If your tooth is injured, the pain and visible damage may just be the start of your worries. One concern for patients who experience dental damage is the potential loss of the tooth. Will there be a way to preserve your full smile if your enamel is chipped, cracked, or otherwise damaged? How likely is it that a dislodged tooth can be put back in place? Our Prairie Village, KS dentist’s office provides patients with the ability to set up emergency dental visits when necessary. If your tooth is injured, having it treated as soon as possible reduces your risk for complications. While severe damage may call for the extraction and replacement of a tooth, we can provide you with prompt care to avoid this.
Emergency Dentistry Can Save A Vulnerable Tooth
A tooth that is injured can grow less healthy over time. What this means is that because the enamel is not able to heal on its own, you stay vulnerable to infection, and are at risk for causing further harm to your tooth structure. Having access to emergency dental work is beneficial for several reasons. One is that you can spend less time in pain, as you are able to set up an appointment on short notice. Another benefit is that treatment is available before you start to experience complications that can affect your tooth’s health.
Protecting Your Tooth Before Your Appointment
It is important that you protect a tooth before you have treatment, particularly if it is lost, loose, or partially broken. Do not put pressure on the tooth by biting or chewing. Setting an urgent appointment can ensure that you have treatment before your next meal, making this less likely to occur. Make sure that you do not put pressure on it accidentally by biting down. If you need to ease discomfort, gently placing ice or a cold compress in the area where the injury occurred can be helpful.
When you need to carry a lost tooth to the dentist’s office, take care to do the following:
- Handle the tooth by its crown, not its roots
- If you have to wash away any dirt picked up from the ground, be careful not to remove organic tissues
- To keep the tooth from drying out, you can use a container of milk to carry it
We Can Still Restore Your Smile If Your Tooth Is Lost
Losing a tooth does not mean losing your smile as you know it! If we have to extract your tooth, or if there is no way to put a lost tooth back in its place, our concern can move to prosthetic dental work. With the aid of dental implants, we are able to support dental restorations without bothering neighboring teeth. The implant, which is placed directly into your jawbone, can stimulate the bone so that it does not deteriorate – a problem that can affect people with unresolved tooth loss.
Our Prairie Village, KS Dentist’s Office Is Prepared To Treat Your Injured Tooth
Dr. Browne understands that some problems call for urgent attention. To learn what we can do for you during a dental emergency, call our Prairie Village, KS office at 913-901-8585.