Child fell skateboarding and hit tooth — South OC Parents’ Guide (Baby vs. Permanent Teeth, Braces, ER vs Dentist)
San Juan Capistrano, CA
If you need help now
Same-day appointments are often available. Call (949) 496-5585 or start here: Emergency Dental Care.
Serving San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, San Clemente.
ER or dentist—how to decide (for your child)
Go to the ER immediately for: trouble breathing or swallowing, heavy/uncontrolled bleeding, suspected jaw fracture, or head injury/LOC.
Call an emergency dentist first for most tooth injuries: knocked-out, loose/shifted, cracked/chipped, or a broken filling/crown.
Tetanus check: Skate abrasions are “dirty” wounds—if it’s been 5+ years since the last tetanus booster, ask a clinician about a booster.
First-aid steps (do these calmly and quickly)
If a tooth is knocked out
Permanent tooth (adult tooth): Pick it up by the crown (top), don’t touch the root. If dirty, gently rinse with water (no scrubbing/soap). Reinsert into the socket and have your child bite on gauze. If you can’t reinsert, keep the tooth moist in cold milk or the cheek and come in immediately (best within ~30 minutes).
Baby tooth (primary): Do NOT replant. Control bleeding with gentle pressure and call us.
If a tooth is loose, pushed, or sore to bite
Do not force it back. Use a cold compress and keep to soft foods; we’ll evaluate and may reposition and splint the tooth.
If a tooth is chipped or cracked
Save any fragments (milk/saline). Rinse the mouth, use a cold compress, and avoid hard/chewy foods.
Lip/cheek/tongue cuts
Apply direct pressure with clean gauze for 10–15 minutes. If bleeding won’t stop or the cut is deep, go to urgent care/ER.
When your child has braces
Poking wire / broken bracket: Use orthodontic wax to cover sharp spots; if a wire is embedded or causing bleeding, seek help. We’ll advise whether to see us first (for tooth injury) or the orthodontist (for hardware).
Tooth trauma under braces: Even if the wire looks fine, a tooth can still be injured. Signs that need dental X-rays: loose tooth, color change, lingering pain, swelling.
What we do in the office (same-day focus)
Comfort first: exam, gentle tests, digital X-rays/3D as needed, pain control.
Stabilize and treat:
Reposition & splint for loose/shifted teeth (with follow-up vitality checks).
Bonding/onlay/crown for fractures.
Pulp therapy/root canal for injured nerves.
Extraction only if non-restorable, with a plan for space maintenance or Dental Implants later when appropriate.
School note & return-to-play guidance tailored to the injury.
Costs & insurance (clear plan before care)
We’ll provide an insurance-aware estimate and timeline before treatment.
Check benefits: Insurance Plans We Accept
Flexible options: Payment Options
Prevention for parents (next session)
Mouthguards for skaters (boil-and-bite or orthodontic guards for kids with braces).
Helmets and safe-fall basics; avoid chewing ice/hard candy while healing.
Follow-up checks after any dental trauma—problems can develop days to weeks later.
Parent FAQs: Child Skateboarding Dental Injury (South Orange County)
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Permanent tooth: yes, gently reinsert or store in milk/cheek and come in immediately. Baby tooth: do not replant—call us.
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Same day is best; early repositioning and splinting improves outcomes and may reduce the need for root canal.
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Cover with orthodontic wax and call; we’ll advise whether to see us first for tooth injury or the orthodontist for hardware repair.
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Soft foods, cold compress, and age-appropriate OTC pain relievers as directed (avoid placing aspirin on the gums).
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For minor chips/bonding, often after tenderness subsides; after splinting, extractions, or surgery, we’ll give a case-specific return-to-sport plan.
We’re nearby when you need us
Kaban Dental Group — emergency & restorative dental care for families in San Juan Capistrano, Dana Point, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, San Clemente.
32124 Paseo Adelanto, Ste. 2, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675 • (949) 496-5585
Start here: Emergency Dental Care
