Please call our office on (724)774-1920 if the emergency is during business hours Mon-Thu 8am to 5pm. If the office is closed, please text the emergency number (878)529-0336 to contact the dentist after hours.

SEVERE TRAUMA

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If the child has experienced severe trauma that involves significant facial laceration requiring stitches/sutures or possible jaw fracture, please visit the ER at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. These injuries require immediate diagnosis and treatment often involving a plastic surgeon and an oral surgeon to address them.

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INJURY TO GUMS/ TEETH

 

• Soft tissue injury
  If the injury involves minor bruising and superficial laceration of lips, gums and other soft tissues gently attempt to clean the injury. For injuries inside the mouth a Q tip dipped in an alcohol-free mouthwash could provide reasonable access to clean. Gentle warm saltwater rinses are useful for gum injuries. We do not recommend repeated applications of Oraljel, especially for young children, due to the potential for swallowing it which can lead to methemoglobinemia. Instead, Tylenol every 6-8 hours with cold compresses would provide reasonable pain relief. Please limit the child to very soft, cold or room temperature food such as popsicles/plain ice cream, mashed potato, scrambled eggs, yogurt, etc. Children do possess an extraordinary ability to heal and by following the above instructions the healing process can be significantly accelerated.

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• Tooth injury

Knocked out Baby Tooth 
If you are certain that a baby tooth was knocked out completely, which is often the case for children under the age of 6, please do not attempt to replace the tooth back. Baby teeth are never reimplanted back in the mouth regardless of the child’s age. New adult front teeth grow around the age of 6 to 8 for most children. At this point our focus is healing the injury to the mouth, and we recommend you read the “soft tissue injury” section for instructions. Please call to schedule an appointment for evaluation.

 

Fractured Baby Tooth

Most fractures are superficial and very rarely involve the nerve/pulp of the tooth. Such teeth do not require immediate attention by the dentist, but we encourage you to call and make an appointment for the dentist to evaluate the injury in person. Patients are often sore for a few days, but most do not exhibit long term symptoms. In some cases, the tooth will turn a dark greyish color with time. This color will occasionally resolve on its own or stay the same. If the child is in pain Tylenol with soft food  and cold compresses is highly recommended. Avoid biting on the injured tooth for 7-10 days. Teeth that are pain free and symptom free after the injury has healed will be monitored by the dentist regularly at your child’s 6-month visit. Occasionally these baby teeth need to be extracted if they continue to be painful, exhibit signs of infection or are loose/displaced to the point of posing an aspiration risk. The dentist will discuss the best course of action at your appointment. 

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Knocked out Adult Tooth

If this injury happens after hours and involves a suspected Jaw fracture, please visit the ER at Children’s Hospital of  Pittsburgh immediately. Carefully pick up the tooth from the flat crown portion (not the tapering root end). Gently rinse the tooth with cold milk or clean water, without scrubbing. Attempt to place the tooth back in the socket if possible, by applying gentle thumb pressure. Have the child bite on gauze or a washcloth to hold it in place. If you are unable to place the tooth back, store it in Save-a-tooth solution (available in drug stores), cold milk or the child’s spit before taking it to the ER or your dentist.

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Fractured Adult Tooth

Most fractures are superficial and very rarely involve the nerve/pulp of the tooth. Such teeth do not require an urgent appointment with the dentist and the initial sensitivity often resolves with time. If the child is in pain Tylenol with soft food and cold compresses is highly recommended. Attempt to keep the tooth and gums as clean as possible and avoid biting on the injured tooth. Please save the fractured tooth piece if it can be located and bring it with you to the appointment for possible reattachment. Patients are often sore for a few days, but most do not exhibit long term symptoms. All injuries to adult teeth will be thoroughly evaluated by the dentist followed by a discussion with the parents. The dentist will discuss the best way to repair the tooth for esthetic reasons after examining the injury. All injured adult teeth need to be monitored for any signs of nerve injury such as color change, continued pain and abscess that may need a referral for Root Canal Treatment.