The term “dental emergency” refers to any issue that involves the teeth, surrounding tissues and other oral structures that requires immediate attention by a dental professional. While not all dental emergencies involve pain, physical discomfort is often a signal to the patient that there is a problem in need of inspection from a dentist.
Examples include, but not limited to :
An acute toothache
Signs of an infection indicating an abscess such as fever or facial pain
Facial trauma resulting in fractured bones/damaged teeth/lost teeth
Enamel/crown/root fracture
Broken denture
Broken or loose dental implants
WHAT TO DO IN A DENTAL EMERGENCY?
1. Tooth came out?
Find the tooth even if the tooth itself is broken. It is better to repair the tooth after it's back in your mouth than to start from scratch with an artificial one.
Make sure to keep the tooth moist. Place the tooth back in the socket if possible without touching root or place it between your gums and cheek. Your own saliva helps to preserve the tooth. You may also use milk or a tooth preservation product with the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it with water. Don't use too much water pressure, though, as that can damage the roots.
Get to CCED as fast as you can! The tooth roots start to die at around 15 minutes, and after 30 minutes the chance of reimplementation is reduced dramatically.
2. Cracked tooth?
Rinse your mouth with warm water immediately. If the area is swelling, apply cold compresses on your face and contact CCED as soon as possible.
3. Toothache?
Use warm water to rinse and clean out your mouth. Remove any food stuck between your teeth by flossing. Don't put aspirin on your tooth or gums as it could burn the gum tissue. If pain continues, contact CCED.
HOW TO AVOID A DENTAL EMERGENCY:
1. When taking part in sports or recreational activities, make sure you have proper protection for your teeth such as mouth-guards.
2. Avoid chewing on hard foods such as ice and hard candy. They are bad for your enamel and could crack a tooth!
3. Keep up a good oral hygiene. Brush after every meal, floss, and see your dentist every 6 months!
1. Emergency Extractions
Those suffering from oral pain due to a damaged tooth may require on emergency extraction (oral surgery). Two of the most common reasons for an emergency tooth removal :
- A tooth is too damaged to repair
- A wisdom tooth is growing incorrectly Another reason for an emergency extraction could also be due to Pericoronitis. Pericoronitis is the inflammation caused by the burst of wisdom teeth through the gum.
- Headaches / Fever
- Wisdom tooth abscess
- Swollen gum tissue causing discomfort
- Bad taste in the mouth even after brushing and flossing
- Difficulty opening mouth
Symptoms of Pericoronitis may include :
2. Lost / Broken Fillings
A loose filling can cause extreme pain and even deprive you of the ability to chew food. Hard and sticky foods such as gum, ice, and hard candy have the ability to break a tooth or cause a filling to come loose.
A broken/missing filling leaves your enamel and dentin exposed, providing the perfect crevice for food to hide in. That can lead to food getting stuck deep in your tooth causing pain. If you can't brush the food away, the bacteria and acids get inside your tooth and start eating away. The need for a simple replacement filling from Center City Emergency Dentist can lead to much bigger problems if not addressed right away.
3. Emergency Dental Trauma
Unfortunately, tooth trauma can result from many kinds of activities. Aggressive sports, car accidents, and getting into fights can all possibly require emergency dental trauma surgery. It can also happen at any time.
Sudden dental trauma that requires immediate attention is why it is so important to always have access to 24-hour emergency dentists. It is important to get to CCED as fast as you can so we can save the tooth or extract it if necessary to get you out of pain fast.
4. Emergency Root Canals
A root canal (also called endodontic therapy) is the removal of the infected pulp and nerve of a tooth. Root canals are also performed when a tooth is so cracked or damaged that infection is unavoidable.
The top of the tooth is removed to expose the pulp, and the pulp is removed (pulpectomy). The nerve of the tooth is also removed, and the canals are scrubbed so that bacteria is removed. The root canals and pulp cavity are then filled with an inert, natural material called gutta-percha. That is then covered with a typical dental crown that mimics the top of your tooth.
A typical root canal procedure is done under local anesthetic and takes between one or two hours.
5. Swelling
Swollen gums can cause enough discomfort that you are unable to sleep. Swollen and/or bleeding gums, are most often the result of gum disease (also known as periodontitis). Irritated gums can also be due to the lack of proper dental hygiene. Bacteria from leftover food debris brushing can't remove alone can irritate your gums which leads to inflammation.
While it might be your gums that are red and swollen, it's actually bacteria (and your body’s own overactive immune system fighting against the bacteria) that's attacking the bone that helps to hold the teeth in place.
