Unfortunately, there are a range of urgent dental emergencies that befall people and require immediate attention and treatment.
When you experience tooth loss, a tooth fracture, or another emergency, it’s likely because of a sports injury, auto accident, fall, or some other mishap. As dire as these situations sound, there’s a chance your tooth can be saved if you seek dental help right away.
Seasoned and compassionate dental expert Dr. Alistair Saeghi and the Modern Age Dentistry team are fully committed to your dental health, from providing top-notch cosmetic treatments like whitening and veneers to routine care and emergency treatment. Dr. Saeghi is your partner in both making your smile as beautiful as possible and saving it if something serious occurs.
It’s important to realize that if you’re having a dental emergency, Dr. Saeghi is here and ready to provide critical treatment. Here are dental emergencies that Dr. Saeghi encounters and treats successfully:
This problem is really a tooth fracture, and if it’s severe and your tooth completely breaks, you’ll need care quickly. If the fracture is serious, you’ll likely have pain and sensitivity when pressure is put on the tooth, like when you chew. You may also notice inflammation around the tooth.
The severity of the fracture is what determines Dr. Saeghi’s treatment plan. He may opt to fill the fracture with resin, a process known as bonding, or he might recommend a veneer or crown. For the worst cases with the most tooth damage, a root canal or extraction may be necessary.
Dental restorations can become loose or fall out if you’ve had them for a long time or if they’re temporary. This is true for fillings, crowns, and bridges. If you realize that you lost the restoration and were able to save it, try to place it back in your mouth again using toothpaste, dental cement, or adhesive used to keep dentures in place.
When you visit us, Dr. Saeghi can create a new restoration for you if the one you lost was old, or
place your temporary restoration again so that it’s secure until your permanent one arrives.
This is a serious tooth infection that may start out as a small, pus-filled pocket at the root of your tooth or in your gum. An abscess can cause intense pain, swollen lymph nodes, fever, and a bad odor. You might also experience a sudden wave of bad-tasting and smelling liquid in your mouth if the abscess ruptures.
The infection can also spread to your face, neck, and sinuses. You’re also at risk for sepsis, a life-threatening condition, so this is an especially urgent situation.
When you come to Modern Age for abscess treatment, Dr. Saeghi drains it if it hasn’t ruptured on its own and eliminates your infection by prescribing antibiotics. He may be able to preserve your tooth by performing a root canal, but it may be necessary to have the tooth extracted.
This is when your tooth becomes dislodged from its socket due to a traumatic accident. When you see Dr. Saeghi for this type of emergency, he disinfects your tooth root with saline solution and puts your tooth back in its socket. You may also receive a special splint to wear for a couple of weeks while your tooth’s stability improves.
Dr. Saeghi might need to perform a root canal to remove your tooth pulp if it sustains injury. Then he cleans, fills, and seals your tooth.
Although this is grizzly sounding, if you lose a tooth entirely, pick it up by its crown (the visible part of your tooth) and rinse it off in the sink. Try to return your tooth to its socket for the trip to see us. If this won’t work, put your tooth in some milk, or, if you have no milk, put it in a cup of salt water.
Dr. Saeghi’s approach to treatment depends on whether you were able to place your tooth back in its socket, but no matter what, it’s important to get to him within an hour after your tooth loss for the best chance of successful replantation.
If you experience a dental emergency, your first stop should be Modern Age Dentistry. Call the office closest to you to schedule an appointment immediately. Our offices are in West Hills, Ojai, and Atwater Village, California.
