A dental emergency may involve pain, sensitivity, chips, fractures, infections, and even swelling. Whatever your situation, Dr. Pasha and his team are focused on treating your dental emergency to make sure you feel better in no time.
Pain can vary from minor sensitivity to outright intolerable. Spontaneous pain without any particular stimulus may indicate a chronic issue with the tooth such as a possible infection or loss of vitality in the nerve of the tooth. Describing details of any pain you are experiencing helps Dr. Pasha assess your situation and provide the best treatment possible.
Temperature changes can sometimes cause tooth sensitivity, however depending on the temperature, causes can vary.
Heat Sensitivity
Heat sensitivity typically indicates a cavity, or a fracture, or a damaged nerve.
Cold Sensitivity
Cold sensitivity indicates tooth irritation and could be a result of: a fracture or trauma; a cavity or recent filling; or clenching and/or grinding. Sinus inflammation or infection can also cause cold sensitivity.
If the sensitivity is severe, or if the discomfort lasts more than a minute once the cold stimulus has been removed, this could indicate that the nerve of your tooth may be inflamed.
Pressure Sensitivity
Discomfort may not be related to temperature and could be caused by pressure on a single tooth. Pressure sensitivity may indicate a possible fracture or a chronic issue with the nerve or the underlying bone tissue surrounding the root of the tooth.
A chip or a fracture of a tooth can occur from a range of activities including sports injury, biting nails, and chewing ice. Chips or fractures can also occur from actions you may be unaware of such as nighttime grinding or teeth clenching.
Sensitivity may not occur as it depends on the size of the chip and if the denitin (internal part of the tooth) is exposed. Smaller chips may be resolved with a filling to replace the missing tooth structure. Larger fractures might require dental restorations such as a crown or onlay to ensure long term protection of your tooth.
Dental swelling is often a result of chronic issues that were untreated. Dental swelling occurs within the tissues inside or outside of the mouth and can be accompanied by a bad taste. You may also experience a low grade fever as a result of dental swelling. Dental swelling could spread and become dangerous if not addressed immediately.
Dr. Pasha conducts an examination which sometimes includes a dental x-ray to inform his diagnosis and provide the necessary treatments to help relieve your pain.
