Procedures
Tooth reimplantation
Tooth reimplantation, also called replantation, means placing a knocked-out tooth back into its socket so the tissues around it may reattach.
When a tooth is knocked out whole, a dentist may try to put it back in its socket. The dentist cleans the area, checks the tooth, and often holds it in place with a splint. Time matters. The ADA says to keep a knocked-out adult tooth moist at all times, and to try placing it back in the socket without touching the root. Whether the tooth takes depends on how long it was out, how it was kept, and the damage to the root. Some teeth later need a root canal. See avulsed tooth for first steps. Call the office right away if this happens. Our emergency dentistry page lists what to do.