Types of Teeth Injuries

• Avulsion of Tooth (knocked out tooth): This is a dental emergency. A knocked out permanent tooth needs to be put back in its socket at soon as possible, ideally within minutes, and certainly within 2 hours.
• Concussion of Tooth (tooth was bumped but is not loose): This is the most common dental injury. No immediate dental care is needed. A soft diet is recommended. Rarely a concussed tooth can undergo pulpal necrosis (tooth death) days to weeks later; this can be recognized when the tooth becomes darker than the adjacent teeth.
• Crown Fracture - Complicated (cracked tooth with pulp exposure): There is usually a large piece of the tooth that is broken off. There also may be small red dot or pink blush (the pulp) in the fractured area. Typically it is quite painful and is very sensitive to air and cold liquids. To reduce pain and prevent pulpal damage, fractures into the pulp need to be treated urgently. Most of these fractures will require root canal therapy.
• Chipped Tooth cated (no pulp exposure): A small painless chipped tooth can wait 24-72 hours for evaluation by a dentist.
• Cracked Tooth (infraction): This is a small hairline crack of a tooth. There is a thin fracture line without any missing piece of tooth. Generally, this should be evaluated by a dentist in 24-72 hours.
• Intruded Tooth (pushed into gum): The tooth is pushed deeper into the gum and tooth socket. Generally, this should be evaluated by a dentist in 24-72 hours.
• Loosened Tooth (subluxation): If there is only mild looseness, the tooth usually tightens up on its own (may bleed a little from the gums).
• Loosened and Displaced Tooth (luxation): All need to see a dentist to assess damage. Displaced teeth that interfere with biting, chewing or closing the mouth need to be repositioned within 4 hours for reasons of comfort and function. Mild displacement deserves evaluation within 24 hours.