When a person selects a dental practice it is a good idea for them to check how that practice handles dental emergencies. Because dental pain is a symptom of a serious infection or injury, an emergency dentist in Long Island will see patients within a few hours. If it’s during the day, the office manager will make room in the schedule. If the emergency happens in the middle of the night, an emergency dentist is available 24 hours day. The dentist will examine the patient and take digital x-rays to diagnose the problem.
Serious infections in the tooth root are very painful, because of the large number of nerves in that region. The infection causes the root area to swell and that irritates nerve endings. If the x-ray shows that the root has split or cracked, then the tooth will have to be removed. The thought of having a tooth pulled out scares most people. Powerful anesthetics are used to numb the entire jaw. The patient will feel nothing but pressure, as the dentist removes the tooth. However, sedation dentistry is available for very nervous patients. The dentist may prescribe antibiotics to help clear up the infection.
If the tooth root is still intact, then the Emergency dentist in Long Island can perform a root canal to save the tooth. Many patients fear that this is also a painful procedure. They don’t need to worry about pain because the same anesthetics that make a tooth extraction painless are used during a root canal. A root canal used to require two or three office visits. They can now be performed in only one visit. This includes restoring the top of the tooth.
If a person breaks their tooth, they may not consider this an emergency. However, they should contact their dentist immediately. If it is left untended, then bacteria can seep into the tooth. This can quickly lead to tooth decay. A dentist can use resin to easily patch the tooth. They begin with a resin shade that closely matches the tooth. If necessary, they can use tints and dyes to more closely match the tooth. When the tooth hardens, the patch will blend in with the existing tooth. The person’s tooth will look great and be protected from decay. The sooner an emergency dentist is seen, the better the chance of keeping the problem as small as possible.