Dental Trauma - What To Do For A Broken Or Knocked-Out Tooth

Broken tooth or lost filling

Rinse gently with water. Avoid chewing on the tooth. Save any pieces. Pain relief like paracetamol or ibuprofen may help if suitable for you. Antibiotics are not usually required unless there is spreading infection.

We can often restore the tooth with tooth-coloured fillings or a crown. If the nerve is exposed, urgent care is needed.

Cracked tooth with lingering pain

Cracks can irritate the nerve. If pain lingers after hot or cold, the pulp may be involved. Treatment may include a root canal and a protective crown to stop the crack from propagating.

Knocked-out adult tooth - first aid

• Find the tooth - hold by the crown, not the root.
• If dirty, rinse briefly in milk or saline - do not scrub or use water.
• Replant gently into the socket if you can. If not, keep it moist in milk or inside the cheek.
• Come to us straight away - the sooner it is replanted, the better the chance it survives.
• Do not replant baby teeth.

Stabilise and relieve pain

We smooth sharp edges, place a temporary dressing if needed and settle pain quickly. If a tooth is replanted, we place a small splint to hold it while it heals.

Repair and save teeth

Depending on damage, options include composite bonding, a crown, root canal therapy or tooth removal when a tooth cannot be saved.

Prevention for sport

Custom sports mouthguards cushion impacts far better than boil-and-bite types and help prevent chipped or avulsed teeth.