EMERGENCIES
Are you suffering from tooth ache? Do you have a broken tooth?
Broken and sore teeth can disrupt your ability to eat, drink and smile comfortably. Taking pain killers for long periods of time may be detrimental to your health.
If you've been putting up with a broken or sore tooth, don't put it off any longer - make an appointment to see one of our dental team today.
Our dentists will assess your tooth and discuss your options and help you to decide what's best for you.
Common solutions to broken teeth and sore teeth are fillings, root canal treatment, or tooth extraction.
To assess your condition, the dentist will need to inspect the area, and usually perform some tests. Digital radiography (x-rays) is a very useful tool to see what's going on inside the tooth and under the gum - where the dentist is unable to see just by looking. Other tests will also be performed during your assessment to determine the most likely cause of your problem. These tests include checking to see if the nerve inside the tooth is healthy, if the gums are healthy, or if there are cracks within your tooth.
My tooth is killing me - just rip it out!
If this sounds like what you're experiencing then the nerve inside your tooth may be dying or infected. If this is the case an extraction may be beneficial. Removing a dead and infected tooth removes the source of the problem, which are bugs inside your tooth. Most extractions take 5-7 days to heal.
Sometimes, if the nerve is dying or dead inside the tooth and you want to try and keep your tooth there is a way - this is called root canal treatment. Root canal treatment removes the bugs causing the infection in the nerve space of your tooth - no bugs means no pain and no infection.
Root canals are more than just simple fillings. There are certain pre-requisites for a tooth to be eligible for a root canal treatment. Your dentist will be able to discuss these with you.
My tooth is sharp! Food keeps getting stuck between my teeth - every time I eat something I have to clean it out!
Aside from being annoying, sharp teeth and food getting stuck could be an indication that there is something more sinister going on. Imagine food left outside the fridge for a few days - it goes smelly and rotten - food getting stuck between your teeth could make your teeth smelly and rotten too!
Flossing is a great way to help prevent decay between your teeth, but if the food is getting stuck often the decay (rot) is already present.
A filling may be the smart solution for your toothache and will stop the food getting stuck - it'll soften that sharp edge cutting your tongue and cheeks too.