Dental Injuries: The Difference Between Tooth Extrusion and Tooth Subluxation
An accident that has resulted in blunt force trauma to your teeth may result in one of three main conditions. The affected tooth may be avulsed (knocked out). It could also be experiencing extrusion (loose, but still attached to its socket). And then there's subluxation, which primarily affects the tooth's connective tissues (its periodontal ligaments). The tooth may be slightly loose, but this isn't found in all cases. Even though subluxation may not seem like an injury that can threaten the tooth, make no mistake—you will need emergency dentistry.
Professionally Assessed
To be quite practical about the situation, you're unable to diagnose a complex dental injury yourself. You won't be able to note a clear difference between tooth extrusion and subluxation yourself, and in any event, you're likely to be in pain. It should be noted that even when tooth subluxation won't affect the tooth's long-term survival, you will likely need help to manage your pain. There may also be extensive bleeding from the gums at the base of the tooth, which will need to be professionally assessed.
Tooth Extrusion
An emergency dentist will inspect the tooth in question and may need to take immediate steps to control bleeding. You will need diagnostic testing to gauge the extent of the damage, and this will involve an X-ray. This X-ray is what helps the dentist determine the treatment your tooth needs, by telling them whether the tooth is experiencing extrusion or subluxation. A loose, extruded tooth must be stabilised. The tooth will be splinted to the teeth on either side, and this allows any inflammation and general trauma to the tooth's root and supporting ligaments to heal.
Tooth Subluxation
In cases of subluxation, there will similarly be trauma to the tooth's supporting ligaments. If you're lucky, this will be the extent of your injuries, and no further emergency treatment will be needed. A tooth affected by subluxation may not need to be splinted and will heal without further intervention. You will need to be extremely cautious in the days and weeks to come, taking care not to apply pressure to the tooth (you'll need to chew your food using the unaffected side of your mouth).
Follow-up Visits
Both extrusion and subluxation will require a number of follow-up visits, although these can be handled by your regular dentist. Your dental pulp (the nerve inside the tooth) may be bruised as a result of your injury, and it may not survive the injury. If any follow-up checks indicate irreversible trauma to the pulp, it will be removed via root canal treatment, thus saving the tooth around it.
Any serious dental injury should be checked out by a dentist. Treat it as an emergency until informed otherwise. Assuming that the injury isn't severe can be extremely unwise and may ultimately lead to the loss of the tooth.
Contact an emergency dentistry centre to learn more.
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