Frequently asked questions about emergency treatment provided at Soft Touch Endodontics.
As an endodontist, Dr. Darlene Davis is uniquely qualified to safely and successfully perform highly specialized procedures. These procedures resolve conditions affecting the innermost tooth structure (pulp). Individuals throughout Georgia from Gwinnett county, Suwanee, and other areas and even other dental professionals turn to us, at Soft Touch Endodontics, for advanced, precise, painless, and predictable specialty and emergency care.
Diseases and trauma to the interior of a tooth can result in pain, swelling, and other concerning symptoms. These symptoms may lead to the need for prompt treatment. We adeptly and quickly relieve distressing symptoms and resolve the underlying cause of dental emergencies.
Dr. Davis and our team are happy to answer some of your “Frequently Asked Questions” related to emergency care within a comfortable, specialty setting.
What qualifies as a “dental emergency”?
The emergencies that we see are not limited to any one type of condition or series of symptoms. Generally, as a practice specializing in endodontics, we see those patients with damage to the innermost tooth structure (pulp tissue). Damage can be caused by injuries, trauma, and dental disease (such as advanced tooth decay).
What causes these emergencies?
Any time the pulp becomes damaged, inflamed, or infected, it can threaten the health and structural integrity of the tooth. Diseases like decay or gum disease may cause this damage. These disease processes occur over time. Likewise, some types of cracks can cause deep inflammation or infection. A tooth may also become dislodged or avulsed (knocked out) due to an accident or sports-related injury. Such acute trauma can harm the pulp and result in the need for endodontic treatment.
Are there symptoms that I should watch for?
Yes! Fractured, deeply decayed, and injured teeth can cause persistent and increasingly painful sensitivity. This may be most noticeable when consuming hot, cold, or sweet foods and beverages. Patients with severely damaged teeth may also notice sharp and jarring pain when biting down. This intense pain can linger. A severe infection, known as an “abscess,” is characterized by swelling that can spread to other spaces or parts of the mouth and face.
I think I may need emergency care. What should I do?
Call Soft Touch Endodontics inSuwanee, GA, immediately at (770) 501-4645. We will accommodate your needs ASAP. We can also provide ways to ease the pain and other symptoms from the comfort of home in the meantime. The conditions discussed here do not get better or resolve without intervention. They require advanced and prompt care. Dr. Davis may be able to preserve your tooth by treating the damaged pulp. Treatments include nonsurgical root canal therapy, root canal retreatment (for those whose teeth have failed to heal after root canal therapy), and surgical endodontic treatment such as root-end resection or apicoectomy.