Teens and Sports Injuries: How Your Dentist Can Help

Teens reap a lot of benefits from participating in organized sports, including learning how to function well as a part of a team. However, some sports are a bit more physical than others, and some pose more risk of injury. Here’s looking at you football and hockey. If your teen has recently suffered a sports injury, including one that requires immediate dental attention, Dr. Paul Bell, your dentist in Victorville, CA, can help.

Most Common Sports Dental Injuries

Some of the most common dental sports injuries occur during contact sports. They include:

• Tooth fractures (tooth appears to be cracked or broken)
• Tooth intrusion (tooth appears to be driven vertically into the gums)
• Tooth extrusion (tooth appears to extend too far vertically out of the gums)
• Tooth avulsion ( tooth is “knocked out”)
• Dislocation of the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)

All injuries like these can be painful, and most require immediate medical attention if the affected tooth is to be saved. Even an avulsed tooth can often be saved and re-implanted if your teen gets to the dentist quickly.

How Will My Teen’s Dentist Treat a Sports Injury?

Sports injuries are treated just like any other dental emergency. Alleviating your child’s pain is our top concern. After your teen is comfortable, we’ll perform an exam to discover the scope of the damage. This may include taking X-rays or performing other diagnostic tests. And we’ll always try to save the natural tooth. Teeth that have been cracked or broken may be treated by adding fillings and crowns, by performing a root canal, or by extracting the tooth if it’s too damaged to save.

Teeth that are intruded or extruded can often be gently repositioned or in some instances, may require a root canal procedure. Dislocation of the TMJ usually requires a procedure that’s performed under sedation.

Help for Dental Sports Injury in Victorville

For dental sports injury treatment in Victorville, CA, call A. Paul S. Bell, DDS. Dr. Bell specializes in providing pediatric dental services to young patients in and around Victorville. Call today to schedule a consultation or emergency appointment.

Sources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4482297/

https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/dental-emergencies-and-sports-safety/knocked-out-tooth-avulsed-tooth#