Oral trauma is an injury to the mouth and/or teeth. Oral trauma may be caused by an accident or sports injury and is common in early childhood when babies and toddlers are unsteady on their feet. If left untreated, oral trauma like chipped, cracked and missing teeth can lead to infection and result in serious problems.
Whether you’re a current or new patient, our offices are here to address your oral trauma. We may be able to accommodate emergency walk-in appointments or offer a same-day appointment in many cases, however, next-day appointments are occasionally necessary. If you are in need of emergency dental services, please call the office immediately. If it is after office hours, you will be forwarded to our emergency on-call service.
Common Symptoms of Oral Trauma
Accidents that involve your mouth can happen at any time and often require immediate attention. Contact your dentist if you have any of the following symptoms following a tooth or mouth injury:
- Sensitivity to hot or cold
- Tooth pain
- Swelling
- Tenderness in the mouth or jaw
- Temperature of over 100 °F
- Cracked tooth
- Chipped tooth
- Missing tooth
These dental problems require prompt care if you do not want to suffer more serious consequences down the road.
How to Treat Oral Trauma
Treatment options vary based on the extent of the injury. Your dentist or oral care specialist will diagnose the problem and choose the best treatment based on the injury. If oral trauma is severe, a tooth extraction may be necessary to avoid infection from occurring. There are several tooth replacement options that are long-lasting and have a natural appearance including bonding, veneers, crowns, bridges, and dental implants. The only way to determine the right treatment for your oral trauma is by seeing a dentist. They can then review your symptoms, make an accurate diagnosis and give you their recommended treatment plan.
Who Treats Oral Trauma?
A dentist or prosthodontist will treat the injury based on the type of injury. A prosthodontist is highly trained in dental implants, bridges, crowns and dentures and specializes in replacing missing teeth.