Emergency Dental Care

If you experience a dental emergency, be sure to call our practice as soon as possible. If you need immediate attention after hours, call our emergency phone number and our on-call staff member will help you. If you are unable to reach our office during an emergency, dial 911.

We are here to help you, any time, any day. When your dental health is at risk, we will do everything we can to make sure that you're treated as soon as possible. While dental emergencies are rare, they can happen, and it's important to know how to take care of your teeth no matter what. Common dental emergencies include:

• Broken or cracked tooth/teeth
• Broken jaw
• Permanent tooth knocked out
• Object caught between teeth
• Severe toothache

Sports dentistry is the prevention and treatment of dental injuries and related oral diseases, as well as the sharing of information and equipment designed to help protect the teeth, mouth, jaw, and face of athletes of all ages. Injuries to the teeth and mouth are common among athletes. It's important to protect your child's smile if he or she plays sports, for aesthetics as well as health reasons.

Common Dental Injuries in Sports

Tooth knocked out:

• Time is the most important factor when trying to save a tooth, so get to your dentist as soon as possible. In general, there is a 30-minute window of opportunity to re-implant the tooth in the socket.
• Do not try to re-implant the tooth yourself.
• The best liquid to transport a tooth in is cold milk. If milk is not available, use saliva (if possible), saline, or if nothing else is available, water.
• Don't let the tooth dry out and don't wrap it in anything.
• Don't touch the tooth root if you can avoid it.

Tooth chipped/cracked:

• Your dentist will likely use an X-ray of the tooth to determine the treatment necessary.
• For a serious chip that exposes the pulp of the tooth, get to your dentist as soon as possible.
• If a tooth is chipped or cracked, sometimes the tooth can be fixed with a filling or bonding alone.
• Sometimes a tooth is cracked or chipped in a way affecting the nerve of the tooth, and a more complicated treatment may be needed.

Tooth displaced:

• If a tooth is moved due to trauma, see your dentist as soon as possible.
• Do not try to move the tooth back on your own.
• For any mouth discomfort before you get to the dentist, apply ice.

Preventing Injury

One of the best ways to prevent injury to your child's teeth and mouth is to have him or her to wear a mouthguard while playing sports. There are several types of mouthguards to choose from, and your doctor can help you choose the best one for your child's particular needs.