We know how painful, inconvenient and overwhelming dental emergencies can be.  We  are able to accommodate emergencies on the same day you call in most situations. In the event that an emergency occurs outside of normal business hours, please call our office and leave a message.  Dr. Grayson will quickly respond to your emergency.
We are sure you will find our office caring and comfortable, so that your problem can be dealt with easily and quickly.

The emergencies we most often see:

Pain

Pain is the body’s way of letting us know that there is a problem. If there is tooth pain, it will usually mean that there is some difficulty in the tooth that needs to addressed.  This can range from a simple filling to much more involved treatment. The only way to be sure is to have the tooth evaluated. This almost always entails an X-ray and an examination of the painful area.  Once that is done, a proper course of treatment can be determined and the pain relieved.

Swelling

Swelling is an indication that there is an infection or abscess present. This situation, left untreated, can result in serous and potentially life-threatening consequences.  Sometimes the cause of this swelling comes from an infected or abscessed tooth. The only way to accurately determine this cause is by an evaluation with an examination and X-ray of the involved area. The pulp (commonly referred to as  the nerve) of the tooth has responded to some harmful stimulus and has become infected. This can range from a deep cavity, to a broken filling,  or to other causes. This swelling is usually treated by giving oral anti-biotics and treating the tooth with a root canal treatment. This procedure will remove all remnants of the pulp, as well as any infected materiel, and fill in the empty space where the pulp was with a rubbery sealant material.  If the tooth is very broken down, or the infection is very serious ,  removal of the tooth may be required.

Broken Tooth

Before

After ( Same Appointment)

If a tooth is broken, it can often be repaired right away(see photos above).  If the fracture is not too large, the tooth can be bonded in one visit in the office, and the repair is virtually identical to the natural tooth. Any sharp edges are smoothed over and then a tooth colored material is bonded to the tooth using very strong adhesives. This usually requires little or no drilling of the tooth.
If the break is larger, a crown will usually be required. The tooth will be prepared to receive a crown, and then  temporized during the period of time that the laboratory requires to make the crown. Once the crown is placed, it cannot be distinguished from a natural tooth .  For more information of dental crowns, click here.

Knocked-Out Tooth

If a permanent tooth is knocked out of the mouth it is imperative to get it treated immediately. Retrieve the tooth, but do not try to clean off any debris. Take it and put it in a small container and cover it with milk or water. Come into the office without delay. In many cases, especially in children, the tooth can be reimplanted, stabilized, and, assuming adequate bone support, it often will reattach and heal.