Our Approach To Treating Dental Emergencies

When you have a chipped or cracked tooth, or even if one is knocked out or if you have objects caught between the teeth, you need attention. These are examples of dental emergencies and without care, this could lead to cavities or infections that threaten smile stability. But we can help with emergency dental care. In today’s blog, your Grand Prairie, TX, dentist talks about emergency dentistry and the options we have to repair teeth and restore them to optimal health, function, and beauty again, often in as little as one visit. We’re ready to help you protect your smile too, limiting the risk of injuries and emergencies down the road.

Examples of Dental Emergency Situations

Essentially, a dental emergency is any injury or discomfort in your smile that is severe and needs attention, but isn’t life threatening. If you have a life-threatening situation, you should contact 911 or proceed to the nearest emergency room. If you have a dental emergency, you should reach out to our team. Even if this happens outside of normal business hours, contact us so we can reach out with a time to see you. We want to address the situation quickly, so you avoid complications with your oral health.

Examples include teeth that are chipped or broken. A fractured tooth needs attention too, and in fact, if an injury occurs to your face or jaw and no damage is visible, consider an appointment as fractures are often invisible to the naked eye, but can still increase the risk of decay or infection. You should let us know if a tooth is knocked loose or out, or if a restoration or prosthetic is damaged or missing. Let us know if an object is caught between your teeth that floss cannot remove, or if you have sudden and unexplained pain in one or more teeth. We want to correct these issues and offer a healthier and more attractive smile, one free of common complications like tooth decay and dental infection. When you need dental emergency care, we’re ready to help!

How to Respond

You can also respond to the issues in a way to minimize discomfort until we can see you. Obviously, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to ease overall discomfort. We also suggest using cloth or gauze to stem any bleeding that occurs. A cold compress or ice pack to the side of the face can also reduce facial swelling. If a tooth is broken, try to recover any pieces and bring them with you. If this isn’t possible, don’t worry, we can still repair the tooth. Don’t use anything but floss to try and extract a trapped object from between the teeth, as you could damage the teeth or gums. If a tooth is knocked out, pick it up only by the crown, don’t touch the root. Place it in a sealed container of milk or salt water, and bring it with you. If a prosthetic or restoration is compromised, avoid very hot or cold food and drinks, or items high in sugar, as the exposed area will be very uncomfortable. These actions can help ease your pain and lower the risk of further complications until we can see you or your child or family member.

Repairing Your Smile

When you arrive, our team will carefully examine your smile with advanced digital imaging, so we can make a diagnosis with precision and accuracy. We want to plan the treatment in detail, so we can help restore your bite. For minor damage, we could use dental bonding to repair the tooth in only one visit. We also have custom crowns for more substantial injuries. We can remove trapped objects from between your teeth, and offer replacement for a missing or broken prosthetic or restoration. If a tooth is knocked out, we can restore it to its proper place in your smile. When we use options like bonding or crowns to repair teeth, we will ensure these are shaped to blend with your smile and offer a more natural appearance for your smile.

Limiting the Risk of Future Emergencies

We also want to help you enjoy a reduced risk of future injuries or dental emergencies. You should wear a mouthguard if you play full contact sports. While you can purchase a standard boil-and-bite option from any sporting goods store, we can offer a custom option that is made for your smile, providing a greater level of protection against injury, such as chipped or knocked out teeth. We also suggest that you continue to practice good oral hygiene habits, such as daily brushing and flossing and visits for checkups and cleanings. This helps protect your teeth from issues that could weaken them and leave them more prone to injury, such as cracked or chipped teeth. With the right steps, you can enjoy better oral health and a smile that is stronger.

If you have any questions about how we approach dental emergency treatment, or if you have a damaged tooth that needs attention or want to try a custom mouthguard, then contact our team today. We look forward to helping you enjoy your best possible smile. Remember, a visit now means we can complete treatment before the holiday season gets too hectic. You can also use your remaining 2024 dental insurance benefits and health savings account funds before they expire at the end of the year.

Schedule a Visit for Emergency Dental Care

Our team is ready to take on issues that could threaten your oral health, including injuries and other common dental emergencies, so you can enjoy your best smile during the holidays and in the years to come. Don’t hesitate to reach out, we can offer care for the whole family. For more information on emergency dentistry, then schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith and our team by calling Pecan Tree Dental in Grand Prairie, TX, today at (972) 262-5111. Don’t let injuries impact the overall health and function of your smile!