When You Need an Emergency Dentist (and How They’ll Help)

The last thing that anyone wants to spend too much time thinking about is an emergency or crisis. Having said that, one of the first things that any family should do upon settling in a new community is to prepare themselves for dealing with dental emergencies that arise. 

The purpose of this article is three-fold: to help you and your family to identify dental issues that should be handled like an emergency; to encourage you to find and learn the number and address of a nearby emergency dentist in West Edmonton, and to help you to understand how an emergency dental clinic near you will help if any of these unfortunate situations arise.

What is a dental emergency?

● See an emergency dentist at a dental office in West Edmonton if you have the symptoms of an infection in your mouth: swelling, fever and/or foul discharge into your mouth

● Go to an emergency dental clinic near you if you have a broken tooth. 

● Unexplained, persistent, and worsening toothaches can indicate gum disease, infections, or an abscessed tooth.

● Any sudden onset of a toothache or pain in your mouth

● If you have continuous bleeding gums, especially with any swelling and pain, you need to see an emergency dentist near you

● Some causes of swelling in your mouth and jaw can be extremely serious —infection, swollen lymph nodes, and even cancer. An emergency dentist can determine if your swelling is serious and act quickly if required

● If you have a metallic taste in your mouth, which can mean you have a loose filling or crown that can be a gilded invitation to infection and cavities

● If the colour of any tissues in your mouth — gums, for example — are changing

● If one tooth suddenly becomes much darker than neighbouring teeth

What will an emergency dentist do?

In an emergency situation, the on-call emergency staff at a dental clinic near you will have four main priorities. 

Easing pain. Extreme or persistent pain is one of the most common triggers that drive people to contact an emergency dentist. Relieving you of that pain will be one of the emergency dentist’s first priorities.

Reducing swelling. Inflammation is an indication that your body is responding to an infection. Oral infections can cause swelling in your mouth, face, neck and throat. In addition to easing your pain, your dentist will treat the infection and seek to reduce the inflammation it is causing.

Eliminating infections. Treating an infection that is causing that inflammation can be done in a couple of different ways depending on how serious that infection is. An emergency dentist will almost certainly prescribe antibiotics medications, but may also remove infected material from your mouth before it can spread to and affect other tissues in your body. Many people don’t find themselves at an emergency dentist until their oral infection or injury has gotten quite serious. In that case, the dentist has two simultaneous priorities: doing what they can to treat the oral issue and preventing it from becoming so serious as to spread beyond your mouth. 

Rescuing teeth. Suffering a broken or dislodged tooth in a sporting incident or motor vehicle accident, for example, is another reason that many people contact emergency dentists. Depending on the condition of your tooth and how quickly you get to a dental clinic in West Edmonton, it may be possible to save your tooth. Your emergency dentist will prioritize saving teeth, when possible, in order to eliminate the need for further and more complex procedures down the road.

Now that you’ve read this, please take the time to look up the number of a local emergency dental clinic like Westside Family Dental and put that number in your phone or on your fridge. And don’t take this the wrong way, but we kinda hope we’ll never hear from you at that number. 

Everything You Need to Know About Dental Bonding

 

Given the immense popularity of cosmetic dentistry procedures like teeth whitening, porcelain veneers, dental crowns and Invisalign, it’s easy to overlook what is perhaps the most accessible entry-level cosmetic procedure for making subtle but transformative changes to your smile — dental bonding.

What is dental bonding?

Dental bonding in West Edmonton involves the targeted application of small amounts of composite resin materials to fix and hide flaws that detract from the appearance of one or more teeth. The composite is a durable plastic-like material in the form of a putty that has been selected to blend naturally with the colour of your own dental enamel. Once the composite has been placed, your dentist in West Edmonton will harden the material with a special light before trimming and polishing it to blend imperceptibly with your own tooth material.

When is dental bonding used?

