A tooth that looks only slightly chipped after a bump may have more going on beneath the surface. From Mississauga, phone our team, explain what happened and when, and ask about an assessment. If an adult tooth has been knocked right out, get emergency dental care immediately.
It’s natural to judge an injured tooth by what shows. Yet a knock hard enough to chip enamel can also bruise the nerve, crack the root or stretch the fibres holding the tooth in its socket. Other injuries are obvious from the start: a tooth sitting at a new angle, or one that has come out. Lips and gums are frequently hurt as well.
Ring us promptly with the basics: how it happened, roughly when, and whether it’s a baby or adult tooth if you can tell. Include anything else that was hurt. A heavy blow to the head, face or jaw may need hospital assessment before a dentist can plan treatment.
That first conversation shapes the next step and tells you what availability looks like. A time-sensitive injury shouldn’t wait in an inbox. If the clinic can’t be reached or can’t see you promptly, look for another emergency dental provider, and move fastest of all for a knocked-out permanent tooth.
Start with the person’s safety. Then note the time, and what you’ve done so far. Mention any tooth or piece you can’t find, since it isn’t always lying on the floor.
Treat it as an emergency. Pick it up by the crown and leave the root alone. Swish it briefly in milk or saline if it’s dirty, without rubbing. If you’re certain it’s permanent and it’s safe, guide it back into the socket gently and bite down on clean gauze. If that isn’t possible, put it in milk and come for emergency care.
Baby teeth that come out are never replanted. If you’re unsure of the type, keep the tooth in a small cup of milk and get professional advice right away. A child shouldn’t keep a loose tooth inside their mouth, where it could be swallowed or breathed in.
Phone soon and explain any change in position, how your teeth come together and how it feels. Avoid poking at it, and don’t try to push it straight. Put any recovered fragment in milk to bring along. Ask where the tooth should be assessed, and mention other symptoms.
Call 911 or go to a hospital emergency department for breathing trouble, bleeding that is heavy and constant, a serious jaw or facial injury, or head-injury signs including unconsciousness, vomiting or double vision.
An assessment should go beyond what you can see in a mirror, defining the injury as far as findings allow and identifying anything that needs care now. Ask which teeth and surrounding tissues are affected and how they’ll be protected. A shallow chip and a tooth that has moved or been replanted rarely get the same response.
Some answers simply aren’t available on day one. Certain effects of trauma become clear only at later appointments, so a comfortable tooth after the first visit is a good sign rather than a final verdict. Make sure you understand why reviews are planned and who to contact if things change.
Patient information: American Association of Endodontists — updated trauma guidance and ongoing monitoring
The time, the cause, where the tooth sits and the first aid used all matter. Tell us what you know and say plainly what you don’t. If another clinic or a hospital saw you first, bring their paperwork or tell us where you went.
A baby tooth, a permanent tooth that is still developing in a child, and a mature adult tooth can be treated differently. Ask how that affects your plan. Two injuries that look the same won’t necessarily be treated the same way.
Ask what each later visit will examine and whether the plan could change. Reviews check healing and may reveal problems not visible at first. Bring them up before the discussion narrows to how the repair looks.
Depending on what’s found, the first appointment could involve assessment, stabilization, treatment or a referral. Ask which pieces are urgent and which choices can wait for more information.
Explain the time and cause, plus any first aid or treatment you’ve already had. Tell us about absent teeth or fragments, medical conditions, medications and allergies. Mention any medical assessment for other injuries, and what it found.
The dentist examines the injured area and considers the images and tests that are indicated. Ask which teeth will be followed, including neighbours that look intact. If you’re referred elsewhere, the reason should be explained.
Go over the recommended care, pain control, alternatives and cost. Depending on findings, this might be protecting a fracture, repositioning and stabilizing a tooth, or arranging more care. Ask whether the result is interim and what might be added later.
Confirm cleaning, diet, activity and review advice for the injury and the treatment. Ask how to get in touch if something needs attention. Keep appointment details easy to find, especially when more than one clinic shares your care.
What you do after the visit depends on the injury, the tooth type and the treatment. A splinted tooth, a chip that has been repaired and a child’s hurt baby tooth may each follow a separate routine.
Ask how to keep the injured tooth or splint clean, and which foods or activities to avoid for now. Don’t bite on hard things to see if it’s stronger, and don’t rock it. If you can’t follow the advice comfortably, or something loosens, get in touch.
Call about pain that worsens, swelling, drainage, a shift in your bite or any fresh concern. Mention the injury date and treatment. The team will advise whether to keep the next scheduled review or come in sooner.
Save the initial treatment summary and share it if another clinician gets involved. Ask about forms for school, sport, work or insurance. Forms help keep care joined up, while reviews remain focused on healing.
Phone us about a new injury, and call emergency services if the situation needs them. These answers help you prepare but don’t take the place of an examination.
Phone our Bronte Street team as soon as a tooth is injured and ask what assessment is available. Share when it happened and any change since. If you need immediate care and we can’t be reached, contact another emergency dental provider.
Please use online forms only for non-urgent questions. Injury care, referral, follow-up, fees and whether a tooth can be kept are all determined after assessment; no outcome or immediate appointment is promised.
