What if I can't find the tooth?

Come in anyway, and bring any fragments you find. The socket needs assessment either way — and if the tooth truly can't be saved or found, you'll hear the honest replacement options, starting with an implant, once things heal.

Is milk really better than water?

Yes. Water damages the root-surface cells through osmotic pressure; milk's chemistry keeps them alive longer. Milk, saline, or the socket itself — in that spirit of preference.

It happened at a game an hour from Crozet. Still worth calling?

Yes. Call wherever you are — the guidance is the same, and if somewhere closer can reimplant it faster, we'll say exactly that. The tooth's clock outranks loyalty.

The tooth went back in on its own. Am I done?

No — a reimplanted tooth needs splinting and follow-up to heal correctly, and it's often numb to the fact that its nerve took damage. Same-day visit, even if it feels solid.

Call now: 434-823-4080

emergency dentistry

Knocked-out tooth: the next 30 minutes decide.

A knocked-out adult tooth can often be saved — if it's handled right and reimplanted fast. The clock is real: the best outcomes happen within the first 30 to 60 minutes. Do the steps below, then call 434-823-4080 and come in.

Book online Call now: 434-823-4080

The five steps, in order

One: find the tooth. Pick it up by the crown — the white chewing part. Never by the root.

Two: if it's dirty, rinse it gently for a few seconds in milk or saline. No scrubbing. No soap. No wiping — the root surface carries the cells that make reattachment possible.

Three: if you can, place it back in the socket right away, facing the right way, and hold it there by biting gently on a clean cloth. This is the single best storage there is.

Four: if it won't go back in, keep it wet: a cup of cold milk is best; holding it inside your cheek works for an adult who won't swallow it. Not water, and never a dry napkin.

Five: call us — 434-823-4080 — and say knocked-out tooth. Come straight in during office hours.

Children, and teeth that are loose but in

Baby teeth are the exception: they are not reimplanted, because forcing one back can damage the adult tooth forming underneath. Still call — the socket and neighbors should be checked the same day.

A permanent tooth that's loose or pushed out of position, but still in the mouth: leave it where it is, bite gently on gauze or cloth to steady it, and come in. Don't wiggle it to test it.

Questions we hear in the chair

What if I can't find the tooth?: Come in anyway, and bring any fragments you find. The socket needs assessment either way — and if the tooth truly can't be saved or found, you'll hear the honest replacement options, starting with an implant, once things heal.
Is milk really better than water?: Yes. Water damages the root-surface cells through osmotic pressure; milk's chemistry keeps them alive longer. Milk, saline, or the socket itself — in that spirit of preference.
It happened at a game an hour from Crozet. Still worth calling?: Yes. Call wherever you are — the guidance is the same, and if somewhere closer can reimplant it faster, we'll say exactly that. The tooth's clock outranks loyalty.
The tooth went back in on its own. Am I done?: No — a reimplanted tooth needs splinting and follow-up to heal correctly, and it's often numb to the fact that its nerve took damage. Same-day visit, even if it feels solid.

Clinical content reviewed by Dr. Marissa DeAngelis, Senior Dentist.

Serving Crozet for 50+ years. At least two full-time doctors in the building, Monday through Friday. Call for current availability.