At Montgomery Pediatric Dentistry we have the resources and team members available to help you with any dental emergency. When your child experiences a dental emergency such as one or more broken teeth, they can be in a lot of pain and will come to you for help.
If you are a resident of the Princeton, New Jersey area experiencing a dental issue or are just passing through, please feel free to contact us right away.
What to do if you have broken teeth
Because children are often very active, breaking a tooth at a young age is common. Below are some details for parents to be aware of while evaluating a broken tooth.
Are the broken teeth from a baby or adult tooth?
We treat children from ages 0-18. In that time frame, patients lose their baby teeth and new adult teeth take their place. If your child has broken a baby tooth, it is important to remember that a new, adult tooth will eventually replace it. We still encourage our patients who have broken a baby tooth to come into our office as soon as possible to relieve pain and restore functionality.
If an adult tooth breaks, it qualifies as a dental emergency that needs immediate attention. If a portion of the tooth has been broken off completely, please try to locate the piece and bring it into the office.
Look at the Broken Tooth to Determine the Severity
To determine the severity of the break, we suggest that you ask yourself these questions:
- Is the tooth minorly chipped or is a majority of the tooth broken off?
- Is the root of the tooth visible?
- Is there a break on the chewing surface of a molar?
Evaluating the tooth and asking these questions will help you, as the parent, determine the severity of the situation and get an idea for what the treatment might look like. Teeth that are very minorly chipped will just be filed and smoothed down. Large chips or breaks will need cosmetic bonding to restore the anatomy of the tooth.
What to do while waiting to see a professional
Please read the following tips on what to do after your child has experienced a broken tooth and is waiting to see the dentist:
- Hold a cold compress on the lip, cheek, or mouth that is nearest the injury to reduce swelling
- If any bleeding occurs, apply gauze to the site for about 10 minutes or until bleeding stops
- To avoid bacteria, help your child rinse their mouth out with warm salt water
- To fight any pain, we recommend mild over-the-counter pain medication
We understand that watching your child suffer from tooth pain can be scary, but we assure you that our team at Montgomery Pediatric Dentistry will do all we can to relieve their pain and restore their smile. Contact our Princeton, New Jersey, office today if your child is experiencing a dental emergency and needs immediate attention.