Whether it's a sporting accident, abscessed teeth infection or lost crowns and veneers, contact Geelong Smile Studio today. Please call us on 5221 6610 or 0474 235 313.
Trauma and Sporting Accidents
Sporting accidents are the most common cause of preventable dental injury. Fortunately today, the virtues of wearing a well fitting customized mouth guard fitted by a dentist are well known. However, it is often at sports training, rather than the actual game where dental trauma is more prevalent. Mouth guards are fantastic at absorbing and spreading the impact of a blow to the face, however, accidents still occur.
In the case of an accident and a tooth is damaged or knocked out, it is important to contact Geelong Smile Studio immediately.
Abscessed Teeth and Infections
The presence of a ‘pimple’ on the gum, and/or unrelenting or spontaneous pain may be a sign that you have an abscessed tooth. Commonly, the tooth will be heavily restored, decayed or may exude a strong odour or bad taste. This severely infected tooth requires immediate treatment. Once we have examined the tooth with several tests and a radiograph, all your options for the tooth will be discussed. Our immediate goal in any case, will be to get you out of discomfort as soon as possible.
Lost Crowns and Veneers
If you have had crowns and/or veneers in the past and these crowns have come off the tooth, please contact Geelong Smile Studio to have the tooth assessed. Provided there has been no breakages and the supporting tooth is intact, often the crown/veneer can be treated and recemented. Please remember to treat these crowns/veneers with great care since they are extremely fragile when not bonded to the underlying tooth.
The most common reasons that a crown or veneer has debonded from the underlying tooth is due to porcelain breakage or damage to the underlying tooth (tooth has decayed). This will require a thorough assessment and discussion of your future treatment options. In the meantime, avoid cold/hot stimulants and avoid biting hard on the tooth, which could further weaken and damage the tooth.
Frequently asked questions
If a deciduous (baby) tooth is knocked out, it is important NOT to reinsert the tooth. Minimal damage to a baby tooth can be restored or smoothed if necessary.
If a permanent (adult) tooth is chipped, find the fragment, store in a cup of milk and contact Geelong Smile Studio. We will restore the tooth that day.
If a permanent (adult) tooth has been knocked out, it is important to locate the tooth. Once you have found the tooth, how you handle the knocked out tooth is essential to the future success of the tooth.
Only handle the tooth by the crown i.e. the visible white part of the tooth that is normally seen in the mouth. Touching the root of the tooth will damage the ligament cells still attached to the root. If the root of the tooth is dirty, ask the patient to gently suck the root clean. If the patient is not conscious, rinse the tooth in Saliva, Milk or Saline – never use water, which will kill the ligament cells on the root.
Ultimately, the shorter the time the tooth is out of the mouth and the more carefully the tooth is handled, the better the chance of the replanted tooth being successful upon re-placement in the mouth. Once the tooth has been replanted (with the tooth the correct way around), hold in place with a tissue and contact Geelong Smile Studio immediately, where the tooth will be stabilised with a flexible splint.
If you are unable to re-plant the tooth back into the socket, store the tooth in a cup of milk or get the patient to hold the tooth in their mouth next to their cheek. Contact Geelong Smile Studio, where you will be attended to promptly.