Accidents can happen at any time of the year, resulting in broken or missing teeth, but it seems to be especially prevalent during Minnesota summers. If you find yourself in this situation, seek medical treatment immediately. Assuming you have no other injuries, other than to your teeth/mouth, call your dentist right away. The quicker you receive treatment, the more likely the tooth will be able to be saved. Find your tooth, if it hasn’t been knocked across the baseball field, racquetball court or even swallowed, lightly rinse it off and try placing it back into the socket (hole). If you can’t put the tooth back, place it between your gum and cheek to keep it moist. If holding the tooth in your mouth is not an option, a glass of milk or saline solution can work too, but your mouth is best. The most important thing is to receive immediate care. You have about an hour to get to the dentist before your tooth is no longer viable. Upon receiving immediate care for your tooth, your dentist will take an x-ray. The x-ray will determine if there are fragments of root stuck in the bone. The dentist will then preform a root canal and splint your tooth back into place.
Sometimes your tooth ends up broken in half. This also requires immediate medical attention. Your dentist will take x-rays, determine if you need a root canal and then place a crown or composite filling on the broken tooth. Dr. Bomstad flipped over the handlebars of a bicycle when he was young, after the front tire became detatched. He ground his front teeth down to nothing on the pavement, was knocked unconscious, broke his maxilla, and ended up with 3 crowns and 2 root canals. If anyone can sympathize with the pain you’re feeling, it’s Dr. Bomstad.