Reimplantation of a milk tooth

Reimplantation of a milk tooth is a treatment by which a tooth that has been removed or dropped, for example due to a blow, is grafted back into the gum socket. It is intended that this tooth recreate ligament fibers with the gum and can be restrained.

As a general rule, in temporary teeth, also called baby teeth, reimplantation is done as a treatment for avulsions. A dental avulsion is the complete exit of a tooth from its socket, usually by a blow. Often, the most affected teeth are the central upper incisors.

In the kids, the best possible treatment is to reposition the tooth in its place, trying to re-form tissue. What is this treatment? What are its consequences? Below we detail it.

What happens to the tooth after avulsion?

When the gum tooth completely comes out, rupture of the ligamentous fibers that hold it to it occurs. There is also a rupture of the vasculonervious package that allows blood flow and nerve currents to reach the tooth.

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How should we keep a tooth out of our mouth?

To make reimplantation of a milk tooth possible it is important to try to preserve the tooth. Therefore, it should not be manipulated or tried to clean.

The less time the tooth is out of the mouth, the more successful the treatment can be. Thus, Reimplantation of a milk tooth is considered an emergency.

The most important thing is not to touch the tooth and avoid cleaning it with a handkerchief or similar because, by removing the layer that remains at the root of the tooth, we eliminate the possible fibers that may remain.

There are several liquid solutions where we can submerge it until we reach the dental clinic. The ideal liquid solution to submerge it is the Solution of Hank.

  • The solution of Hank It is a cultivation method that It allows to maintain the correct pH avoiding the reabsorption of the tooth root. It can be found in pharmacies.
  • The second best liquid to preserve a tooth is milk, preferably skim milk. It can allow us to preserve the vitality of fibroblasts for 3 hours.
  • In case of not possessing any of those substances, we can introduce it in physiological serum.
  • If it is not available, it can be stored in water or if we do not have any liquid on hand, it could be stored in saliva. In case of doing it in saliva, the ideal is to place it under the tongue to avoid swallowing it.

How is reimplantation performed?

First of all, the dentist will perform a review of the entire affected area in order to be able to rule out bone fractures or lacerations that need suture or other injuries. After checking that everything is correct, the socket will be gently washed with physiological serum.

Tooth preparation

If the tooth is submerged in any substance mentioned above, no preparation is necessary. But nevertheless, it is advisable to introduce the tooth in solution of Hank few minutes before.

It should always be manipulated by the crown without touching the root. Further, It must remain in a humid environment. The more time the tooth passes out of mouth and in a dry environment, the worse the prognosis of reimplantation will be.

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Tooth placement

The tooth is slowly introduced into the socket of the gum until it reaches its place. Once placed we must splint it, that is, join it to the adjacent teeth to provide support. Splinting is usually done with a semi-rigid wire on the inside of the tooth, very similar to the one placed after the removal of orthodontics.

We should always perform an x-ray to check that the tooth is in place and that there is no problem within the bone. The last thing we should check is tooth occlusion, Let it stay a little in the air so that it does not suffer too much force when chewing.

After reimplantation of the milk tooth it is important to do an x-ray to check that the tooth was in the correct position.

Pharmacotherapy

Normally the dentist will prescribe the necessary drugs to control the possible infection and inflammation. As well You can suggest pain relievers to soothe the pain caused by the trauma.

Reviews

Reviews of the piece should be carried out a week, 3 weeks, 2 months, 6 months and a year. All this to verify that everything is correct and that the tooth does not present infections.

Consequences of a dental reimplantation

We must always take into account the age of the child and the degree of development of the germ of the final tooth, to avoid possible damage to the germ at the time of reimplantation of the milk tooth. When in doubt, we should always give greater importance to the final tooth. If the tooth that falls into trauma is a definitive tooth, reimplantation is the treatment of choice.