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Dentistry/Daughter's dental trauma

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Question
My 21 month old daughter fell yesterday and busted, pierced, and bruised her lip, but she also now has one of the two front top teeth pushed into her gum pretty far, it only looks like she has one tooth there. The ER doctor said to wait about 4 weeks and see if it descends on its own, but if not the oral surgeon would have to remove it. I really don't want her to lose her tooth. What are the odds of it descending on its own and being fine??

Answer
If you don't see any progress within the next two weeks, the odds of that actually happening are not good.  However, there is nothing that you can do to improve those odds other than to keep the area clean.  If the tooth does not descend and you fail to have it removed it will very likely damage the developing permanent tooth so it's important to follow up on this trauma.

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Dr. Randolph Myerson

Expertise

Please limit your inquiry to questions about orthodontics (braces) and children's dentistry. I am both an Orthodontist and a Pediatric Dentist, having been trained in both of these dental specialty fields. Orthodontics is the dental specialty that treats problems of tooth, bite and jaw alignment using braces and removable appliances. Pediatric Dentistry is the dental specialty also known as dentistry for children, which deals specifically with the dental problems of this special age group from infants to adolescents. I am also experienced in Forensic Dentistry, the application of dentistry to law enforcement and identification using dental records.

Experience

I have been in the private practice of orthodontics and pediatric dentistry for over 20 years. Prior to that I served for three years on the Cleft Palate and Cranio-facial Reconstruction team at Children''s Hospital of Philadelphia and was an Assistant Professor of Dentistry at University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. I also served as a dentist in the U.S.Air Force, stationed at Andrews AFB in Washington, DC.

Organizations
I am a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, as well as a member of the American Dental Association and the Dental Society of the State of New York.

Education/Credentials
I received my BA in Biology from Frankin & Marshall College in 1969, and my dental degree from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1973. In 1978 I received both my Certificate in Orthodontics from University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, and my Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry from Children''s Hospital of Philadelphia after completing a three year Teaching Fellowship in Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in 1978.

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