A knocked-out tooth can be stabilized with a tooth splint, but if the tooth cannot be reattached then you will need to replace it with a restoration like a dental implant.
Firstly, determine if it’s a life-threatening issue. If it is, then you should call 911 and get straight to a hospital. For everything else, an emergency dentist is your best bet.
If you have an oral injury, you will need to examine your mouth to look for signs of bleeding. If you are bleeding, you need to stop it immediately. Bite down on gauze for about 10 minutes to form a blood clot. Excessive blood loss can be dangerous.
Whether you have broken tooth fragments, bacteria, or food in your mouth, all of this should be cleaned by swirling a saltwater solution around your mouth. This is especially important if you have open wounds or an exposed root. This can help prevent infection.
Keep your head elevated if you’re experiencing swelling or a tooth injury. Apply an ice pack to the area for 15 minutes on and off but use a thin towel to prevent the ice from damaging your skin. Take anti-inflammatory pain medication if you are in pain and to relieve swelling.
Call (617) 372-2532 and tell us the details of what happened, what your symptoms are, and how much pain you are in.
We offer same-day appointments for our patients experiencing a dental emergency. We intentionally leave room in our schedule each day to accommodate dental emergencies so we should be able to see you on the same day if you call in with an emergency that requires urgent treatment. We request that you give us a call before walking in so we are better able to accommodate you.
Dr. Lee can treat dental emergencies outside of traditional operating hours in certain circumstances. He will need to discuss the situation and your symptoms with you over the phone to determine if it warrants an immediate after-hours emergency appointment.
Laser therapy or laser dentistry involves special lasers that can be used to remove soft tissue, such as gum tissue, as well as hard tissue like tooth enamel. We use SOLEA - all tissue CO2 laser to provide anesthesia free restorative treatments and also frenectomies to release tethered oral tissues (TOT). They’re very comfortable for the patient, reduce bleeding, and allow your child’s mouth to heal more quickly, making these tools ideal for pediatric dentistry.
Dental sealants use a transparent liquid resin, which is applied directly to the teeth and is hardened using a light. This creates an impenetrable seal on your child’s tooth, which stops bacteria, acid, and food particles from causing cavities. This treatment is usually recommended specifically for the cavity-prone rear teeth.
Kids of all ages can grind their teeth. Custom night guards are created to fit over your child’s teeth perfectly, and prevent direct tooth-to-tooth contact at night while they sleep. This can help reduce teeth grinding, and also prevents premature tooth wear and tear caused by grinding.
If your child plays any contact sports, custom-fitted mouthguards help protect their teeth from damage. We offer comfortable mouthguards that cushion and protect the teeth and gums, and help your child avoid oral injuries like cracked, broken, loose, or avulsed (knocked-out) teeth.
If your child loses a baby tooth before they’re supposed to, their dentist may recommend a “space maintainer.” This dental prosthetic fits in the gap where the tooth used to be, preventing the other teeth from shifting and ensuring your child’s permanent or adult tooth erupts properly.
Extractions are only a last resort but may need to be performed if you have impacted wisdom teeth.
At your emergency appointment, we will perform an oral exam and take x-rays to look at the health of your teeth, tooth roots, gums, and jaw. We will look for signs of infection, bone loss, impacted teeth, or trauma.
We can also relieve your pain with local anesthesia and other sedatives to put you at ease. Depending on the emergency, you may require root canal treatment, dental crowns, replacement of missing teeth with dental implants, an extraction, a tooth splint, or a filling.
A dental emergency is any dental problem that requires immediate medical treatment to alleviate severe pain, stop bleeding, or save a tooth. A toothache, a knocked-out tooth, swelling, an infection, and a fractured tooth are all considered dental emergencies. At Smile Ark Pediatric Dentistry, we diagnose and treat oral health emergencies. Our dentists can examine your affected tooth/teeth and develop a treatment plan to fix the problem and prevent further complications.
Did You Know…Nearly 25% of dental emergencies are associated with restorations.
If your little one is experiencing excruciating and persistent tooth pain or swelling, you should take them to the emergency room (ER) so that they can be assessed by a doctor. Symptoms such as drooling, fever, vomiting, or difficulty breathing are signs that your child should go straight to the ER.
If your child's tooth falls out, you should keep it safe and contact or go to the dentist. Your child's dentist will evaluate the empty socket and recommend the best course of action. Depending on the condition of the affected area, the dentist may recommend a space maintainer to help hold the space properly until the new tooth is ready to come out.
If your child’s tooth gets broken, cracked, or chipped, you should call a pediatric dentist as soon as possible to book an emergency appointment. If the damage is minor, their dentist may be able to repair the tooth with a filling to restore its function and structural integrity.If the tooth is severely damaged, the dentist may need to place a dental crown or perform a root cal procedure to strengthen the tooth. In extreme cases, the tooth may need to be pulled out.
Understanding dental emergencies is important as it can help you handle them better. Below are six of the most common pediatric dental emergencies:
Dr. Lee and her team are happy to help you handle your child’s dental emergencies. Visit our office or call us at (617) 372-2532 to schedule an appointment and learn more about our pediatric dental emergency services in Fairfield, CT.
A severe toothache is a dental emergency.
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