When a Situation Calls for an Emergency Dental Surgery

Lafayette, CA

No matter how many precautions you take to protect your teeth, there is always a chance for a dental accident or injury to occur. When this happens, there is a chance that you will need emergency surgery from a professional endodontist. By seeking services from an endodontic specialist, you will be able to ensure that you receive the proper treatment for your teeth.

Types of Dental Damage

When a dental emergency occurs, a general dentist may not have the expertise and technology to repair the damage. In these cases, emergency surgery from an endodontic specialist will be the best choice. A few types of damage that teeth can sustain:

Chipped teeth
Infected teeth
Cracked teeth

With each one, there are specific steps one can take until receiving professional treatment. If you act quickly enough, then there is a better chance of restoring the tooth instead of having to remove it and use an artificial replacement. Fortunately, an emergency endodontist can help.

Chipped teeth

There are a large variety of ways in which an individual can chip a tooth. All it takes is biting on something too hard or knocking the tooth against an object during a sport. In some cases, the chipped tooth may not need much more treatment than simply bonding the tooth. However, if the chip causes immense pain, then it may actually be a crack or broken tooth. Another reason that it is crucial to seek professional treatment from an emergency endodontist is that the chip in the tooth can become worse over time and damage the enamel.

Cracked tooth

A crack is more serious and dangerous than a simple chip in the tooth. While a crack may not even be noticeable or cause much pain immediately, it will get worse the longer it remains untreated. It can be increasingly difficult to avoid feeling pain as the crack gets worse. In many cases, the crack will spread down the rest of the tooth and eventually damage the pulp inside the tooth. Eventually, the tooth will begin to hurt even when it is not in use. If the crack reaches below the tooth itself and into the root, it may no longer be treatable and will require an endodontist to remove the tooth completely.

Infected tooth

While dentists can treat minor infections with a deep cleaning, major infections will require a specialist. In the case of an infected root, a professional endodontist can provide the root canal necessary to treat the patient. In many cases, the pain will become sudden and unbearable when the infection spreads and reaches advanced stages. Due to this, it is crucial for an emergency endodontist to remove the infected portion as soon as possible. With professional and prompt treatment, there is a much higher chance of saving the natural tooth instead of needing to extract the entire tooth from the mouth.

Misconceptions about emergency surgery

While any form of emergency surgery can be an uncomfortable and negative topic for people, there are many misconceptions about surgery that people believe. When it comes to emergency endodontic surgery, the process is much less painful than people believe. In reality, the procedure itself will not be painful, since the endodontist will use anesthesia to numb the area and put the patient under, if necessary.

When it comes to treating an infected, chipped or cracked tooth, the patient will feel less pain following the procedure. The longer a patient avoids professional treatment, the worse the pain is going to get. Another misconception is that the only solution is to remove the tooth. The reality is that an endodontist will attempt every method possible to save a portion of the natural tooth.

No matter how much oral hygiene one performs at home, there is always the chance of an injury. When one damages a tooth, it is important to call a specialist who has the expertise to know the most effective course of action. An endodontist will be able to treat an injury from an emergency as soon as possible, so that the patient can eventually return to natural use of the tooth.

Seeking treatment from a general dentist will be a waste of time, since the general dentist will not be able to provide the necessary level of care the patient needs. In this situation, the dentist will refer the patient to someone else, prolonging the amount of time the patient spends in pain. Fortunately, an endodontist can repair the tooth and help eliminate the pain from the injury.

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Questions Answered on This Page

Q. What kind of damage involves a dental emergency?

Q. What do you do to treat a cracked tooth?

Q. Is there any way to prevent an oral injury?

Definition of Dental Implant Terminology

Alveolar Bone

The alveolar bone is the bone surrounding the root of the tooth that keeps the tooth in place.

Denture Base

The denture base is the part of the denture that connects the artificial teeth with the soft tissue of the gums.

Fixed Full Arch Restoration

A fixed full arch restoration is a common treatment option for edentulous patients who are missing either all or at least an entire arch of their teeth.

Full Arch Rehabilitation

Full arch rehabilitation involves using the All-on-4 ™ to help patients maintain and use a new set of teeth that look natural.

Graftless Procedure

A graftless procedure is a dental implant procedure that does not require the use of a bone graft prior to placing the dental implants.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease is a condition that causes inflammation of the gingival tissues and membrane of the teeth, leading to tooth loss without professional treatment.

Resin/Acrylic

Resin and Acrylic are resinous materials that can be components in a denture base.

Clasp

A clasp is a device that holds a removable partial denture prosthesis to the teeth.

Edentulous

Edentulous is a term that applies to people who do not have any teeth.

Fixed Provisional Bridge

A fixed provisional bridge is a dental bridge that a dentist cements in place for a temporary amount of time to see if it works properly before making the bridge permanent.

Full Arch Treatment

Full arch treatment is the treatment process of replacing an entire arch of missing teeth and ensuring that everything fits properly.

Nobel Biocare

Nobel Biocare is a company that manufactures dental implants and continues to innovate the market with new products and designs.

Stomatitis

A resin bonded bridge is a dental bridge that professionals fix to the surrounding t teeth with a type of resin to provide patients with a long-lasting solution.

Pontic

Pontic is another term for an artificial tooth on a fixed partial denture.

Helpful Related Links

American Dental Association (ADA). Glossary of Dental Terms. 2015
American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry® (AACD). Home Page. 2015
WebMD. WebMD’s Oral Care Guide. 2015

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