Dental injuries are usually caused by trauma, sports injury, or car accidents. The most common dental injuries are chipped or cracked teeth. If the impact is severe, the tooth may break or knock out. The emergency treatment of dental injuries depends on their type, location, and severity of the injury. Whenever your teeth are damaged, no matter how mild or severe it is, you should visit the emergency dentist immediately. The length of time that a tooth is out of the socket and how it is stored are critical factors in the success of the treatment.
The Structure of the Tooth
Tooth enamel is the outer surface layer of the tooth. Enamel is the hardest mineral substance in the body and is much stronger and harder than bone. The next layer is the dentin that is not as hard as the enamel. Underneath the dentin is a cavity known as pulp that contains the blood and nerve supply.
– If the pulp is damaged, the tooth is not alive. In this case, root canal treatment is required. The dentist will remove all the dead tissue of the tooth, and the tooth is filled with artificial materials.
– If the enamel is damaged or decayed, the dentist uses dental bonding to repair it without anesthesia injection.
– If the dentin is damaged, the emergency dentist can repair it with a dental crown. He uses local anesthesia to numb the desired area.
Types of Dental Injuries
Although the person may not experience pain or discomfort immediately after the trauma, s/he may suffer severe pain after a month or more. In this case, the pulp is completely damaged, and the root canal must be performed in the emergency dental clinic. It may also cause:
– Loose tooth
– Knocked out tooth
– Bruising
– A dental crown or root fracture
– Displacement of the tooth, which can be intrusion, extrusion, or lateral luxation
In all the cases mentioned above, a quick referral to the emergency dental clinic is needed. The first step in dental emergency cases is to rinse your mouth with warm water. If your permanent tooth is knocked out, store it in a glass of milk and head to the dental clinic as soon as possible. Never touch the root of the knocked-out tooth. If your tooth is broken, find the broken piece and store it in a cup of milk or your saliva and visit the emergency dentist. You can bite on clean gauze if it is bleeding.
How to Prevent Traumatic Dental Emergencies?
– To prevent traumatic dental injuries, try to use a mouth-guard when you play sports!
– Avoid eating hard foods, such as ice or nuts.
– Fasten your seat belt in the car.
Tooth fracture causes the nerve to be left unprotected, and so emergency treatment is required to prevent infection. Our emergency dentist in Oakville and his experienced staff in the Smile Point Dental are always ready to help you in emergency cases. If you are in an emergency, do not waste time and contact us.