, Richmond Hill Endodontics will always be available to answer any of your questions or concerns.
Please call our practice to schedule your consultation: (905)508-4700 or email us at info@richmondhillendo.com