Our teeth are tough, but that doesn’t mean they can’t become damaged or develop concerns that cause discomfort. When you have pain and injuries in your teeth and gums, this means you need dental emergency care. In today’s blog, your Astoria, NY, dentist talks about our approach to emergency dentistry and when you should make an appointment with our team!
Common Dental Emergencies
What are examples of common dental emergencies? This could refer to sudden pain in your teeth or even an object caught between them that you cannot dislodge with floss. A cracked, chipped, or broken tooth is also a reason to see our team right away. Dental emergencies could include a tooth that is knocked-out or knocked loose, or damaged restorations, prosthetics, or orthodontics. When these situations occur, don’t panic. Instead, contact our team to schedule an appointment. Even if the issue happens outside of our normal business hours, you can call and leave a message and we will reach out to you with possible appointment times.
How to Respond
In the meantime, you can take steps to help ease discomfort and prevent complications. For example, be sure you rinse with warm water and use cloth or gauze to stem any bleeding. A cold compress to the side of your face can reduce swelling, and you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever as needed. If a tooth is broken, try to bring any pieces you can with you. If a tooth is knocked out, pick it up only by the crown, never touch the root. Place it in a sealed container of milk or salt water and bring it with you to the office.
Repairing Your Teeth
Our team will conduct a detailed examination to assess the extent of your dental emergency. We then create a treatment plan to address the issue and repair the tooth. For a minor chip, we could often repair the tooth in one visit with dental bonding. If you have a more substantial injury, then we could create and place a custom crown. Our team can also help return knocked out teeth to their proper place in your smile. To help lower the risk of injury if you play full contact sports, then talk to our team about a mouthguard.
If you have any questions about how we address dental emergencies and repair your smile, or if you need to make an appointment with our team, then contact our office today to learn more.
Schedule Your Appointment for Dental Emergency Care
Our team wants to offer repair for your cracked or chipped teeth. To schedule your next appointment with our team, contact Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS in Astoria, NY by calling 718-728-8320 today.
