If a tooth is damaged, we want you to see us right away for dental emergency treatment. Otherwise, even minor injuries could lead to serious problems for your smile! In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist talks about what happens if you ignore an injured tooth, and how we can help with emergency dentistry.
The Causes and Risks of a Damaged Tooth
How does a tooth become damaged? If you sustain an injury while playing sports, this could cause a tooth to be chipped or cracked/. It could be potentially or completely avulsed too, which means knocked loose or knocked-out completely. Even biting down on a hard piece of food could lead to a chipped or cracked tooth. When this happens, the sensitive inner dentin is now exposed to bacteria, which leads to a painful cavity or possibly even an infection without treatment. Fortunately, with emergency dentistry care, we can repair your tooth and spare you from these serious complications!
Ways to Respond to Your Injury
When you have an injury, please contact our office right away. If you reach us during our normal hours, we will try to see you same-day. Otherwise, leave a message and we will reach out with possible appointment times as soon as we can. In the meantime, you can rinse with warm water and use a bit of gauze or cloth to control the bleeding. To avoid facial swelling, apply a cold compress to the side of the face. If you can recover any pieces of your tooth, please do so and bring them with you. If a tooth is knocked out completely, then pick it up by the crown, not the root, and place it in a sealed container of milk or salt water and bring it with you.
Help With Emergency Dentistry
If a tooth is chipped, we could repair minor injuries with dental bonding, using the same composite resin employed in our lifelike fillings. If the injury is more substantial, we have restorative dentistry, and repair the tooth with a custom and lifelike dental crown. We can also restore a knocked-out tooth to its proper place in your smile. If a tooth is knocked out and cannot be replaced, or the tooth is too damaged to be repaired, we could replace it with a prosthetic, such as a bridge or even a dental implant.
If you have any questions about how we treat dental emergencies, then contact our team today to learn more.
We Can Treat Your Dental Emergencies
Our team is ready to help you enjoy lifelike and durable repair. Contact Robert M. Browne DDS in Prairie Village, KS by calling (913) 901-8585 for our earliest appointment time. We proudly serve patients in surrounding communities and welcome your call.