Emergency care resolves pain in the short term; advanced therapies support lasting comfort and health

Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. And typically, things go awry during the worst and most inconvenient times! Fortunately, Dr. Bindu Kolli of SouthFork Dental recognizes that accidents and other trauma or damage to the teeth and oral tissues do not keep standard office hours. For this reason, Dr. Kolli provides emergency dentistry services from her offices in Plano and Irving, Texas. For utmost convenience, she accommodates appointments every day of the business week. She also sees patients on Saturdays and some early mornings and evenings.

Root canal retreatment and other interventions or services can often be performed on the same day. She also strives to build time into her schedule to see urgent cases immediately. The priority is always to ease pain and other distressing symptoms. So you are comfortable and can function. But, as a skilled and experienced dentist, Dr. Kolli also provides appropriate interventions to support the lasting health, function, and beauty of your smile and the rest of you.

Recognizing emergencies 

Dental emergencies come in many different forms. We are empathetic to each and every situation. And, while alarming, some circumstances may not be “true emergencies.” Call our receptionist right away to discuss the nature of your problem and to schedule an appointment if you:

• Are experiencing a “tolerable” or periodic toothache or tenderness
• Have noticed a small chip or fracture/breakage
• Lose a filling, crown, implant, or another restoration
• Break orthodontic hardware or other oral appliances 
• Have an object stuck between your teeth 
• Experience a minor injury to the soft tissues, such as the gums 

A few examples of emergency situations that require immediate dental care include: 

• A “knocked-out” or avulsed tooth – Moments matter. The sooner we can re-implant the tooth, the greater the likelihood of its survival or preservation. We can also discuss ways you can help to handle the tooth safely and aid in our ability to “save” it
• An extruded tooth – Teeth that have sustained such trauma are not fully dislodged but partially dislocated. Trauma, such as a blow to the face, may have loosened the tooth from its socket. Here again, with appropriate and immediate care, we may be able to prevent tooth loss and the need for tooth replacement
• Certain types of cracks or fractures – Teeth can break in various ways. Sometimes, minimal restorative care is needed. However, if a tooth is broken below the gumline, more extensive treatment may be necessary to preserve it. We may be able to avoid extraction with root canal therapy, and if sufficient tooth material or structure remains
• Intense or persistent toothaches – A severely aching tooth may be indicative of serious damage to the innermost pulp tissues. Root canal therapy may be the only way to preserve and restore the tooth to its health, avoiding extraction
• Abscesses and facial swelling – An abscess is a serious bacterial infection. The infection is characterized by swelling of the gums and other areas of the mouth. Since it can be spread to other parts of the face, head, and even other parts of the body through the bloodstream, it is essential to get prompt treatment. In fact, if swelling is accompanied by alarming symptoms such as problems swallowing or breathing, this is a medical emergency

You should also call 911 or visit your nearest ER if facial injuries result in uncontrolled bleeding or if there may be broken bones. 

Comprehensive and advanced treatment options

For many severe injuries or infections, root canal therapy is often recommended. In fact, it may be the only way to avoid tooth loss. While this process of removing infected nerves and tissues has a high success rate, no single treatment is 100% successful. Even when you notice familiar signs, such as persistent pain in the treated tooth, Dr. Kolli may still be able to save it. 

She provides trusted root canal retreatment expertise when a tooth fails to heal following initial therapy. We encourage you to contact us right away if you are concerned about how a tooth may be healing after treatment. It is also essential to follow any instructions provided by Dr. Kolli; for instance, failure to promptly restore a tooth following root canal therapy can make it vulnerable to reinfection. The restoration, usually a crown, strengthens the tooth and provides lasting protection. 

SouthFork Dental is privileged to be here for you in your time of need

Contact our offices in Plano/Frisco and Irving, TX, at 469-535-6939 and 972-544-5446, respectively, to discuss your concerns, and see us soon!