Dental Sports Injuries

"It just feels a little loose-nothing to worry about".

Wham! Your jaw just made contact with your teammates' elbow and you weren't wearing a sportsguard. A tooth feels a little loose, but it doesn't seem serious. After all, in a couple of days the tooth tightens up and seems to be fine. Or is it? If a tooth is loosened enough, the vessels that supply blood to the tooth may be severed. When the supply of blood is disrupted the tooth soon discolors, usually within a few days, indicating that the tooth is dying. Once a tooth starts to die you may eventually lose the tooth, or living with it permanently discolored.

If you somehow have a tooth loosened, contact your dentist as soon as possible to see if emergency care is necessary. The sooner a dentist can examine and determine the extent of the damage, the better your chances of saving the tooth. Even if the tooth does not fall out and "firms up" in a couple of days, irreparable damage may have occurred. Left untreated, the tooth may discolor and fall out at a later date.

To determine the extent of the damage, your dentist may need to do a full examination including taking x-rays of the mouth. Even if the tooth has begun to discolor, there is a chance that the tooth can still be stabilized and saved. If the tooth is savable, discoloration may be lessened with bleaching.

If the tooth cannot be saved, three common courses of treatment are available. The first, Stayplate, is a retainer-like device similar to what children and adults wear after having braces removed. An artificial tooth is attached to the plastic and wire retainer to replace the lost tooth. The retainer is usually hidden and the artificial tooth indistinguishable from your natural teeth. Like dentures, the Stayplate is removed and cleaned every evening.

Another solution is to create a bridge by attaching an artificial tooth to the healthy teeth on either side. The artificial tooth is anchored to the neighboring teeth making a permanent bond.

The most permanent solution is to have an implant. A titanium post is inserted into the jaw where the damaged tooth used to reside. The jaw is then allowed to heal over the next six to twelve months. Once the jaw is fully healed, an artificial tooth is attached to the post resulting in a permanent replacement tooth.

Of the solutions available, the Stayplate is the least costly. However, another solution may fit better with the injury suffered and your lifestyle. So remember, if you have a tooth loosened, call your dentist at once. The sooner you have a loosened tooth examined, the better your chances of saving the tooth, and your smile.