Dental Emergency -- Avulsed Tooth

• Never reimpant a primary tooth.  If replaced, primary teeth have a high likelihood of fusing to underlying alveolar bone, which causes dentoalveolar ankylosis and can result in facial deformities
• Never wipe off a tooth, or hold it by the root. The periodontal ligament is easily wiped off and the tooth will not reimplant without it.
• For maximal success, the tooth should be reimplanted within 60 minutes.
• Avoid allowing the periodontal ligament from drying out.  Transport the tooth in (listed in order of preference):
  • Hanks Solution or EMT Tooth Saver
  • Milk
  • Saline
  • Saliva
• Once the tooth is reimplanted it should be held in place with a wire splint or Coe-Pak that bridges the avulsed tooth to the ones on either side of it.
• Place the patient on antibiotics (Penicillin or Clindamycin) in order to prevent any infections.
• If the avulsed tooth can not be found a Chest X-ray should be obtained to ensure that the tooth was not aspirated.