Emergency Dentist
Orland Park, IL
 Our dentists at Orland Dental Care offer emergency services for accidents that have caused dental trauma where a timely response is required to treat injuries to the teeth and mouth. Effective management is key in these circumstances and our specialists have the necessary expertise to stabilize your injury and improve the chances of a successful outcome. We also see children for pediatric dental emergencies, as well as treat orthodontic emergencies.
What Is Dental Trauma?
Dental emergencies, or dental trauma, is typically caused by accidents, including sporting injuries and falls, as well as acts of violence, such as fighting. It is a physical injury to the teeth, gums, alveolar bone, and soft tissues of the mouth and may include injuries to teeth, including knocked out, loose and jammed teeth, fractured jaws, and lacerations of the mouth.
What Are the Treatments for Dental Trauma?
We offer a wide range of treatments for the management of dental emergencies, but the exact treatment will very much depend on the nature of the trauma you have sustained. In some circumstances time is very much of the essence and being seen and treated by a dentist as soon as possible is paramount.
Knocked Out Teeth
You will need to act extremely quickly if your tooth is knocked out (avulsed), because the window of opportunity to save it is small, at between 30-40 minutes. The odds for saving your tooth during this time are favorable but reduce significantly after that.
If your tooth is knocked out and you can find it, pick it up carefully by the crown—not the root! If dirty, clean the tooth by rinsing it under water and place it gently back in its socket, if possible. If this is not possible, place the tooth in milk, or in your mouth next to your cheek. It is important to keep the tooth moist, but do not place it in tap water for an extended period of time as the tooth root cannot tolerate that for extended periods of time.
The dentist will place your tooth back in its socket with a splint to stabilize it. After a few weeks, the tooth may require root canal treatment to ensure its complete rehabilitation.
Root Canal Treatment
Root canal treatment may be the treatment of choice for a number of dental trauma problems, including teeth that are dislodged (luxated), if the pulp has become exposed or if injury is caused to the back teeth.
Dental crowns may be the treatment of choice if there is an injury to the top of the tooth, or to strengthen the teeth after a root canal treatment. They do help to ensure that tooth decay or infection does not arise.
Chipped or fractured teeth may be repaired with fillings, or inlays and onlays to replace a lost part of a tooth.
It may be necessary to remove a tooth completely if the tooth is seriously damaged. It is important to always have healthy teeth to ensure overall health.
Pediatric Emergencies
No matter how many precautions we take, accidents can and will happen. A dental accident can become a reality at any time. Knowing just how you should handle a situation where there is a pediatric dental emergency could mean the difference between the loss of the tooth or being able to preserve it. In the event of a dental emergency, it is imperative that your child visits with our Orland Dental Care dentists as soon as possible.
Procedures For A Dislodged Tooth
Baby teeth are designed to fall out, in due time. If they are dislodged due to an accident or blow to the face, it is important to have your child seen by our dentist. The premature loss of a baby tooth may lead to misalignment concerns if the other baby teeth start to shift into the vacated space.
Cracks In A Tooth
It should be considered to be a pediatric emergency if your child’s tooth has a crack or chip in it. This is the case even if there is no pain or discomfort, or bleeding at the site. Any damage to a tooth can result in small fissures that allow for bacteria to enter into the tooth. It could result in the rapid decay of the tooth if not treated in a timely manner.
Rinsing out the mouth, using warm water, can help to keep it clean. Ice packs applied to the exterior of the cheek can help with swelling. An appointment should be made for your child to be seen by our dentist when it is possible.
Emergency Orthodontic Care
One of the scariest medical emergencies is having trauma to the mouth. The pain and suffering are immediate. With blood so close to the surface of the gums there tends to be a great amount of blood associated with the injury. Thankfully, true orthodontic emergencies are not like that. The orthodontic wires and brackets are designed to remain intact for the entire length of treatment. It is important patients follow all of the guidelines given to them by dental professionals regarding their orthodontic work. These include proper brushing and flossing as well as wearing mouthguards while participating in sports. Any questions can be directed to our office.
What is an Orthodontic Emergency?
There is always a chance with metal brackets and wires that they can bend or break. Having metal wire or rough-edged metal brackets rubbing the soft tissue of the interior of the cheek or along the gums can be irritating. When addressed in the first couple of days following an emergency there are no delays in the length of treatment and no permanent damage. Whenever there is a sharp section broken off or something potentially obstructing the patient from swallowing or chewing, it is important to be seen as soon as possible.
Orland Dental Care is Your Emergency Dentist
Dental trauma often requires the expertise of dental specialists and may need a multidisciplinary approach with general dentists and dental specialists, including oral surgeons, endodontists, and prosthodontists working together to preserve the health of a tooth.
It is important that all of the team working together have an understanding of how to diagnose and treat dental injuries, particularly in the critical, emergency phase of any treatment where a coordinated effort will help the patient to receive the most effective care for a positive outcome.
Get in touch with us at Orland Dental Care if you have a dental emergency requiring timely, expert management. Call our office at 872-266-2207. |
