Broken pieces of a tooth
Note roughly how much is missing and whether the tooth hurts or feels sensitive. If you find a piece and can pick it up safely, keep it in milk or water for the visit. Don’t glue it back or sand down a rough edge.
Children’s Dentistry
Children’s Dental Trauma Treatment in Brampton
A tooth in your hand and a crying child in front of you is a frightening moment. If this happens in Brampton, find out first whether it is a baby or adult tooth, then call for advice on care, repair and follow-up.
When a tooth comes right outArrange a non-urgent follow-up visit
Baby tooth or adult tooth? That answer changes everything.
Seeing a whole tooth fall out after a trip on the stairs or a playground collision is alarming, and the instinct is to act fast. Pause for a few seconds to look at your child first. Emergency medical care takes priority for a severe blow to the head or face, any difficulty breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that won’t stop.
Next, work out whether the tooth is a baby tooth or a permanent one, and call a dental office straight away. A knocked-out permanent tooth is one of the most urgent dental situations. A baby tooth that has come out should never be pushed back in. Phone us to check availability, and if we cannot provide urgent care, contact another emergency dental provider without delay.
Whatever happened, the care continues beyond that first visit. The dentist examines the socket, the surrounding gum and bone, nearby teeth and your child’s stage of development, then explains what is done now and what will be reviewed. Ask what follow-up is planned, even once your child is comfortable again.
Other injuries to watch for
Not every injury knocks a tooth out.
The way the injury happened, when it happened and how your child feels now all guide the assessment. Try not to wiggle a sore tooth or ask your child to bite down hard to test it.
A tooth that has shifted
Tell us if a tooth looks pushed up, pushed out or tipped, or if your child’s teeth no longer close the usual way. These injuries need prompt assessment. Never force a moved tooth back, and don’t assume a baby tooth was simply ready to fall out.
Cuts, bleeding or a tooth that can’t be found
Describe lip or gum cuts, swelling, bleeding and any tooth or piece you couldn’t locate after the accident. Share other symptoms, including signs of a head injury. The clinician uses this to decide what to examine and whether your child also needs medical care.
With a knocked-out permanent tooth, get first-aid guidance and dental care right away. Hold the tooth by its crown, avoid touching the root, and keep it in milk if it can’t be replanted safely. Never give it to a young child to hold in their cheek.
Why injuries are assessed in full
Socket, root and pulp all count.
A single accident can injure the tooth, the socket, the root and the pulp, and the dentist may need to consider each. Replacing or rebuilding what is visible does not show that the supporting tissues and the inside of the tooth are recovering.
Baby teeth and young permanent teeth are managed differently, and a child’s stage of development guides the plan. At the first visit, ask which tooth was injured, what the examination confirms and what remains uncertain.
Patient information: IADT and AAPD — fractures and luxations of permanent teeth
A plan built on the diagnosis
Care may include observation, repair, stabilization or another approach. Ask what each step is for. A splint holding a replanted tooth, for example, is one part of treatment rather than the full plan.
Starting records for comparison
The first findings help make sense of later reviews. Mention any past injury to the same teeth. Ask what will be compared at follow-up and what kind of change would lead to more care.
Openness about the outlook
Some outcomes, particularly after a knocked-out tooth, can’t be predicted at the start. Ask which signs are encouraging and which complications are being monitored. Clear guidance is worth more than a promise of no future treatment.
Your first trauma appointment
Here is what to expect when you arrive.
Timing and order depend on the injury. Call the clinic about a recent injury rather than booking a routine appointment online.
Share the details of the accident
Explain when and where it happened, how the tooth came out or was hurt, what first aid you gave and whether your child has seen a doctor. Mention how the tooth was stored and any missing pieces. Bring health information and a list of medicines given.
Assess the socket and nearby teeth
The dentist examines the area and explains which imaging or tests may help. Neighbouring teeth may also have been affected. Ask what can be determined now and whether a test might be repeated as healing progresses.
Carry out the appropriate treatment
Depending on the injury, care may involve replanting and splinting an adult tooth, a repair, pulp care, observation or something else. Let us know what helps your child feel safe. If a referral is recommended, ask why and how soon.
Agree on home care and follow-up
Check what was done, what restrictions apply and how to keep the area clean. Ask when to return and which symptoms should prompt an earlier call. Review after a knocked-out tooth may continue for quite some time.
Caring for the area afterwards
Protect the healing tooth and the space around it
Home instructions match the injury and treatment. A replanted, splinted adult tooth usually needs more care than a small repair.
Use the recommended diet and cleaning routine
Ask what to eat, what to skip and for how long. Keep the area clean in the way you were shown, including around any splint. If tenderness makes cleaning hard, call us for advice instead of stopping altogether.
Call about new symptoms or changes
Let the clinic know about rising pain, swelling, a gum bump, a bite that feels different, a tooth that loosens again or a change in colour. Colour alone is not a diagnosis; its meaning depends on the tooth, symptoms and examination.
Ask before going back to active play
Find out when your child can return to sports and rough play, and whether a mouthguard is a good idea. An existing mouthguard may need checking after treatment. Protection cuts risk but cannot eliminate it.
Patient information: IADT — broken teeth and preserving a fragment
Knocked-out and injured teeth(905) 876-4488
What parents in Brampton ask about lost teeth
Keep a list of your questions for the visit. Some long-term answers only become clear as the tooth heals.
What is the best way to store a knocked-out adult tooth on the way to a dentist?
If it can’t be replanted safely, keep it in milk and handle it by the crown only. Don’t scrub it or let it dry out. Get dental care immediately and follow any first-aid advice you receive by phone.
Should I try to put a knocked-out baby tooth back in its socket?
No. A baby tooth is never replanted, because doing so may harm the adult tooth developing underneath. Bring the tooth if you have it, call for advice and have the area checked.
The tooth fell on the ground. Can I rinse it before bringing it in?
Follow the first-aid advice you get when you call. Hold the tooth by the crown, never the root, and don’t scrub it. Keeping it moist in milk matters more than making it look clean.
What if we can’t find the tooth after the accident?
Tell the dentist, and mention any coughing, choking or concern that it may have been swallowed or inhaled, or pushed up into the gum. The examination and any imaging help work out where it went. Seek medical care if breathing is affected.
Will a replanted adult tooth need more than one follow-up visit?
Usually, yes. Reviews help the dentist check healing, the root and the surrounding tissues over time. Some changes appear later without pain, so keep the appointments even when the tooth feels fine.
Can a lost baby tooth affect how the adult tooth comes in?
It can, depending on the injury and stage of development. Ask what the dentist will watch for and when to return. Follow-up helps track the space and the developing adult tooth.
Child dental injury care for Brampton
Holding a lost tooth? Call us right away.
Ring our Bronte Street practice as soon as your child is settled so we can discuss availability and the next step. If an urgent injury can’t be seen here, please contact an available emergency dental provider straight away.
A knocked-out permanent tooth needs immediate care. Severe head injury, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or heavy bleeding that won’t stop requires emergency medical attention.
Visit Milton Dental ClinicUnit 1, 342 Bronte St. S, Milton, ON L9T 5B7Get directions
Clinic hours
- Monday–Thursday
- 11am–7pm
- Friday–Sunday
- By appointment only
Areas we serve
- Milton
- Oakville
- Mississauga
- Georgetown
- Halton Hills
- Acton
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- Brampton
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- Old Milton
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- Hornby
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- North Oakville
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- Bram West
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