Question:

I suffered a blow to my front top teeth last week. I went to the dentist the following morning and had X-rays. No chips, cracks or fractures were evident either below or above the gum line. Normal sensitivity was present upon testing. I have been taking anti-inflammatory medication and avoiding hard foods. Is there anything else I can do to assist healing with a view to avoiding death of the nerve or pulp? I will do absolutely anything to preserve my teeth and would be incredibly grateful for your advice.

Answer:

It seems as though you have done everything by the book so far. When subjected to trauma the pulp (or nerve) of the tooth can be susceptible to irreversible damage and ultimately die. In the majority of cases this does not lead to tooth loss, but can sometimes lead to complications requiring root canal treatment. Even if the pulp does die, if there is no break of the tooth to allow bacteria into the pulp, there is often no need for any treatment at all.

Often, symptoms don't manifest for years, so the best thing you can do is get that tooth pulp tested and X-rayed every six months for the first year or two, then every year thereafter.

For more information please visit Dr Angelo Lazaris's website.