Dental implants can make a smile look fabulous – I know I have them. However, if you are just thinking about getting them, you may have a lot of questions. You may be wondering how smoking affects implants, whether or not wine will stain them, if they can be whitened or other concerns. I also know from experience that it can be intimidating to ask some of these questions to your dentist. In my dental implant blog, I am going to answer the questions that can be hard to ask. I hope you find the info you need in this blog and that it guides you to the right decision about dental implants. Thanks for reading!
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Dental Traumas: A Guide to Diagnosing and Treating Sublaxation
Isobel Berry
If your tooth is loose with no signs of displacement after an accident, you are likely dealing with a dental sublaxation. Although a dental sublaxation is considered as a traumatic injury, it is not considered to be an emergency – even if it is not treated within 24 hours, the condition is unlikely to worsen.
You should still see a dentist as soon as possible to determine whether any treatments are needed to stabilize the affected tooth for a full recovery:
Identifying the Signs of Sublaxation
Dental sublaxation generally is caused by an injury to the tooth. The supporting structures are damaged, which results in increased mobility or a sense of looseness; however, the tooth is not displaced from its original position. You will generally find that the increased mobility is also coupled with bleeding from the gingival sulcus.
If you are dealing with a dental sublaxation, there might be some level of damage to the neurovascular supply, and the tooth may be separated from the periodontal ligament that holds it in place. Other common symptoms to expect include interstitial bleeding and edema caused by the separation.
Your dentist will generally inspect the affected tooth to determine whether it has been displaced, and will also conduct a percussion test, a mobility test and a pulp sensibility test. Radiographs may also be recommended. A percussion test will determine whether the tooth is sensitive to movements and a pulp sensibility test will determine whether the underlying pulp has been affected.
Commonly Recommended Treatments
In minor cases, no treatment may be recommended, as the sublaxation will heal on its own; however, more often than not, you can expect your dentist to:
- Suture the gingival laceration to stop the bleeding.
- Apply a flexible splint to stabilize the affected tooth by connecting it to adjacent teeth. The splint will normally be removed after 2 weeks when the affected tooth has stabilized and when some of the damaged periodontal ligaments have healed.
To prevent further worsening the sublaxation, most dentists will recommend that you only consume soft foods for at least one week after the injury has happened to give the affected tooth a fair chance at recovering.
Conclusion
Although a dental sublaxation is considered to be a traumatic injury, it is not that severe and does not require immediate attention. The symptoms generally will not worsen with time although different treatments may be recommended to expedite the recovery and to support and stabilize the affected tooth.
To learn more, contact a company like Creative Dentistry with any questions or concerns you have.
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