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Tooth injuries

There are very different types of dental injuries. They happen most frequently during sport and leisure activities. Even if it seems unlikely shortly after an accident, injured and even knocked-out teeth can often still be saved. It is important to keep the tooth or broken parts moist and to bring them to us as quickly as possible.

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What are dental injuries?

A fall, a blow or an accident during sport or leisure activities – dental injuries can happen quickly. A tooth can, for example:

  • completely knocked out,
  • loosened,
  • be postponed,
  • cancel or
  • are driven into the jawbone.

Sometimes no damage is visible at all. The following applies to all dental injuries: it makes sense to act quickly and correctly. This is because the affected tooth can often still be saved or the damage can be repaired. You should therefore visit us in any case – even if you cannot detect any injuries or damage at first glance. This also reduces the risk of negative long-term consequences that dental injuries can have.

Dental injuries – frequency and age

Dental injuries are a common problem, especially in children and adolescents. Around every second child in Europe suffers a dental accident by the age of 17. But adults can also suffer damage to their teeth. The central incisors in the upper jaw are particularly at risk.

Tooth injuries: Causes and risk factors

A dental injury, also known as dental trauma, is caused by external force. This can happen, for example, in the event of a blow or a fall. Trend sports in particular, such as

  • Inline skating,
  • Mountain biking or
  • Snowboarding

carry a high risk of dental injuries. But also in so-called contact sports such as

  • Handball,
  • Basketball,
  • Soccer,
  • Boxing,
  • Wrestling,
  • Karate or
  • Rugby

dental accidents occur frequently.

Symptoms: pain or visible impairments

There are different types of dental injuries. If the teeth become loose after an accident, the tooth is no longer fixed and can be moved. It can also happen that the loosened tooth is no longer in its original position and has been displaced. Sometimes the loosening is so severe that the affected tooth even falls out completely.

Tooth fractures can occur above the gums and range from cracks in the enamel or chipping to simple or complicated fractures of the tooth structure. Sometimes this can also damage the dental nerve. However, fractures can also occur below the gums, i.e. in the bone bed, and sometimes affect the tooth so severely that it has to be extracted.

Depending on the type of injury, dental injuries can cause various complaints. The following symptoms exist:

  • Pain in the teeth or jaw
  • Pain when closing the jaw and when biting (bite sensitivity)
  • Temperature sensitivity
  • Pain when you knock against the affected tooth (sensitivity to knocking)
  • Bleeding
  • the affected tooth can be moved
  • the affected tooth appears shorter or longer compared to the neighboring teeth

Tooth injuries: Diagnosis with us

In order to be able to assess the extent of the dental injury, we will first ask you about the circumstances of the accident and your symptoms. We then examine your teeth more closely. To do this, we look at the affected tooth and palpate it and neighboring teeth. This allows us to detect loosening.

Sensitivity test

A vitality test (also known as a sensitivity test) can be used to detect damage to the dental nerve. To do this, we expose the affected tooth to an electrical or thermal (cold/warm) stimulus.

X-ray examination for suspected fractures

If a fracture is suspected, an X-ray examination can provide clarity. This allows us to determine not only the location of the possible fracture, but also how severe the fracture is.

Dental injuries: Prevention, early detection, prognosis

Dental accidents mainly happen during sport and leisure activities. Ball sports, martial arts, stick sports and trend sports such as inline skating pose an increased risk of suffering a dental injury. There are various ways to minimize the risk. On the one hand, helmets with jaw protection are available. There is also the option of wearing plastic splints (so-called mouthguards). These can be bought in sports stores, for example. However, you can also have a splint individually fitted and manufactured by us.

Progression and prognosis (dental injuries)

A tooth injury can heal completely, but it can also cause long-term problems. This depends on the type of injury and also on the severity and extent of the dental trauma. If the sensitive cells of the root skin are preserved, even a knocked-out tooth can grow back firmly and function perfectly after insertion. However, if the root canal cells are damaged, the inserted tooth can no longer be anchored in the bone. In this case, you may still lose the tooth months or years after the accident. As gaps between teeth can also cause discomfort, dentists often recommend dental implants.

You can do a lot yourself to help save injured or knocked out teeth.

First aid after a dental accident

  1. Search for teeth: Even if it is sometimes difficult in the excitement, you should definitely look for a knocked-out tooth and broken pieces of tooth. Important: Never touch a knocked-out tooth at the root, but always at the crown. Also refrain from cleaning it to remove dirt. It should not be left to dry for longer than 20 to 30 minutes so that the tooth root is not damaged and it can still be successfully reinserted.
  2. Correct transportation: Pharmacies sell so-called tooth rescue boxes that contain a special nutrient solution. This protects the sensitive tooth root and also prevents broken tooth parts from drying out. By storing the tooth in a tooth rescue box, it is sometimes possible to bond the tooth pieces or insert a knocked-out tooth 24 to 48 hours after the accident. If no tooth rescue box is available, you can also use UHT milk or sterile saline solution. You can also wrap pieces of tooth or a knocked-out tooth in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out in the short term.
  3. Seek help quickly: Come to us as soon as possible. The dental emergency service is also available at weekends and on public holidays. For contact details, which vary depending on the region, it is best to contact directory assistance or the telephone numbers listed on the Internet at https://www.sso.ch/patienten/notfaelle.html.
  4. A dental injury is not a trivial matter: even if you cannot detect any damage at first glance or you have no or only mild symptoms, you should still come to us in any case. Fractures can also occur below the gums, for example, and cause problems later on. Even if a knocked-out tooth can no longer be found, a visit to the dentist is important. Sometimes it is possible that the tooth has been driven into the jaw by the accident and is therefore no longer visible.

Tooth injuries: Treatment depends on the type of injury

Published on February 28, 2025

Reviewed by our medical editors