Emergency Dentistry – Sugar Land, TX

How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies

As soon as a dental emergency has occurred, there are two important steps you need to take. The first is to make an emergency appointment, as dental emergencies will grow more severe over time unless they’re treated. The second is to take whatever steps are necessary to keep your mouth safe until you’ve been properly treated. Every emergency is different, but the following tips cover what you should do during some particularly common emergencies.

Toothaches

Use dental floss to remove anything caught between your teeth; if the pain doesn’t go away after that, take over-the-counter pain medication. Sometimes a toothache might be accompanied by swelling, which you can reduce by applying an ice pack to the area.

Chipped/ Broken Teeth

Even if the tooth in question doesn’t hurt, it may still be at risk for infection, so make an appointment as soon as possible. Avoid hard and crunchy foods altogether; if you need to eat, chew with the opposite side of your mouth. Cover rough edges with dental wax to protect the inside of your mouth.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Find the tooth immediately. Pick it up by the crown and rinse it off without touching the root. The tooth needs to be kept moist, so either put it back in its socket or store it in the space between your cheek and gums; in a pinch, you can also put it in a sealed container full of milk.

Lost Filling/ Crown

Recover the restoration if possible. It’s best to place it back on the tooth if you can, although only a dental professional will be able to permanently reattach it. To keep a loose crown in place, you can apply a small amount of toothpaste as an adhesive.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

You can’t prevent every dental disaster. Nevertheless, you can lower the risk of experiencing a dental emergency by practicing good oral hygiene – in other words, by brushing and flossing every day while keeping up with your biannual checkups. You can also protect yourself from sports-related accidents with a mouthguard, and we can give you tips for breaking potentially harmful habits like nail-biting.

Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies 

You shouldn’t have to worry about the cost of dental care while you’re dealing with your pain. You can trust us to only recommend treatments that are truly needed to help you find relief. Every patient is in a different situation; some might just need a filling or a crown, while others might have to have a tooth removed and replaced entirely. Whatever treatment you need, we’ll make sure that you are fully informed about the costs and your options for payment.

Root Canal Therapy

The root canal is the chamber that contains the soft tissues of the tooth. When the tissue becomes infected, it can eventually spread beyond the roots and compromise the entire tooth. Root canal therapy helps stop the pain and prevents the damage from getting any worse, thus saving the tooth. Don’t be fooled by its reputation; modern treatment techniques have made this procedure far more comfortable, especially when performed by a dentist known for their gentle touch.

Learn About Root Canal Therapy

TMJ/TMD Therapy

Many cases of chronic jaw pain and headaches can be linked to a TMJ disorder. The TMJ refers to the little hinges just under your ears that allow your jaw to open and close. Like any joints, the TMJ can become misaligned, injured, or otherwise dysfunctional. If you want to stop the pain such a disorder causes, you need to get in touch with our office as soon as possible so that we can devise a treatment plan, such as oral appliance therapy.