Emergency Dentist

Dental Emergency in Pembroke Pines

Your dentist should be the first person you call if you have a dental emergency. Most dentists set aside time for emergency procedures. Be sure to keep your dentist’s after hours contact information readily available at all times.

Whether at home or traveling, the following tips can help you manage a dental emergency until you can get to our dental office in pembroke pines. It is important to remember that with some dental emergencies, seeing a dentist within 30 minutes or less can mean the difference between saving or losing your tooth.

Knocked-Out Tooth

A knocked-out tooth is a dental emergency that requires urgent attention. If the appropriate emergency steps are followed immediately after the tooth has been knocked out, the chances are very good that the tooth can be reinserted and preserved by a dentist.

• Pick up the tooth by the top (crown) of the tooth. Do not touch the root(s) of the tooth.
• Rinse the tooth off very gently to ensure that it’s clean. Do not scrub the tooth or remove any tissue attached to it. Be sure to place a towel or washcloth in the sink so that the tooth does not go down the drain.
• If you can, gently place the tooth back into the socket. Hold it gently in place while trying to bite down.
• If you can’t place the tooth back in the socket, put the tooth in a small container or in a cup of milk. Note that the latter is preferable.
• Call our dentist immediately, since getting to the dentist quickly with your tooth – in addition to following the steps above – is critical for saving the knocked-out tooth. The longer you wait to re-implant the tooth in its socket, the less chance you have of the tooth “taking” and remaining viable.

Chipped, Cracked or Fractured Teeth

If a tooth is chipped and doesn’t hurt, this usually does not constitute a dental emergency and you can wait a few days to see a dentist. However, it is important to be careful while chewing so as not to chip it more. Our dentist in pembroke pines may simply be able to smooth the chip out, or add some composite filling material to repair the tooth.

A cracked or fractured tooth is a serious issue constituting a dental emergency. Fractured or cracked teeth usually suggest that damage has occurred to the inside of the tooth as well as to the outside. Severe fractures are so extreme that the tooth cannot be saved. If you suffer a fractured tooth, call our dental office immediately for an emergency appointment and follow these steps:

• Clean your mouth out by gently rinsing thoroughly with warm water.
• If the fracture is caused by facial trauma, apply a cold compress to the area to minimize any swelling.
• Take acetaminophen (not aspirin) according to the packaging directions to alleviate pain.
• Never apply a painkiller to the gum because it can burn the gum tissue. This includes Orajel, which often is marketed for these types of procedures.

An X-ray will be needed in order for our dentists to properly diagnose the condition of your tooth. If the soft tissue inside of the tooth (the tooth pulp) is damaged, your tooth may need a root canal. If the pulp is not damaged, the tooth might only need a crown.

Some dentists make some of their permanent crowns in-office and place them in the same day; other dentists use an outside laboratory to make the crown. In this case you will have to wear a temporary crown while the laboratory makes a permanent crown. If the tooth cannot be saved, our dentist will inform you of the various alternatives for replacing missing teeth, such as implant-supported restorations and bridges.

Being Prepared for a Dental Emergency

Because a dental emergency can happen at any time and place, the best thing to do is be prepared and don’t panic. Pack and keep with you a small dental first aid kit containing the following:

• Small container with a lid
• Name and phone number of your dentist
• Acetaminophen (not aspirin or ibuprofen because they can act as a blood thinner and cause excessive bleeding during a dental emergency).
• Gauze
• Handkerchief

Frequently Asked Questions