Considering how inexpensive it is and how quickly it can be performed — just one appointment and perhaps 30 to 60 minutes per tooth being perfected — dental bonding near you is a stunningly versatile weapon in your cosmetic dentist’s arsenal. With dental bonding, the staff at your dental clinic in West Edmonton can:

• To restore chipped material
• To repair cracks in your enamel
• To cover discolorations, especially discolorations that can’t be bleached away (such as discoloration caused by injury, infection or medication-related side effects)
• To fill gaps between widely gapped or inconsistently spaced teeth
• To lengthen a short tooth or to change the shape of a tooth

Dental bonding is so versatile that it can also achieve important restorative dentistry objectives, not just cosmetic ones. The composites used in dental bonding can also fill cavities (without the use of glaringly obvious amalgam or silver fillings) and cover roots exposed by receding gums due to periodontal disease to reduce sensitivity.

Dental bonding is an ideal option for achieving small cosmetic alterations and repairing minor flaws and damages in teeth not exposed to significant bite pressures. Because composite material is not as strong or durable as natural enamel, bonding is not appropriate for long-term correction of significant structural damage or repairs to molars exposed to the highest bite pressure in your mouth.

Because the composite resins used in dental bonding are less stain-resistant than porcelain used in veneers and crowns, and because the resins can chip and break from a tooth, bonding is best considered as a temporary solution for relatively minor flaws. To preserve the lifespan of bonded surfaces, you should avoid: biting fingernails or other hard objects; chewing on ice or pens; using your teeth as tools or to tear open packages; and grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw.

If you grind your teeth or clench your jaw as you sleep, you may have a medical condition called sleep bruxism that you should discuss with a dentist near you. Your dentist may be able to provide you with a nightguard to protect your teeth and dental work from damage and to alleviate some symptoms of sleep bruxism that can include muscle soreness and jaw pain.

Well-maintained dental bonding can last for between three and 10 years before needing to be touched up or removed and replaced. If the bonding material begins to erode for any reason, you may notice a sharp edge or snag along the perimeter of the bonded area when you run your tongue over it. If you do notice such a flaw, get in touch with your dentist right away.

Whether you are looking for a temporary fix to minor issues while you investigate or prepare for more permanent solutions or simply want the quickest and cheapest cosmetic dentistry option available, there are lots of reasons to consider dental bonding. Contact a dentist near you to find out how bonding can help you achieve your goals.

Truths You Need to Know About Root Canals

Too many people live with tooth infections for too long because they believe too many outdated myths about dental treatment and procedures — especially root canal treatment near you. The symptoms of serious tooth infections are no picnic — extreme pain and sensitivity, foul tastes and pus in your mouth, bad breath, inability to eat and chew naturally, swelling, and more — and an infection that is left in place for too long leads only to two places: infections throughout your body and having teeth pulled.

But there’s good news! Those root canals that too many people have shunned and avoided are not the complex and painful procedures that they may have been a generation ago. Thanks to constantly ongoing developments in techniques, technologies, therapies and medications, root canals are painless procedures for rescuing patients from infection and saving teeth from unnecessary extractions. Here are some straight truths about undergoing a root canal in West Edmonton that you need to know to make decisions about your health.

They are not painful

In the dusty and long-gone era of dentistry that predates sedation dentistry, laser dentistry, advanced anesthetics, and effective pain relief strategies, root canal was a painful and complex procedure. Today, though, root canal is a painless procedure that doesn’t cause pain, but can eliminate pain while ensuring the complete removal of potentially dangerous infections.

Yes, they eliminate pain… but more than that

Pain is a common symptom of a badly infected tooth, but is not present in every case. In fact, the absence of pain can be a symptom of an infection so serious that the nerve and formerly living tissues in your tooth have died. Determining whether you would benefit from a root canal procedure involves considering a lot of factors. Some of them, you can observe for yourself:

●     unusual sensitivity

●     tenderness under pressure

●     changes in the colour of the tooth

●     changes in the height of a tooth

●     the appearance of pimple-like bumps on your gums

●     and a foul taste or smell in your mouth.

Your dentist in West Edmonton may be able to confirm the need to undergo root canal treatment near you in other ways that you won’t be able to notice yourself, using temperature tests and percussion testing as well as detailed imaging. All of these symptoms and confirming factors can be present without significant pain.

It’s probably a permanent solution

Yes, there are rare situations when root canal treatment is not completely successful and must be repeated to ensure the complete elimination of infection. In the vast majority of situations, though, root canal treatment is long-lasting and potentially permanently successful — especially once the treated tooth is protected with a crown to provide structural support and a shield against penetration by bacteria.

