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Types of Dental Damage
When a dental emergency occurs, a general dentist may not have the experience and technology to repair the damage. In these cases, emergency surgery from an endodontic specialist will be the best choice. A few types of damage that teeth can sustain:
- Chipped teeth
- Infected teeth
- Cracked teeth
With each one, there are specific steps one can take until receiving professional treatment. If you act quickly enough, then there is a better chance of restoring the tooth instead of having to remove it and use an artificial replacement. Fortunately, an emergency endodontist can help.
Chipped teeth
There are a large variety of ways in which an individual can chip a tooth. All it takes is biting on something too hard or knocking the tooth against an object during a sport. In some cases, the chipped tooth may not need much more treatment than simply bonding the tooth. However, if the chip causes immense pain, then it may actually be a crack or broken tooth. Another reason that it is crucial to seek professional treatment from an emergency endodontist is that the chip in the tooth can become worse over time and damage the enamel.
Cracked tooth
A crack is more serious and dangerous than a simple chip in the tooth. While a crack may not even be noticeable or cause much pain immediately, it will get worse the longer it remains untreated. It can be increasingly difficult to avoid feeling pain as the crack gets worse. In many cases, the crack will spread down the rest of the tooth and eventually damage the pulp inside the tooth. Eventually, the tooth will begin to hurt even when it is not in use. If the crack reaches below the tooth itself and into the root, it may no longer be treatable and will require an endodontist to remove the tooth completely.
Infected tooth
While dentists can treat minor infections with a deep cleaning, major infections will require a specialist. In the case of an infected root, a professional endodontist can provide the root canal necessary to treat the patient. In many cases, the pain will become sudden and unbearable when the infection spreads and reaches advanced stages. Due to this, it is crucial for an emergency endodontist to remove the infected portion as soon as possible. With professional and prompt treatment, there is a much higher chance of saving the natural tooth instead of needing to extract the entire tooth from the mouth.
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Misconceptions about emergency surgery
While any form of emergency surgery can be an uncomfortable and negative topic for people, there are many misconceptions about surgery that people believe. When it comes to emergency endodontic surgery, the process is much less painful than people believe. In reality, the procedure itself will not be painful, since the endodontist will use anesthesia to numb the area and put the patient under, if necessary.
When it comes to treating an infected, chipped or cracked tooth, the patient will feel less pain following the procedure. The longer a patient avoids professional treatment, the worse the pain is going to get. Another misconception is that the only solution is to remove the tooth. The reality is that an endodontist will attempt every method possible to save a portion of the natural tooth.
No matter how much oral hygiene one performs at home, there is always the chance of an injury. When one damages a tooth, it is important to call a specialist who has the experience to know the most effective course of action. An endodontist will be able to treat an injury from an emergency as soon as possible, so that the patient can eventually return to natural use of the tooth.
Seeking treatment from a general dentist will be a waste of time, since the general dentist will not be able to provide the necessary level of care the patient needs. In this situation, the dentist will refer the patient to someone else, prolonging the amount of time the patient spends in pain. Fortunately, an endodontist can repair the tooth and help eliminate the pain from the injury.
If you live in the Laguna Hills area, call (949) 317-3197 to schedule your dental exam so that you can remain in good health or receive treatment for a current condition.
Questions Answered on This Page
Q. What kind of damage involves a dental emergency?
Q. What do you do to treat a cracked tooth?
Q. Is there any way to prevent an oral injury?
People Also Ask
Q. Will there be any pain during surgery?
Definition of Endodontic Terminology
- Cementum
- Cementum is that bone-like tissue that forms the outer surface on the root of the tooth.
- Dental Pulp
- Dental pulp is the inner-most layer of the tooth with connective tissue that contains blood vessels and nerve tissue.
- Dentin
- Dentin is the inner layer of the tooth structure that is immediately under the enamel and surrounds the dental pulp.
- Direct Pulp Cap
- A direct pulp cap is a procedure in which a professional treats exposed pulp with a therapeutic material to help the tooth heal.
- Enamel
- The enamel is the hard calcified layer that covers the entire tooth and is subject to interaction with multiple substances.
- Endodontist
- An endodontist is a specialist who focuses on treating issues, diseases and conditions that affect the inner-most layer of the tooth, the dental pulp.
- Pulpectomy
- A pulpectomy is a procedure that involves the complete removal of pulp tissue from the root canal in a tooth.
- Pulpitis
- Pulpitis is another term to describe the inflammation of the dental pulp due to an injury or infection.
- Pulpotomy
- A pulpotomy is a procedure involving the removal of a portion of diseased or infected pulp in order to protect the healthy portions of the pulp and teeth still in the mouth.
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