A tooth knocked out of place but still in your mouth
Guidance from an endodontist and an emergency dentist on shifted teeth
A crash can shove a tooth sideways, push it deeper into its socket or pull it partway out. In each case the tooth moves but doesn’t come all the way out. Dentists call this a luxation injury. The tooth may look longer, shorter or crooked. Your gum may bleed. [1]
Even if the tooth feels solid later, its root and blood supply may have been hurt. Teeth nearby can be damaged too, with no clear signs. Seeing a dentist quickly can protect your chance of keeping the tooth. [1]
Book an urgent dental exam
Tell the dentist when the crash happened, which tooth moved and whether your bite feels off. Don’t keep poking the tooth with your fingers or try to force it back into place. Ask if dental images show an injury to the root or jaw. For a permanent tooth, the dentist may move it back into position and hold it steady. How they do it depends on which way the tooth moved, how developed its root is and any other injuries. [1, 2]
Expect more than one visit
Ask how to clean around the tooth, which foods to skip and when any splint will come off. The living tissue inside the tooth can die after the injury. The dentist or endodontist, a root canal specialist, may need to repeat tests and images over time. Some permanent teeth need a root canal. Whether yours does, and when, depends on the injury. Go to every follow up visit, even once the tooth stops hurting. [1, 2]
Watch for changes in the tooth
Call the dentist if pain grows or swelling appears. Also call about a pimple on the gum, a tooth that turns darker or a change in your bite. Get urgent medical care if facial swelling makes it hard to breathe or swallow. The same goes if other symptoms from a head or face injury get worse. Don’t put aspirin right on your gum to ease pain. [1]
What to ask about the tooth
- Which way did the tooth move? Were the teeth next to it hurt?
- How will you keep track of the tooth’s nerve and root?
- When is my next dental checkup, even if I feel better?
Call a dentist today
Reach out to an emergency dentist or endodontist today. Describe where the tooth sits now. [1]
Sources and further reading
- 1American Association of Endodontists traumatic dental injuries
- 2American Association of Endodontists trauma guidelines
General education based on emergency dentistry and endodontics. Adult teeth and baby teeth are treated differently. Instead of forcing a shifted tooth back into place, get it checked by a dentist promptly.
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