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The first hour matters most. Follow the steps below, then call us right away. We prioritize patients in pain and will make a plan for your emergency.
These five steps, done calmly and quickly, give a knocked-out adult tooth its best possible chance of being saved.
The crown is the white chewing part. The root is covered in delicate living fibers that the tooth needs to reattach. Touching or scrubbing the root can end its chances.
Use milk or a quick pass under cool water. No soap, no scrubbing, no wrapping it in a tissue to dry. Those fibers on the root must stay moist and undisturbed.
Face it the right way and press it gently into place, then bite softly on a clean cloth or gauze to hold it. This is the single best place for the tooth to wait. Never reseat a baby tooth; keep it out and bring it with you.
Drop it in a small container of cold milk, or tuck it inside your cheek if you are an adult and can do so safely. Plain water is a last resort; milk protects the root far better.
A knocked-out adult tooth has its best chance of reattaching when it is back in place within about an hour. Call (603) 924-3664 the moment the tooth is secured and we will direct you from there.
Call (603) 924-3664If the tooth can be saved, we clean the area, seat the tooth properly, and splint it to its neighbors so it can heal in position. An X-ray confirms the socket and surrounding bone are sound.
A re-implanted tooth needs follow-up visits to confirm the root is reattaching. If the nerve inside the tooth does not survive and a root canal is needed, we coordinate promptly with trusted specialists.
Some teeth cannot be saved, and that is not the end of the story. Dental implants are one of our core strengths, and we also place bridges, all planned and restored right here in our office.
A blow hard enough to knock out a tooth can injure more than the tooth. Go to the emergency room or call 911 first if you have:
Bring the tooth with you in milk either way. Once you are medically stable, call us and we will take over the dental side.
Whether the tooth can be saved or needs replacing, the next step is the same: get it in milk, and get us on the phone. Our office is at 21 Grove Street in Peterborough.