Traumatic Dental Injuries in Asheville, NC
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A fall on the trail, an elbow during pickup basketball, or one bad bite on a popcorn kernel can crack, loosen, or knock out a tooth in a split second. What you do in the next hour often decides whether that tooth can be saved.
At Travis J. Calhoun, DDS, injured teeth are part of the emergency dental care we provide for patients across western North Carolina. Dr. Calhoun has treated Asheville families since 1995, and he focuses on saving as much of your natural tooth as he can while keeping you comfortable and informed.
What Counts as a Traumatic Dental Injury?
A traumatic dental injury is any damage to the teeth, gums, or supporting bone caused by a blow or impact rather than decay. Sports, falls, car accidents, and biting something hard are the most common causes, and children and teens are especially prone to them.
Some injuries are obvious, like a broken front tooth. Others, such as a root fracture or a tooth pushed slightly out of position, may not hurt much at first but can damage the nerve over the following weeks, so an exam is worth it even when the tooth feels fine.
Common Types of Dental Injuries
Each type of injury needs a slightly different response. These are the ones we see most often.
- Chipped or broken teeth: a piece of enamel breaks away, sometimes reaching the inner layers of the tooth.
- Cracked teeth: a crack runs through the tooth and may extend toward the root.
- Loosened or displaced teeth: a tooth is pushed sideways, outward, or deeper into the socket.
- Knocked-out teeth: the whole tooth, root included, comes out of the socket.
- Root fractures: a break below the gumline that often only shows up on an X-ray.
- Soft tissue injuries: cuts or bruises to the lips, tongue, cheeks, or gums.
Digital X-rays help us see damage below the gumline that you cannot feel or see in the mirror.
What to Do Right After a Dental Injury
First, check for injuries that need a hospital rather than a dentist. Go to the emergency room or call 911 for a possible broken jaw, loss of consciousness, trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure. For injuries limited to the teeth and gums, call our office right away so we can see you as soon as possible.
If a Tooth Is Knocked Out
Pick the tooth up by the crown, not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it gently with milk or saline, or briefly with clean water if nothing else is available, and never scrub it. Try to place it back in the socket and bite gently on a cloth to hold it. If you cannot, keep it in milk, saline, or your own saliva between the cheek and gum, not in plain water. Do not put a knocked-out baby tooth back in.
Speed matters, and the first steps after a knocked-out tooth often decide whether it can be saved. A 2023 study in the Brazilian Dental Journal followed 62 replanted permanent teeth and found that 71% of the teeth that were eventually lost had been out of the mouth for more than an hour.
If a Tooth Is Chipped, Cracked, or Loosened
Rinse your mouth with warm water, save any broken pieces in milk, and hold a cold compress to your cheek to limit swelling. If a tooth has been pushed out of place, do not force it back. Avoid chewing on that side and call us, since even a small chip can hide a crack that spreads under pressure.
How Dr. Calhoun Treats Dental Injuries
Treatment starts with a careful exam and digital X-rays to see the full extent of the damage. A small chip can often be repaired with tooth-colored bonding, while a larger break may need a dental crown to protect what remains. Loosened or replanted teeth are usually held in place with a thin splint for a few weeks while they heal.
When an injury reaches the nerve, root canal therapy can save the tooth. Some injured teeth show nerve damage weeks or months later, so we schedule follow-up visits to watch for color change, sensitivity, or changes on X-rays and treat them early.
How to Prevent Dental Injuries
A properly fitted mouthguard is one of the simplest ways to protect your smile during contact sports, biking, and other high-impact activities. Custom mouthguards from our office fit more snugly and comfortably than store-bought versions, so players are more likely to keep them in.
Everyday habits matter too. Avoid chewing ice, opening packages with your teeth, or biting pens and fingernails. If you grind your teeth at night, a nightguard can reduce the wear and small cracks that make teeth more likely to break when an accident happens.
Why Patients Call Our Office After an Injury
Dr. Calhoun has more than 30 years of restorative experience in Asheville, and our team does its best to see injured patients promptly, explain what we find, and give you a clear plan.
As a fee-for-service practice, we file claims on your behalf so you can use out-of-network benefits, and we offer CareCredit and Cherry financing so an unexpected injury does not delay the care you need.
Dental Injury FAQs
Trust Travis J. Calhoun, DDS With Your Dental Injury
Dr. Travis Calhoun is an Asheville native, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry, and a general and restorative dentist who completes around 30 hours of continuing education each year. His mission is to treat every patient the way he would want his own mother treated, which matters most on the day an accident happens.
If you or your child has chipped, cracked, loosened, or knocked out a tooth, do not wait to see whether it settles down. Contact our office right away, and our team will help you take the next step to protect the tooth.
Questions about payments and financing options? Give us a call at (828) 277-2722.
Meet Dr. Travis Calhoun, DDS
Dr. Travis Calhoun has been treating patients throughout Asheville and western North Carolina for over 30 years. A born-and-raised Asheville native, he studied at the University of Georgia before completing his dental training at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and has run a fee-for-service family practice here ever since. Patients trust his unhurried, detail-oriented approach to every treatment plan.
"It is my mission to treat everybody like they were my mom. I want to keep my skills at the absolute highest level so I can deliver the best dental care available, in a relaxed, laid-back atmosphere."