Nobody plans for a dental emergency. Whether it’s a collision during a weekend soccer game in Wilmington, a slip at home, or an unexpected fall, facial injuries are scary. They happen fast, they usually involve blood, and they always cause panic.
At Oral Facial Surgery of Delaware, Dr. Campbell and Dr. Rafetto have extensive hospital-based training in treating facial trauma. We don’t just fix teeth; we repair fractured facial bones, reattach soft tissue, and help put smiles back together.
But what you do in the first few minutes after facial trauma matters just as much as what we do in the operating room. Here is your quick, practical guide to handling the most common dental emergencies before you walk through our door on Silverside Road.
A Knocked-Out Tooth (Avulsed Tooth)
This is the true dental emergency. If a permanent tooth gets knocked out, time is the enemy.
- Do This: Pick the tooth up by the crown (the chewing part), not the root. If it’s dirty, gently rinse it with milk or saline. Do not scrub it or use soap.
- The Secret: Try to reinsert it into the socket gently. If you can’t, keep it moist. The best place? Between your cheek and gum, or in a cup of milk. Water can damage the root cells. Get to an oral surgeon immediately.
A Broken or Fractured Jaw
If you or a loved one takes a hit to the face and the teeth don’t line up the way they used to, or if it hurts to move the mouth, the jaw might be broken.
- Do This: Keep the jaw still. You can gently tie a scarf, necktie, or towel around the head to support the jaw from below.
- Go to the ER: For severe fractures, you may need to go to the hospital emergency room first to rule out other injuries, and then be referred to us. Because we have surgical privileges at local hospitals, Dr. Campbell or Dr. Rafetto can meet you there to repair the fracture.
Deep Cuts (Lacerations) to the Lips, Gums, or Cheeks
Facial cuts bleed. A lot. Because the face has such a rich blood supply, even a small cut can look like a crime scene.
- Do This: Apply gentle but firm pressure with a clean cloth or gauze. If the bleeding doesn’t stop after 15 minutes of continuous pressure, or if the cut goes through the lip line, you will likely need stitches.
- Why It Matters: As oral surgeons, we don’t just close the wound to stop the bleeding. We carefully suture the layers of muscle and skin to minimize scarring and preserve the natural shape of the lip or cheek.
A Tooth That Has Been Pushed Out of Position (Extruded)
Sometimes a tooth isn’t knocked out entirely, but it gets pushed up into the gum or shifted sideways. This is common in kids who take a tumble.
- Do This: Leave it alone. Do not try to push it back into place yourself. You could damage the nerve or the bone.
- The Fix: We need to take an X-ray (often using our in-office 3D imaging) to see exactly where the root is and whether the bone around it is fractured.
Why Call Oral Facial Surgery of Delaware?
Your general dentist is great for cavities and crowns. But for facial trauma, you want someone who deals with the architecture of the face every day.
Because Dr. Campbell and Dr. Rafetto completed rigorous oral and maxillofacial surgery residencies, the same training as hospital-based surgeons, they understand how to treat facial fractures, save teeth that look hopeless, and stitch soft tissue in a way that heals cleanly.
If you have a dental emergency in the Wilmington area, don’t panic. Call us immediately at 302-335-6123 for new patients, or 302-477-1800 for current patients. We’ll work hard to get you in, stop the pain, and start the healing process so you can get back to your life.