Primary Tooth Avulsion No Replant — ORE Part 1 MCQ

Instant feedback + full explanation. One question, done properly.

EasyPaediatric DentistryPrimary Tooth Avulsion No ReplantORE Part 1

A child aged 4 years falls and avulses a primary upper central incisor. The parent presents with the tooth in milk 30 minutes later. Should the tooth be replanted?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

Reveal the answer and explanation

Correct answer: C — No; avulsed primary teeth should NOT be replanted

SDCEP Emergency Dental Care guidance is explicit: avulsed primary teeth should not be replanted. Instead, the clinician should advise the parent and arrange urgent assessment to check for damage to the developing permanent tooth bud. Replantation strategies (immediate splinting, storage media, apex status assessment) all apply only to permanent teeth. A primary tooth has a physiological root-resorption cycle and will be shed naturally; replantation risks ankylosis, impaired eruption of the permanent successor, and unnecessary intervention. The optimal storage in milk and the short extra-oral time (30 minutes) would be relevant for permanent tooth management but are irrelevant to the decision for primary teeth, which should not be replanted under any circumstance.

Reference: Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP). Emergency Dental Care: Dental Clinical Guidance. https://www.sdcep.org.uk/media/wfrjkqax/edc-guidance.pdf