A fall on the playground, an elbow in a pickup game, a bike accident — dental trauma happens fast, and the first hours matter enormously. Endodontists are the specialists trained to manage traumatic injuries to teeth, and Centre Endodontics treats knocked-out (avulsed), displaced, and fractured teeth for patients of all ages across the western Boston suburbs.

Time is the single most important factor for a knocked-out permanent tooth. Pick the tooth up by the crown (the white part) — never the root. If it’s dirty, rinse it briefly and gently with water; do not scrub it. If possible, place it back into its socket immediately and hold it there. If you can’t, keep it moist in cold milk or tucked inside the cheek (for older children and adults), and get to our office or an emergency room right away. A tooth replanted within the first 30–60 minutes has the best chance of being saved. Call us at (617) 410-8595 — trauma cases are prioritized.

Not all trauma is as dramatic as an avulsed tooth. Teeth that are pushed out of position (luxated), chipped or fractured teeth where the pulp is exposed or at risk, root fractures below the gumline, and injuries that seem minor at first but cause a tooth to darken weeks later — all of these need endodontic evaluation. Even when a traumatized tooth looks fine, the pulp inside may be injured; monitoring with proper testing and imaging protects you from silent complications that surface months down the road.

Treatment is tailored to the injury: repositioning and stabilizing displaced teeth, root canal treatment when the pulp cannot recover, regenerative endodontics or vital pulp therapy when it can, and long-term follow-up imaging with CBCT to confirm healthy healing of the root and surrounding bone. Children’s injuries deserve special care, since developing roots change the treatment approach — Dr. Roque evaluates each young patient’s stage of development before recommending a path. As a Board Certified Endodontist, Dr. Roque follows the evidence-based trauma protocols of the specialty, coordinating closely with your family’s general dentist or pediatric dentist throughout recovery.

Mild soreness for a day or two is normal and typically managed with over-the-counter medication. We’ll send a full report to your general dentist, who will place the final restoration — usually a crown — to protect the tooth long-term. We remain available for any questions during your recovery, and your referring dentist receives imaging and treatment notes the same day.

We’re glad to be a resource for the community. If you supervise young athletes in Wellesley, Newton, Needham, Natick, Weston, or Dover, save our number — (617) 410-8595 — and remember the two rules of a knocked-out tooth: handle it by the crown, and keep it moist. “Save-A-Tooth” containers work best.

Centre Endodontics is located at 486 Washington Street in the heart of Wellesley, minutes from Wellesley Square. Patients visit us from Wellesley, Newton, Needham, Natick, Weston, Dover, and across Greater Boston, both by referral from their general dentist and directly.

Dental trauma should always be evaluated ASAP. Call (617) 410-8595 or send us a message to schedule your appointment.