To alleviate the pain from swelling, take some anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen before your appointment.
6. Broken Crowns, Dentures, & Implants
Dental Implants - When your tooth is lost, there is an imbalance which causes teeth nearby the gap to shift out of place. This leads to a higher chance of gum infection around the gap caused from tooth loss.
The process of surgery requires local anesthesia as the dentist will create a small incision in the soft gum tissue to access the jawbone. The implant will be torqued into place when a bony recess is created. The jawbone grows around the implant, helping to keep your prosthetic in place. The implant is attached to your jaw the same way a tooth is, and any trauma it receives will mimic that of a tooth.
After a successful procedure, we take impressions of your teeth and fabricate dental crowns, which is cemented and screwed over it. As you take proper care of your new implanted teeth, it can last years without the need for repair.
Dental Crowns – A crown is placed on top of the tooth to improve the overall appearance of your teeth and smile. A broken crown is something that requires immediate attention. An untreated broken crown can lead to possible emergency surgery.
TYPES OF DENTAL EMERGENCIES :
Those suffering from oral pain due to a damaged tooth may require on emergency extraction (oral surgery). Two of the most common reasons for an emergency tooth removal :
A tooth is too damaged to repair
A wisdom tooth is growing incorrectly
Another reason for an emergency extraction could also be due to Periocoronitis.
Periocoronitis is the inflammation caused by the burst of wisdom teeth through the gum.
Symptoms of Periocoronitis may include :
Headaches / Fever
Wisdom tooth abscess
Swollen gum tissue causing discomfort
Bad taste in the mouth even after brushing and flossing
Difficulty opening mouth
A loose filling can cause extreme pain and even deprive you of the ability to chew food. Hard and sticky foods such as gum, ice, and hard candy have the ability to break a tooth or cause a filling to come loose.
A broken/missing filling leaves your enamel and dentin exposed, providing the perfect crevice for food to hide in. That can lead to food getting stuck deep in your tooth causing pain. If you can't brush the food away, the bacteria and acids get inside your tooth and start eating away. The need for a simple replacement filling from Center City Emergency Dentist can lead to much bigger problems if not addressed right away.
Unfortunately, tooth trauma can result from many kinds of activities. Aggressive sports, car accidents, and getting into fights can all possibly require emergency dental trauma surgery. It can also happen at any time.
Sudden dental trauma that requires immediate attention is why it is so important to always have access to 24-hour emergency dentists. It is important to get to CCED as fast as you can so we can save the tooth or extract it if necessary to get you out of pain fast.
A root canal (also called endodontic therapy) is the removal of the infected pulp and nerve of a tooth. Root canals are also performed when a tooth is so cracked or damaged that infection is unavoidable.
The top of the tooth is removed to expose the pulp, and the pulp is removed (pulpectomy). The nerve of the tooth is also removed, and the canals are scrubbed so that bacteria is removed. The root canals and pulp cavity are then filled with an inert, natural material called gutta-percha. That is then covered with a typical dental crown that mimics the top of your tooth.
A typical root canal procedure is done under local anesthetic and takes between one or two hours.
Swollen gums can cause enough discomfort that you are unable to sleep. Swollen and/or bleeding gums, are most often the result of gum disease (also known as periodontitis). Irritated gums can also be due to the lack of proper dental hygiene. Bacteria from leftover food debris brushing can't remove alone can irritate your gums which leads to inflammation.
While it might be your gums that are red and swollen, it's actually bacteria (and your body’s own overactive immune system fighting against the bacteria) that's attacking the bone that helps to hold the teeth in place.
To alleviate the pain from swelling, take some anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen before your appointment.
Dental Implants - When your tooth is lost, there is an imbalance which causes teeth nearby the gap to shift out of place. This leads to a higher chance of gum infection around the gap caused from tooth loss.
The process of surgery requires local anesthesia as the dentist will create a small incision in the soft gum tissue to access the jawbone. The implant will be torqued into place when a bony recess is created. The jawbone grows around the implant, helping to keep your prosthetic in place. The implant is attached to your jaw the same way a tooth is, and any trauma it receives will mimic that of a tooth.
After a successful procedure, we take impressions of your teeth and fabricate dental crowns, which is cemented and screwed over it. As you take proper care of your new implanted teeth, it can last years without the need for repair.
Dental Crowns – A crown is placed on top of the tooth to improve the overall appearance of your teeth and smile. A broken crown is something that requires immediate attention. An untreated broken crown can lead to possible emergency surgery.