As soon as the immediate trauma is under control, parents need to contact our office. Pediatric dentists are trained to not only diagnose and treat tooth and soft tissue injuries, but we also expend considerable time and energy in relaxing worried parents and reassuring anxious children during the dental procedures. The sooner the patient gets professional attention, the better the chance the teeth have to heal and repair normal function.

In the case of a FRACTURED TOOTH, our goal is to medicate the broken portion of the tooth in order to re-protect any exposed internal tooth structures. X-rays and other diagnostic aids may be used to rule out other problems such as fracture of the root, which may not be obvious during the visual examination. With all of the modern cosmetic materials available today, broken teeth can be restored to their natural-looking state in a short time.

Some dental injuries require the REPOSITIONING OF A DISPLACED TOOTH and others, like a knocked out tooth, requires the complete reinsertion of the tooth into the socket. Both of these conditions need Dr. Lebowitz to quickly fabricate a stabilizing apparatus to keep the teeth from shifting. Most commonly, a wire, like those used for braces, is bonded across several teeth and allowed to remain there for days or weeks. Antibiotics, analgesics, or other medication may also be considered to help during the healing process.

With some dental injuries, the NERVE inside the tooth is damaged so badly that it too requires immediate attention. In other cases, in spite of all of the emergency and on-going treatment, the nerve tissue inside the tooth does not recover and infection results.

Both of these examples require ROOT CANAL THERAPY (endodontics) in order to save the tooth. Dr. Lebowitz removes the damaged or degenerated nerve and blood vessels (pulp) from inside the crown and root, and replaces them with another material filling up the chambers and re-strengthening the tooth. These “non-vital” teeth can then be restored to full function with bondings or crowns and can last for decades.

Unfortunately, there are times when a tooth is lost due to injury or infection. There are many ways to REPLACE THE MISSING TOOTH. Choices available include removable appliances that can be taken out, and “fixed” appliances which are cemented or bonded to healthy teeth adjacent to the missing tooth’s space. “Fixed” appliances can only be removed by the dentist. Implants may also be a consideration with older teens.

Depending on the extent of the problem, the age of the child, the condition of the patient’s oral hygiene, and a host of other factors, restoring a child’s chewing ability and cosmetic appearance presents many challenges to a dentist’s skill and offers so much reward when that beautiful smile has been re-created.