Getting your tooth pulled is not a good alternative

Sometimes an infection is so serious that having the tooth pulled is the only reasonable next step. Your dentist will carefully review the health of your tooth, gums and mouth to decide if your situation has reached that point. Don’t worry, your dentist won’t pull your tooth unless it’s absolutely necessary. Why?

A tooth extraction can be an invasive, stressful and traumatic procedure that can increase the risk that harmful bacteria can enter your bloodstream. An extracted tooth also has to be replaced one way or another. Implants, partial dentures and bridges are all good options for replacing an extracted tooth, but they all involve additional expenses and procedures. A well-timed and successful root canal procedure by your dentist in West Edmonton can save your natural tooth and eliminate any need to worry about tooth replacements.

Decisions about your health and well-being should be made based on facts, not myths. To find out whether root canal therapy at a dentist near you is right for your situation, contact a dentist in West Edmonton about the health of your teeth. 

What to Do in Case of Dental Emergencies

Dental problems can be like a ticking time bomb for your oral health. If you experience any pain or discomfort, it's important to know if emergency care is required so that things don't intensify and get worse over time. Some less serious issues that could still be managed are toothaches, chipped teeth, pain from crowns - but an issue like a fallen-out tooth is an emergency issue.

Are Toothaches Also A Sign Of Dental Emergencies?

A toothache can sometimes be a sign of something more serious. It might signify you have an infection or tooth decay, but it might not be necessary to see your dentist immediately. If this has happened before and there isn't anything visibly wrong with your teeth, then simply taking over-the-counter pain relievers may do just fine until morning, when we will contact an emergency dentist in West Edmonton for scheduling an appointment if needed.

Some Of The Common Dental Emergencies Issues

It is important to know when you should seek emergency care for your teeth. Some examples of dental emergencies include a bad toothache, an injury in which you have knocked out one or more teeth, and an infection spread from the mouth into other parts of the body (also known as an abscess).

When you're suffering from dental pain, make sure to see a dentist near you. They can help diagnose the problem and talk about solutions that are available to fix it.

Talk with your dentist when experiencing painful oral health issues such as cuts, trauma including lost teeth, and other damages like chipped enamel on top front tooth surfaces.

What Should I Do If I Have A Dental Emergency?

Is your tooth hurting? If so, immediately call the dentist! It is important not to wait for hours before going in. You could get more urgent care at an after-hours emergency center or go straight into an emergency dentist in West Edmonton if you are injured seriously enough - do what will make things better faster!

How Do I Know If My Dental Issue Is A Dental Emergency?

The most common dental emergencies include knocked-out teeth, mouth injuries, and abscesses. You should consult an emergency dentist if you experience any of these problems because the consequences can be serious without treatment.

When it comes to your dental health, the damage is irreversible if you don't take care of serious injuries.

The wire on braces, if broken, can cause a dental emergency, which is why it's important to have your dentist inspect them.

Contact a dentist near you for further instructions about what action should be taken when there's an injury such as these!

If A Dental Accident Occurs, What Steps Should I Take Before I Get To A Dentist?

If you ever experience tooth pain, don't be scared. You may have just lost a tooth and need to see your dentist for the next steps in saving it as soon as possible! While waiting to see the dentist, the following may be helpful:

1. Keep an eye on any bleeding by spitting out blood while trying not to swallow it (or spit into anything other than the toilet).

2. Place gauze pads over the areas where there is tooth loss - make sure they are secure but don't apply too much pressure. This might help prevent swelling before reaching your dentist's office.

3. Take ibuprofen if experiencing pain for quicker relief.

4. Then rinse your mouth thoroughly afterward.

In a dental emergency, it can be difficult to know what steps you should take. If your tooth becomes severely damaged or broken, contact Westside Family Dental immediately to assess and determine how best to proceed to provide you adequate care.

