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It’s an unfortunate reality that some athletes in contact sports will participate without the use of a much-needed mouthguard. This can leave you at increased risk for having a tooth knocked out by a blow to the face. Should this happen, you’ll need to provide timely first aid while seeking professional treatment at Foreversmile Dentistry.

The state of the tooth and the underlying socket will largely influence the treatment options available to you. If the tooth is completely whole, Dr. Marilyn Amaral might be able to implant it back into the socket. This will not be a viable option if the tooth broke off at the gumline.

If enough structure remains of the root, Dr. Marilyn Amaral might be able to perform a root canal. Then a dental crown can be mounted onto it to fully replace the tooth’s presence in your mouth.

In an extreme case, the trauma might be so severe to the tooth and socket that Dr. Marilyn Amaral has no choice but to extract the remnants of the tooth.

Once your gums have fully healed, she can replace the function and restore the appearance of your mouth with a dental bridge. This is a special type of artificial tooth that mimics the appearance of a natural tooth. It is fused to a hollow crown at each end. It will eventually be anchored onto abutments that are formed out of the core of the two closest teeth.

Dr. Marilyn Amaral will create the two abutments from the cores of the neighboring teeth by removing the tooth enamel with a drill. This leaves healthy dentin cores that protect the pulp and root within each tooth.

A detailed impression will be made of the area and the corresponding teeth in your bite pattern. This will be sent to Dr. Marilyn Amaral’s off-site dental lab where the technicians will craft your new bridge. In the interim, hard, plastic caps that are called temporary crowns will then be secured over each abutment to protect them until your new bridge is ready.

Dr. Marilyn Amaral will call you to schedule a brief second appointment when the bridge is ready. At this appointment, she will remove the temporary crowns and cement your new bridge in place with a special dental adhesive.

If you live in Miami, Florida, and you are suffering from a damaged tooth, you should call 305-274-0425 to have it treated and restored at Foreversmile Dentistry.