True enough, dental emergencies aren’t all the same. There’s enough variety among them that they differ from patient to patient. Still, the truth is that some urgent oral issues happen more than others. These kinds also need specific treatments to be fully addressed. (Otherwise, the problems will still linger.) To better understand this matter, let your local Northampton dentist explain things. So, here’s a summary of four common dental emergencies and their respective treatments.
Fractured or Cracked Teeth
Per its name, a fractured or cracked tooth is one with a fracture or crack. Such damage usually occurs from biting something hard, like ice, nuts, or bones. It can also result from excessive teeth grinding or clenching. Regardless, the issue should always be treated as soon as possible. Failing to do so could lead to oral pain, cavities, or tooth infection.
A dentist has several ways to treat a cracked or fractured tooth. For starters, they could place a crown that hides the damage and stops it from worsening. Another option is direct bonding, which would use tooth-colored resin to repair the crack.
Lost Dental Fillings
A lost filling may seem minor at first, but it can quickly become a big problem. Once your tooth loses the protective material, it can suffer severe pain and inflammation. These issues could then result in a major tooth infection if left unattended. If worse came to worse, you might even lose your pearly white!
If your tooth’s dentin is exposed too long, the dentist will likely need to perform a root canal. This option removes the infected tissue between the old filling and your tooth. From there, they can give you a new filling.
A Severe Toothache
As you’d expect, a severe toothache typically points to a severe ailment. These conditions are usually things like a dental or gum abscess. (Such a problem will lead to painful chewing and biting.) On the other hand, it can also stem from an inflamed wisdom tooth.
A dentist usually has one of two options to treat this pain. The first is a root canal, which could remove any infected pulp causing discomfort. Choice number two, meanwhile, is a tooth extraction. You won’t feel the ache anymore if the pained tooth is gone.
A Knocked-Out Tooth
A knocked-out tooth is a grave matter. Most obviously, lacking the chomper greatly reduces your smile’s appeal. Beyond the cosmetic effect, though, missing a tooth harms oral health. The condition creates a smile gap that lets harmful oral bacteria grow.
If you see them quickly enough, a dentist can effectively treat a knocked-out tooth. They may even be able to save it! At the very least, they and their team could provide a dental implant as a replacement.
When facing common dental emergencies, seeing your emergency dentist is always a good bet. They can get your smile back on track with treatments like those above!
About the Practice
EMA Dental is based in Northampton, MA. Led by its excellent dentists, our practice seeks to give each patient their ideal smile. To that end, we offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental services. The latter options even include treatments like root canal therapy and tooth extractions. For more information or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (413)-731-8800 or (413)-584-44900.