Anyone in need of an emergency dentist in Durban can schedule an appointment at the Family Dental Care Group – Queensburgh branch. Located at Medical on Main on Queensburgh’s Main Road, our rooms are fully equipped to handle pressing dental concerns.
One of the most common reasons for an urgent appointment with our emergency dentist in Queensburgh is a toothache. Several factors can cause a toothache and our emergency dentist in Queensburgh will have to physically examine your mouth to figure out what exactly is the cause of the pain. Our Queensburgh dental rooms cater for emergency visits and an urgent appointment can be scheduled to see you as soon as possible. The main reasons to see an emergency dentist in Durban for toothaches are cavities, infections, gum disease or a cracked tooth.
Cavities
Cavities are holes in the tooth caused by decay. Decay is caused by plaque. Plaque is a sticky bacteria which attached to teeth. It can be cleaned out with regular flossing and brushing, however even this may not be enough to fully remove it. Only a dentist can fully remove it with a professional cleaning which is recommended to be done twice a year. Once the cavity forms, the patient would start getting tooth sensitivity or even pain depending on how deep the cavity is. A cavity up until the second layer can be cleaned out and filled in. Our emergency dentist in Queensburgh uses the white composite filling which blends in to look just like natural teeth.
Infections
When cavities enter beyond the second layer of the tooth, an infection can occur. Infections can also occur from a crack in the tooth. Bacteria travels into the tooth all the way into the root area and the dental pulp. The pulp contains all of the nerves and blood vessels which give sensation and nutrients to the tooth. When this area becomes infected, it is extremely painful. Along with a severe toothache, patients experience bad breath, fevers and swollen gums and jaws. If left untreated, the pulp of the tooth can die and a tooth extraction is the only way forward. Infections spread pretty quickly so timing is crucial to save the tooth. An appointment must be made as soon as possible with our emergency dentist in Queensburgh to have a root canal done. The root canal treatment serves the purpose of repairing an infected tooth. Root canals have to be done in an extremely hygienic environment. Once x-rays are done to confirm an infection, our emergency dentist in Queensburgh will drill into the tooth, right into the pulp area. The diseased pulp is removed and the infection is cleaned out. Finally the tooth is filled out with the composite filling.
Root canals have a somewhat bad reputation among people for being very painful and should only be done as a last resort. While this may have been true in the past, root canals these days are virtually painless with all of the advancements in dental technology. It’s probably more painful to live with an infected tooth. As for leaving the treatment for the last minute. This is not wise. The earlier our emergency dentist in Queensburgh gets to the infection, the less likely it is to spread.
Gum Disease
Infections do not only occur in the tooth but on gums as well. Gum disease can be classified into 2 stages. The first is gingivitis. This is when tartar (hardened plaque) begins infecting the gum. The symptoms of gingivitis are bleeding, swollen gums. This is treatable with a good home cleaning regimen as well as seeing a dentist who would give a professional dental clean. The more advanced stage of gum disease is periodontitis. Here the infection spreads further into the gum line into the tissue and bone of the tooth. The infection breaks down these parts. Once that happens they will not provide support for the tooth which will eventually loosen and fall out.
Cracked Tooth
A cracked tooth happens when there is excessive chewing and teeth clinching. A crack that is above the gum line can be treated and the tooth can be saved. However if the crack extends below the gum line then it will have to be extracted. This is why it is important to see our emergency dentist in Queensburgh. A plan can immediately be put into action to save the tooth and prevent further cracking with fillings or crowns.
Chipped Tooth
Not really considered a medical emergency since the issue is mostly superficial, but nonetheless an appointment may need to be scheduled with our emergency dentist in Queensburgh if there are any upcoming important events. Having a chipped tooth is not a good sight if you will be attending a business meeting or a special function. A chipped tooth can be easily fixed by our emergency dentist in Queensburgh. White composite is the filling of choice by our emergency dentist in Queensburgh as it is safe and has no harmful after effects on the tooth and mouth. This type of filling is a mixture of glass particles and plastic materials. The mixture can be adapted to match the exact colour of the chipped tooth which is a major benefit especially with front chipped teeth. The dentist will then place this mixture onto the chipped tooth. At this stage the material is still very pliable and the dentist can shape it to look just as it was before being chipped. A blue light will then be used over the filling, which will then harden because of the chemical reaction from the light. Once the filling hardens, the dentist will scale and polish the tooth. Composite material is very strong once it hardens and you would have what looks like a normal tooth once the process is complete. Fillings are only done after the area around the tooth has been completely numbed. Numbing can be done with a local anaesthetic which is medicine that is injected into the gum. Another option is conscious sedation which blocks the pain of the procedure while sending the patient into a state of deep relaxation. It is normally used for extra nervous patients. The latter option may not be available during an emergency visit as it will have to be administered by an anaesthetist who will have to be called in, in advance.