Tooth avulsion, also known as a knocked-out tooth, is always a dental emergency. The sooner you can come in to see us, the higher the chances are that we can save your natural tooth.
Fortunately for those in Nevada, Absolute Dental offers immediate, expert care for a knocked-out tooth in Reno. We are happy to offer you a same-day emergency dental appointment, for any emergency, including avulsed teeth.
A tooth avulsion happens when a tooth is completely dislodged from its socket in the gums due to trauma. In common terms, this means a tooth was “knocked out.” This is different from a cracked or chipped tooth, because the entire tooth, including the root, must have come out.
Avulsed teeth are always a dental emergency and need urgent care, especially when a permanent tooth becomes dislodged.
Causes and Risk Factors for Tooth Avulsion
Knocked out teeth are most often the result of sudden physical trauma and can happen at any age.
The most frequent causes include:
Sports activity: Especially in contact sports like football, hockey, combat sports, and even soccer.
Car accidents: Automobile accidents account for thousands of cases of avulsed teeth each year, although modern advancements in auto technology are making this number decline.
Bike, scooter, and skateboarding accidents: These are classic activities that cause tooth avulsion in Reno, especially for children.
Falls: Especially for the old and the young, falls can be a significant and overlooked factor in knocked-out teeth.
Physical trauma: Unfortunately, fights and other blows to the face are significant contributors to dental trauma in Reno and elsewhere.
Risk factors, such as lack of mouthguard use, youth sports, pre-existing dental issues, and prior history of dental trauma can all contribute to avulsed teeth as well.
Take advantage of our limited-time offer and enjoy 20% off your general dentistry treatment plan. At Absolute Dental, we’re committed to delivering expert, affordable care that prioritizes your smile. Hurry—this promotion ends on 12/31/26! Schedule your appointment today to experience top-quality dental solutions designed just for you.
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Tooth Avulsion Symptoms and Immediate Signs
An avulsed tooth is often easy to spot. Immediate signs and symptoms include:
Possibly associated injuries to the soft tissue surrounding the mouth and the possibility of a broken jaw.
For any of these symptoms, see us right away. The quicker you can get in to see us, the quicker we can get you help, and the higher likelihood of saving your tooth.
First Aid for a Knocked-Out Tooth (Tooth Avulsion) — Step-By-Step Guide
First, stay calm and act quickly.
Find the tooth, and only hold it by the crown. Avoid holding or touching the tooth root.
Gently rinse the tooth in milk, saline, or clean water, if it is dirty. Do not scrub the tooth as this can cause further damage.
Attempt to reinsert the tooth gently, if it is a permanent tooth. Do not reinsert baby teeth.
Hold the tooth in place by biting on a piece of sterile gauze or cloth to hold it in place, if possible.
If tooth reimplantation by yourself isn’t possible or too painful, place the tooth in milk or saline to transport it to the dentist. Do not place the tooth in water, and try to keep it moist at all times.
Control any bleeding with gauze, and apply cold compress to the cheek to reduce swelling.
Why Immediate Dental Care Is Critical for Tooth Avulsion
Simply put, there is higher success of saving the tooth with rapid replantation. Ideally, this happens within 30 minutes of the avulsion. The sooner you can get to a dentist, the higher the likelihood of the original tooth being saved and replaned.
Delay can cause a whole host of negative consequences, including permanent damage, root resorption, serious infection, and tooth loss. It is of the utmost importance to contact an emergency dentist immediately.
What To Expect at Your Emergency Dental Visit in Reno
When you visit Absolute Dental, you can expect:
Immediate pain relief and careful cleaning.
A gentle examination, which may include digital X-rays and assessment for other injuries.
Attempted reimplantation of the tooth and stabilization, including splinting the tooth with dental cement, if possible.
We may also prescribe you antibiotics, and, in some cases, perform a tetanus evaluation.
We’ll also always give you thorough instructions for aftercare, monitoring, and next steps. It’s possible you may need root canal therapy or further restorative care.
For all of our appointments, we deliver urgent attention, use all advanced technology at our disposal, and focus on comfort for all ages.
We Accept Most Dental Insurance
Absolute Dental is a preferred provider for most insurances, unions, and hotels that include: Aetna, Ameritas, Boon-Chapman, Caesars Palace, Cigna, Delta Dental, Diversified, Geha, Guardian, Harrah’s, HealthSCOPE Benefits, Health Plan of Nevada (HPN), Humana, Liberty, Met-Life, MGM-MIRAGE, Premier Access, The Standard, Station Casinos, Teachers Health Trust, United Concordia, United Healthcare, Venetian, and The Zenith. We also accept Medicaid.
If you do not see your dental insurance listed here, just give us a call to confirm!
Tooth Avulsion Treatment Protocols and Follow-Up Care
After an emergency, proper protocol and follow up care is essential for positive outcomes. This includes:
Quick reimplantation for permanent teeth, then splinting for 1-2 weeks.
No reimplantation for avulsed primary (baby) teeth.
Root canal therapy is recommended for most adult teeth and is usually initiated within 2 weeks after replanting.
In many cases, prescription antibiotics, assessing tetanus status, and regular follow-ups are necessary to check for infection, monitor healing, and to reduce resorption risk.
Monitoring for healing and function restoration measures for further restorative treatments, such as crowns and implants, in the case of non-recoverable avulsion.
Prompt care and following all instructions can lead to a full recovery and implantation of your natural tooth.
Related Injuries to Tooth Avulsions: Soft Tissue and Other Dental Trauma
In cases of avulsed teeth, we’ll also monitor for soft tissue injuries and other dental trauma, such as management of oral/lip/cheek lacerations, assessing for broken or loose teeth, jaw fractures, or tooth fragments retained in socket.
As always, we respond to oral bleeding and control pain promptly.
Absolute Dental’s Emergency Dentist in Reno — Expertise and Same-Day Appointments
At Absolute Dental, we offer an immediate, skilled response to all Reno dental emergencies, including on weekends and at late hours. Our advanced diagnostic tools, digital X-rays, pain management, and restorative options all help improve outcomes, and our highly trained team, with deep experience in pediatric and adult dental trauma, can make nearly anyone feel comfortable.
We offer patient-focused care with transparent billing, help with insurance, and multiple payment options for those without insurance. Our convenient locations have been trusted by families in Reno for urgent dental care for years.
First, don’t panic. Try to stop any bleeding with sterile gauze or cloth. You should still see a dentist immediately as you still need urgent care. Your dentist will look for hidden damage and recommend next steps.
This depends on a number of factors. Ideally, a tooth will be reimplanted within 30 minutes, but longer times are possible as well. Keep the tooth in milk on your way to the dentist for best outcomes.
Yes, in almost all cases, insurance covers avulsed teeth. To be sure, you can check your plan literature or get in contact with your insurer to know more.
Long-term outcomes depend on when the tooth was reimplanted, as well as a number of other factors including age, other damage you may have sustained, and more.
Do not try to remove any tooth fragments that are stuck in the gums, if possible. See a dentist immediately who will assess the situation and decide what to do.
Yes, dental implants are very common if your natural tooth can’t be implanted. These are highly effective long-term solutions that look natural and function well.
