When a tooth is knocked out of its normal position but not completely out of the mouth, dentists call it a luxation injury. Around a third of preschool children and a quarter of school-age children and adults experience some form of dental trauma, and displacement injuries make up a large share. The three displacement types, extrusion, lateral luxation and intrusion, each behave differently and need different handling, but they share one urgent feature: a displaced tooth usually needs to be repositioned promptly to give it the best chance.
Key takeaways
- Extrusion means the tooth is partly pulled out of the socket and looks longer than its neighbours.
- Lateral luxation means the tooth is pushed sideways, often locked in position and unable to wobble.
- Intrusion means the tooth is driven up into the bone and looks shorter or missing.
- Most displaced teeth are repositioned and held with a flexible splint for a set number of weeks.
- The pulp and root need monitoring for years, because resorption is the most serious late complication.
The one thing that matters most: get a displaced tooth repositioned quickly
Unlike a tooth that is merely loosened, a displaced tooth has torn its supporting ligament and often crushed bone on one side. The single most important step is prompt professional repositioning, because a tooth left displaced will heal in the wrong place and the ligament cells deteriorate with time. Treat any visibly displaced tooth as urgent and see a dentist the same day.
The three luxation types
Extrusive luxation
The tooth is partially displaced out of its socket, so it looks longer and feels very loose. The dentist gently eases it back into position and bonds a flexible splint to the neighbouring teeth, usually for around two weeks.
Lateral luxation
The tooth is pushed sideways, often backwards, and the crown may tilt while the root jams against the bone. Because it is wedged, it can feel oddly firm rather than loose. Repositioning may require freeing the root from the bone first, and the splint is usually kept for around four weeks. If the surrounding bone is fractured, splinting can be extended by a further four weeks.
Intrusive luxation
The tooth is driven up into the jawbone and looks shorter than its neighbours, sometimes appearing almost gone. This is the most severe luxation. Depending on the patient's age and how far the tooth is pushed in, management ranges from waiting for it to re-erupt on its own, to gentle orthodontic pulling, to surgical repositioning. Splinting after repositioning is usually around four to eight weeks.
What to do before you reach the dentist
- For an extruded tooth, you can very gently try to reposition it with light finger pressure if you are comfortable doing so, then bite softly on a clean cloth to hold it. Do not force it.
- For a sideways or intruded tooth, do not try to move it yourself. Leave it and get to a dentist quickly.
- Control bleeding with gentle pressure and use a cold compress on the lip or cheek.
- Keep the mouth as still as possible and avoid eating until assessed.
- Take pain relief as directed on the packet.
Splinting times at a glance
| Injury | How it looks | Typical splint time |
|---|---|---|
| Extrusion | Tooth looks longer, very loose | About 2 weeks |
| Lateral luxation | Tooth pushed sideways, often firm | About 4 weeks, longer if bone fractured |
| Intrusion | Tooth looks shorter or pushed up | About 4 to 8 weeks |
Healing and the risk of resorption
After repositioning, the dentist monitors the pulp and the root for a long period, often several years. The two outcomes to watch for are pulp death, which may need root canal treatment, and root resorption, where the body slowly dissolves the root. Replacement resorption, where bone gradually replaces the root, has no effective treatment, which is why follow-up is so important. Younger patients with immature roots tend to have a better chance of the pulp recovering on its own.
General cost considerations in Australia
Costs vary widely with the injury and any later treatment. Emergency assessment with repositioning and a splint is the first cost, followed by review appointments, and potentially root canal treatment or, in the worst case, replacement of a tooth that cannot be saved. As a general guide, emergency examination and imaging often sit around $100 to $250, repositioning and splinting around $300 to $800, and root canal treatment several hundred to over a thousand dollars depending on the tooth. These are market ranges only and not a quote. Lumi Dental does not publish its own prices here. See the offers page or ask for a written estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How urgent is a displaced tooth?
Same-day urgent. The sooner a displaced tooth is repositioned, the better its chance of healing well.
Can an intruded tooth come back down by itself?
In younger patients with developing roots, an intruded tooth can often re-erupt on its own over weeks to months. In adults it usually needs repositioning.
What about a baby tooth that is pushed up?
Intruded baby teeth are managed carefully to protect the adult tooth forming underneath. Some are left to re-erupt and some are removed, depending on the X-ray.
Will I definitely need a root canal?
Not always. Many luxated teeth keep a healthy pulp, especially in younger patients, but the more severe the displacement the higher the chance the nerve is affected.
How long is the follow-up?
Often two to five years of periodic checks, because resorption can appear late. Your dentist will set a review schedule.
Act fast, then follow the review plan
Luxation injuries have a much better outcome when the tooth is repositioned quickly and the follow-up plan is kept. If your tooth was only loosened rather than displaced, see our guide to tooth concussion and subluxation, and if a tooth was knocked out, read how to store a knocked-out tooth. For urgent help after trauma, contact the team at Lumi Dental.
This article is general information and not a substitute for urgent in-person care after a dental injury.
