About Me

All About Implants

My teeth were starting to deteriorate, and I was running out of options to repair them. The dentist gave me a choice. I could wait until the bone loss was so bad that I would have to have my teeth removed and get dentures, or I could have them removed now and get dental implants. I opted for the implants. If you’re thinking of getting dental implants, you probably have a lot of questions. I love mine, but they took some getting used to. In this blog, I’m sharing my experience and all the information that I picked up throughout my implant experience. You can find out what the procedure entails, how to prepare for your implants, and how to care for them once they’re in.

Tags

Latest Posts

All About Implants

Emergency Dental: Dealing With Damaged Teeth

by Alfredo Moore

Some of the most common dental emergencies have to do with saving a tooth. There are many types of trauma that can lead to you losing a tooth permanently. In such cases, you may only have a short amount of time to get to a dentist. Do you know what kind of traumas can cause such an emergency?

When You Need to See a Dentist Quick to Save a Tooth

If you want to save your tooth, you have to act quickly. The most common reasons to see an emergency dentist (such as Dr. David K. Skeels) to help save a tooth include any of the following.

  • Chipped, cracked, or broken tooth
  • Dislodged tooth (extruded)
  • Knocked out permanent tooth (avulsed)

Each of these situations can lead to further problems. For example, additional trauma applied to a dislodged tooth can lead to things like intrusion or a root fracture. That's why it's important that you take care of these issues immediately.

What You Need to Do Immediately

In most cases, you will have some immediate concerns if some kind of trauma or injury causes you to lose, dislodge, or break a tooth.

If the tooth cracks, chips, or breaks,

  • Rinse your mouth with warm water
  • Apply an ice pack or some form of cold compress

If the tooth comes out,

  • You should immediately locate it and pick it up by the crown (not the root)
  • Rinse the tooth with warm water
  • Try to place the tooth into its socket or hold between cheek and gums

The key here is to not allow the tooth to dry out. If you cannot hold it in its socket or elsewhere in your mouth, wrap it in gauze and place it in milk.

If you dislodge a tooth,

  • Try to, very gently, position it back in place
  • Bite down and try to avoid doing anything that will make the tooth move

In all of these situations, you should call the emergency dentist as soon as you possibly can.

Of course, if the injury causes damage to the inside of your mouth and you're bleeding, then rinse with warm water. You can use moist, clean gauze or cloth. If the bleeding is profuse or still ongoing, then you should seek medical attention at the hospital instead.

If you're in pain, then there's nothing wrong with taking ibuprofen. Avoid aspirin, as it can damage your dental pulp. But don't wait too long in these situations; you need professional care as soon as possible. 

Share