Signs That Your Dental Crown Needs To Be Replaced

 

A dental crown is a device that completely encases one or more teeth and restores their function. It's made of porcelain, metal, acrylic resin composite material, gold alloy or other materials to match your tooth coloration. For the crown to be effective at restoring your natural smile appearance and functionality, it needs to fit properly around your tooth not to cause irritation or damage. Several signs indicate when a replacement may be needed, including changes in bite patterns which can lead to an uncomfortable sensation on chewing food; if there are cracks in the ceramic surface from grinding between teeth; root decay beneath the fitting areas on either side of the gum line and large gaps between margins of denture base plate with gum tissue. All these suggest you need to visit your dentist.

1) You feel pain when chewing

If you feel pain when chewing, it may be time to replace your dental crown. The discomfort is a sign that the tooth might have shifted and pushed against the dental crown or caused damage to its structure. If this happens, call us at Westside Family Dental today.

Dental crowns are an investment in your oral health. We provide you with the experience of a lifetime without any pain or discomfort. If you're experiencing any pain when chewing, it may mean that there is damage being done to your teeth – and you should make an appointment with a dentist in West Edmonton.

2) Your tooth feels loose

Dental crowns are designed to be extremely strong and durable. If a dental crown feels loose, it may have shifted in the mouth or become dislodged from its foundation. The tooth is most likely damaged beyond repair, which means that your best course of action would be to replace the entire crown with a new one.

3) The color of the crown has changed

Dental crowns are typically made of a metal alloy which includes some amount of gold. Over time, the color can change depending on what you eat and drink. If this happens to your dental crown, we recommend replacing it with a new one! You should schedule an appointment with a dentist near you for dental crowns in Edmonton.

Dental crowns can be expensive, so we want to see all our patients receiving the best service possible! If you notice that your dental crown has changed color, it is the right time to consider getting new dental crowns near you at the nearby clinic.

4. Your crown is more than ten years old

If your dental crown is ten years old or older, it may be time to get a new one. The wear and tear of daily life can take its toll on our teeth in many ways; the same goes for dental crowns! We recommend making an appointment with your dentist for dental crowns near you so that they can examine you during your next checkup.

Check In With Us Today

If you're experiencing any of the symptoms or warning signs mentioned above, it's time to schedule an appointment with your dentist. Your dental crown may be loose and need replacement. Or perhaps there is a crack in the tooth that needs attention before more damage occurs. Whatever the case, get yourself checked out as soon as possible!

Regular visits to our office will help ensure that all of your teeth are functioning properly and keep them healthy! Have you noticed any of these symptoms? Let us know so we can schedule an appointment today!

Crooked, Gapped, Chipped, Cracked and Stained Teeth Can All Be Fixed With Veneers

Your dentist has cosmetic options for addressing every flaw you perceive in your teeth. Not just addressing them, but eliminating them to give you the perfect smile you want. You won’t have to hide from cameras or shield your smile with the back of your hand in special moments. Be proud of your teeth and eager to show them off while they light up your smile and face.

• Are your teeth stained in ways that can’t be whitened? Whitening can help with that. Or crowns.
• Do your teeth have inconsistent spaces between them? Braces or Invisalign can help with that.
• Are some of your teeth longer or shorter than others? Contouring or even bonding can help with that.
• Do you have chips and cracks that detract from the appearance of your teeth? Crowns and bonding can help.

What if you’re looking for an option that is more long-lasting and stain-resistant than bonding, more cost-effective and convenient than crowns, or even a solution that can solve many or all of those problems at once. If you’re in any of those situations, ask the staff at a dental clinic in Edmonton if getting porcelain veneers near you may be the right solution.

Porcelain veneers in Edmonton can fix all sorts of flaws affecting the most visible teeth in your mouth — from minor chips to discolouration and inconsistent spacing and size. Here are the benefits of getting porcelain veneers

An incredibly versatile option

If your teeth are healthy but you just don’t like how they look, veneers can change that. Veneers are thin porcelain shells shaped like fingernails or, well, teeth. Those shells are custom-made to fit onto the surface of your flawed teeth to project the flawless profile of a tooth that closes any unsightly gaps and hides stains and discolouration that can’t be bleached away. A veneer can even be created to increase the length of a tooth that is shorter than its neighbours. What veneers do not do, though, is lend structural strength to a damaged tooth. If your tooth is weak or fractured, the staff at your dental clinic in Edmonton will recommend dental crowns rather than veneers.

