Emergencies

We treat:

  • Toothache
  • Broken tooth
  • Dislodged tooth
  • Loss of a dental crown
  • Accidents to teeth
  • Loss of a dental filling
  • Something caught between your teeth
  • Sports injuries to teeth or gums
  • General dental problems

Toothache Pain Relief

Toothache is defined as pain around the teeth or jaws. Toothaches can be caused by a variety of factors, including cavities, gum disease, cracked or broken teeth, exposed roots, chewing muscle spasms and jaw joint disease. A thorough examination that includes x-rays can help determine the cause.

Abscess Treatment

An abscess is a collection of pus that has accumulated in response to bacteria, parasites or other foreign materials. It is a defensive reaction of the body to prevent the spread of infection. Abscess treatment typically involves draining the pus and prescribing antibiotics.

Emergency Extractions

A dental extraction is the removal of a tooth from the mouth. If tooth decay has destroyed so much tooth structure as to prevent restoration, then an extraction may be required. Extractions may also be done to remove impacted wisdom teeth or for aesthetic reasons.

Emergency Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment refers to the cleaning out of the infected pulp of a heavily decayed tooth and the replacement of the pulp with a material that seals the tooth so the infection cannot get back in. Root canal treatment is done in order to cure the infection and save the tooth.

Kennedy Dental (day clinic)

If you happen to become our patient at our regular day time clinic, we do wait for insurance payments but please note any differences not covered by your insurance will have to be paid in full by yourself. (E.g.: insurance only covers 80%, you must cover 20%).

Dental Injury

Dentists refer to a knocked-out tooth as an "avulsed" tooth. This is one of the most serious dental emergencies for permanent teeth. However, the damage can be fixed. If you act quickly, there's a good chance the tooth can be saved.

Injured Tooth: What Should I Do?

How Do I Know if I Need Treatment?

As with any trauma to the mouth, you should consult with your dentist immediately to determine if treatment is required. The dentist will examine the affected area and may take X-rays.

If you are in pain from a broken, cracked or chipped tooth, you may want to take an over-the-counter pain reliever. If possible, keep any part of the tooth that has broken off and take this with you to the dentist.

If a tooth is completely knocked out of the mouth by an injury, take the tooth to your dentist as soon as possible. It may be possible for your tooth to be placed back into your mouth, a procedure called reimplantation.

How Does a Dentist Treat a:

Chipped tooth - If there is no pain and the chip is small, it's up to you to decide if, when and how the tooth should be repaired. Depending on the size of the chip, it can be smoothed or cosmetically corrected. Other options include veneers, crowns and fillings. Ask your dentist to explain these options. If a filling or artificial tooth becomes chipped, it should be replaced.

Cracked or broken tooth - Cracked and broken teeth should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent further damage. Root canal therapy or tooth extraction may be necessary. If a crack affects the enamel and dentin of the tooth, a crown is frequently the best treatment. Keep in mind that cracks are not always visible, even on X-rays. Symptoms may involve pain while chewing and Sensitivity to cold and possibly hot foods and liquids, as well as air, which may over time become more pronounced.

Tooth knocked out - The key to successfully reattaching a tooth is to get it reimplanted in the socket as soon as possible. With each minute that passes, more of the cells on the root of the tooth die. If possible, rinse the tooth with water only, then reimplant the tooth at the site and hurry to a dentist as quickly as possible. The tooth should be picked up by the crown only and must not be allowed to dry. The best chance for success is reimplantation within the first 30 minutes, with chances still good for up to two hours. It may be necessary for your dentist to do a Root canal treatment one to two weeks after the tooth has been stabilized.

Permanently lost teeth, whether they've been removed by a dentist or accidentally knocked out, should be replaced. This is to avoid problems such as difficulty chewing and speaking, a shifting of position among remaining teeth, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders caused by chewing on the side with more teeth, and a weakening of the jawbone. Options for replacing lost teeth include bridges, dentures and implants.

Broken jaw - If you suspect you or someone else has a broken jaw, do not move it. The jaw should be secured in place with a handkerchief, necktie or towel tied around the jaw and over the top of the head. Cold compresses should be used to reduce swelling, if present. Go immediately to a hospital emergency room.

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What You Can Do

When a tooth has been knocked out, the nerves, blood vessels and supporting tissues are damaged, too. The nerves and blood vessels can't be repaired. That is why all avulsed teeth will need a root canal. However, the bone can reattach to the root of the tooth once it's put back into place.

The odds of saving a tooth are highest in young children, but adult teeth can be saved as well. Only permanent teeth should be re-implanted.

It is important to get to the dentist as quickly as possible after a tooth has been knocked out. It is also important to avoid damaging the tooth even more.

Follow these suggestions to improve the chances of saving your tooth:

Handle the tooth carefully. Try not to touch the root (the part of the tooth that was under the gum). It can be damaged easily.

If the tooth is dirty, hold it by the upper part (the crown) and rinse it with milk. If you don't have any milk, rinse it with water. Don't wipe it off with a washcloth, shirt or other fabric. This could damage the tooth.

Keep the tooth moist. Drop it into a glass of milk. If you can't do this, place the tooth in your mouth, between the cheek and gum. A young child may not be able to safely "store" the tooth in his or her mouth without swallowing it. Instead, have the child spit into a cup. Place the tooth in the cup with the saliva. If nothing else is available, place the tooth in a cup of water. The most important thing is to keep the tooth moist.

Try slipping the tooth back into its socket. In many cases, it will slip right in. Make sure it's facing the right way. Don't try to force it into the socket. If it doesn't go back into place easily and without pressure, then just keep it moist (in milk, saliva or water) and get to the dentist as soon as you can.

If the tooth is intact (not broken in pieces), it is always a good idea to try to save it.

What Your Dentist Will Do

Putting the tooth back in place sometimes can be simple. Other times it can be complicated, such as when the tooth or bone is broken. Your dentist will use water to flush debris from the socket. Then he or she will slip the tooth back into place. It is most important to re-implant the tooth as soon as possible. Ideally, this should occur within the hour of the accident.

The dentist may perform a root canal right away, or may wait. The best course to take will depend upon how long the tooth was out of the mouth and other factors. In any case, the dentist will splint the avulsed tooth to the teeth on either side with a soft wire and/or composite material. This will be used to hold the tooth in place for several days. Your dentist will decide how long the splint should remain.

If the bone around the tooth was not fractured, the root usually will reattach firmly to the bone in about three to four weeks. More damage to the area may require six to eight weeks of repair time.

Your dentist should examine the tooth again in three to six months. Unless there are signs of infection, the next visit will occur at your yearly checkup. The dentist will follow up for the next two to three years to ensure that the tooth re-implanted successfully.

Kennedy Dental
49 Hillcrest Ave. # 102
Brampton, ON
L6W 4V4

905-453-2440
905-453-0184

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Mon 10am - 6pm*,
Tue - Thur 10am - 8pm*,
Fri 10am - 7pm*,
Sat 10am - 7pm*,
Sun 10am - 4pm*

After hours please call us at 905-453-2440

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 365 DAYS
We accept walk-in emergencies.

*Hours may vary between offices.