Dental Trauma, Aubrey TX

Dental trauma is an injury to the mouth, including teeth, lips, gums, tongue, and jawbone. Most kinds of dental trauma can be painful, and your child should receive treatment as soon as possible. The most common kind of dental trauma in children is a broken or lost tooth. If a member of your family has sustained a dental injury (even a minor one), call WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry in Prosper, TX, immediately. Sometimes signs of dental damage are not immediately apparent, and neglecting the injury can result in further damage and/or infection. Board-certified pediatric dentist Dr. Karrie Lee is proud to assist a wide range of young patients who need prompt assistance.

A dental trauma patient is anyone who has sustained damage to the teeth or the soft tissues of the mouth. There are many different causes of injuries ranging from contact sports to car accidents and dog bites. Even eating hard or sticky foods can cause chipped teeth. The most important part before treatment can begin is to determine what kind of damage has occurred. If your child has a knocked-out tooth, preserve it in milk or saliva and bring it to your appointment with a pediatric dentist. It may be possible to put it back.

Sometimes accidents happen. Your child may have a chipped or fractured tooth, a knocked-out tooth, or cuts on the tongue or gums. Treatment for dental trauma generally depends on the type and severity of the injury. WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry can perform an examination and take digital images of the affected area before deciding how to move forward. Dr. Lee offers restorative dental solutions like dental fillings and crowns to repair teeth that have been damaged by trauma. Rest assured, we offer several safe and effective sedation options should your child require dental treatment.

What is considered a dental emergency for children?

Children can experience dental emergencies just as easily as adults. However, since children's teeth are much smaller than adult teeth, the impact of these emergencies is often magnified. Examples of a dental emergency include an injury to a permanent tooth, a broken or chipped tooth, or a knocked-out tooth. A soft tissue injury may also be considered an emergency.

What should I do with a broken permanent tooth?

Your child should seek immediate attention from a pediatric dentist if he or she breaks a permanent tooth. In the meantime, you can try to push the tooth back into position using light pressure. If this doesn't work, try putting the tooth in a small cup of milk or saliva. WindHaven Pediatric Dentistry can provide further instructions when you reach out to our office.

What about a soft tissue injury or facial pain?

Your child may experience a soft tissue injury on the cheeks or tongue that could be considered a dental emergency. Contact a pediatric dentist as soon as possible if this occurs. Some symptoms to look out for include:

• A laceration or broken skin on the cheeks or tongue
• Bleeding from the gums, cheek, or lip
• The feeling that something is caught in your child's mouth

Excessive bleeding requires a visit to your local emergency room in Frisco, TX.