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.

 

Explaining the Root Canal Procedure

“Root Canal” has become a scary term for dental patients to hear, but the benefits of the procedure and advances in dental technology have made it much less frightening. When a tooth becomes infected it is usually related to the nerves in the root of the tooth. The infected nerves need to be removed and this is done with a root canal procedure. At Miami Dental, our staff will save your tooth after we’ve determined that you are a candidate for the procedure.

The root canal procedure requires one or more office visits and in most cases can be performed right here in the office. The first step in the procedure is to take an X-ray to see the shape of the root canals and determine if there are any signs of infection in the surrounding bone. You will receive anesthesia as necessary, once the tooth is thoroughly cleaned, it needs to be sealed. If the root canal is not completed on the same day, a temporary filling will be placed in the exterior hole in the tooth to keep contaminants out between appointments. When all of the treatment is completed, the root canal procedure should relieve the discomfort you had been feeling.

If you have a tooth that is causing you trouble, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn about as 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.