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What Are Dental Practice Emergencies?

You may think that dentists only deal with cleaning teeth and filling cavities, but they actually treat many emergencies as well. Dental emergencies are common. On average, 738,000 Americans visit the hospital each year for dental pain or injuries, according to the 1997 to 2000 data analyzed by the National Center for Health Statistics. Dentists receive extra training to treat emergencies such as dental infections and trauma.

  1. Abscesses

    • Dental abscesses are infections that occur when bacteria grows inside the pulp of a tooth. They are often result from untreated cavities or poor dental hygiene. Dentists will drain the infection and perform a root canal when possible. They typically prescribe antibiotics to prevent the infection from worsening. In other cases, the dentis may have to remove the entire tooth and insert a dental bridge for patients who do not want empty space in their mouths.

    Cellulitis

    • Cellulitis is a more widespread infection that results when an abscess is not treated promptly or thoroughly enough. Cellulitis causes swelling of the jaw, mouth, throat or face, and must be treated by antibiotics. If not properly treated, the infection can become extremely serious and even travel into the patient's bloodstream. Dentists often perform a root canal surgery, drainage or remove the tooth once the swelling subsides.

    Broken Teeth

    • Broken or cracked teeth usually happen as a result of trauma, such as an injury or an accident. Dentists always try to save a tooth when possible. In the case of broken teeth, they try to prevent infection using antibiotics and root canals and repair the tooth's surface. They use fillings, bondings or crowns, depending on the severity of the break. If the tooth is destroyed, the dentist will remove it.

    Knocked-Out Teeth

    • Another common dental emergency is a knocked-out tooth as a result from an accident. This happens most frequently among children. Dentists often save the tooth and re-implant it in the gums, as long as the parents get the child and the tooth to the dentist within an hour. If it is outside of regular business hours, many emergency rooms have dentists available to treat these problems.

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