Dental Avulsions

With the fall sports season in full swing, we at the Miami Beach and North Miami Beach dental offices of Doctors Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk wanted to remind our patients of fundamental dental safety protocols. A dental avulsion, the loss of an entire tooth, is an emergency, but when a patient acts quickly enough, they may be able to save the tooth.

A tooth should only be held by its crown, never its root. Ideally, it should be rinsed with a saline solution and then reinserted into the empty socket (while facing the right way). If this is too difficult, it may be held in the cheek. The American Dental Association approves of tooth saving containers which can hopefully be found in a nearby first aid kit, but if not, the tooth may also be transported in a cup filled with milk or saltwater.

Teeth that are cracked at the root may not be salvageable, and a successfully reinserted tooth will need a root canal. We also won’t reinsert baby teeth that have been lost prematurely, as this may damage the permanent tooth that is forming inside the jaw. A patient should prioritize facial lacerations over a dental avulsion. But when a tooth is saved, a patient will be spared the risk of jawbone deterioration and from either having to get an implant or wear a partial denture, so it’s worth trying.

Dr. Allen Ressler, Dr. Andrew Hirschl, and Dr. Ira Lelchuk operate from two locations. To schedule an appointment at the location at Mount Sinai Medical Center, 4300 Alton Road, Suite 1190, Miami Beach, Florida, 33140, call 305-532-1444. To schedule an appointment at Intracoastal Mall, 3909 NE 163^rdSt, Suite 310, North Miami Beach, Florida, 33160, call 305-949-2630. They can also be reached on their website, Miami Dental through a contact form.

 

Dental Emergencies

Any dental emergency like an injury to the teeth or gums can be potentially serious and should not be ignored. If you are in need of emergency dental work, Drs. Ressler, Hirschl, and Lelchuk can help you any time, any day, and when your dental health is at risk, each member of our dental team will do everything they can to make sure that you’re treated as soon as possible.

One of the most common dental emergencies is a knocked-out tooth. When you hit your mouth on something hard and it knocks a tooth out, it can be a particularly scary experience. In this situation, the first thing you need to do is locate the tooth and contact the dentist immediately. If at all possible, the tooth needs to be re-implanted almost immediately.  Any injury to teeth or gums should not be ignored. Nerves or blood vessels could be damaged and there is also a risk of getting an infection. If an infection is not treated, it can spread to other parts of the head and neck and cause serious health problems. Other types of dental emergencies include objects caught between teeth, a lost filling or crown, broken braces and wires, loose brackets and bands and soft tissue injuries.

If you have questions or concerns regarding a dental emergency, please give us a call. To learn more about dental hygiene as well as the services we provide at the practice, visit www.miami-dental.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors or hygienists, give us a call at our Miami Beach office: 305-532-1444 or our North Miami Beach office: 305-949-2630.