Less invasive than crowns

Unless you’re a good candidate for prepless veneers, a thin layer of enamel will have to be removed from the front surface of your tooth in order for the veneer to fit properly without adding bulk. That's the downside to getting veneers, but only a tiny amount of enamel is removed. Because enamel doesn’t re-grow, though, it does mean that the tooth will always need to be covered with a veneer or crown going forward. Veneers are less invasive than getting dental crowns. Receiving a crown requires that enamel be removed from the entire surface of your tooth rather than from just the front.

Long-lasting

Porcelain veneers in Edmonton can, when placed by a qualified and professional staff at a dental clinic near you, last for 20 years as long as you do two things: take care of the health of your underlying tooth and its surrounding gums; and avoid some bad habits. If you develop gum disease adjacent to the veneered tooth or tooth decay on the unprotected surfaces of your tooth, you can lose tooth matter that will undermine the integrity of your veneer. To protect your veneer, brush and floss daily, visit your dentist every six months and get all recommended dental treatment.

Veneers don’t fix dental flaws, but they hide them. If the most prominent teeth in your mouth are healthy, but flawed, ask a dentist near you if you’re a good candidate for veneers to hide those flaws and to help you project a flawless smile.

What Happens at A Teeth Cleaning?

 

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it 100 times. Having your teeth cleaned at least annually at a dental clinic in Edmonton is essential to maintaining your oral and physical health. You’ve heard how important it is, and you may even believe it and agree. But if you’ve missed opportunities to have your teeth cleaned, are anxious about going to the dentist, or it’s been too long since you’ve seen a dentist, we hope getting detailed information about what to expect will help you to get over the hurdle. Here’s what happens at a dental cleaning in Edmonton, one step at a time.

A dental hygienist will complete a thorough examination of all surfaces in your mouth — especially your teeth and gums. 

They’ll look for any signs of tartar and plaque accumulation, inflamed gums that might suggest periodontal disease and dark spots on teeth that may suggest the development of cavities. If they notice any serious signs, symptoms or reactions, the hygienist will consult with the dentist about those concerns.

If this is your first visit — or first in a while — the dentist and their staff will take x-rays. 

Even the most thorough inspection by a hygienist can not see beneath your skin. X-rays can. Today, digital x-rays expose patients to far less radiation than traditional x-rays and can be magnified, saved, shared and transmitted nearly instantly while helping your dentist to identify issues relating to tooth movements, bone loss, tumours, cysts, wisdom teeth, alignment issues and jaw development.

Plaque and tartar, be gone! 

The dental hygienist at a dental clinic near you will use a precise tool — a scaler — to remove plaque and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth, from between teeth and along the line of your gums. Scalers come in manual and ultrasonic formats. Depending on what type of scalar is used and how much plaque and tartar is present, you will hear and feel scraping and “picking” sensations. It won’t hurt, but some people shrink from those sounds. Ask to listen to some music if the distraction would help.

Your dentist will then polish your teeth using a handheld electronic polishing tool and prophylaxis paste (a gritty type of toothpaste available in several different flavours). This step is completely painless, though some people do find the vibration-like sensations of this step distracting. Let your dentist know in advance if you’ve been bothered by those sensations in the past. Your dentist will answer any questions you have and do whatever is possible to minimize any discomfort.

Flossing like you can’t floss at home.

No matter how well you floss at home, your dental hygienist will — with the application of specialized tools and mirrors to ensure complete visibility and access — up the ante when it comes to flossing. This flossing step will remove any and all lingering plaque and tartar from between your teeth and along your gums and loosen away any substances dislodged to this point in the professional cleaning process. It’s also the perfect opportunity to ensure you know exactly how to floss at home.

Fluoride before leaving will protect your teeth from tooth decay.

After rinsing your teeth thoroughly, your dentist’s staff will apply fluoride to your teeth (in your choice of several flavours) to protect them from tooth decay and to help restore mineral loss that occurs naturally over time. Fluoride is applied to your teeth in gel form, where it will sit for a minute or two before being rinsed off. Will you get fluoride every time? Not necessarily. Your dentist will track when and how often you receive fluoride and apply it at the right time when a boost in your protection from tooth decay is warranted.

When you’re ready to schedule your next dental cleaning near you, contact a dentist near you to arrange a time that suits you well.