Pediatric Dentist in Flower Mound

While we hope that your child never endures a painful dental emergency, in the event of an accident, know that our team at Whittington Pediatric Dentistry in Flower Mounds, TX is here to serve you and your family with compassionate and gentle care. We understand that emergencies are incredibly distressing to our patients and their parents or caregivers.

Common Causes of Dental Trauma

Two phases of a child’s life are common for dental trauma. First, when children are toddlers and begin exploring their surroundings with newfound mobility, their falling or running into sharp edges of furniture can cause knocked out and broken teeth. The second common period of enduring dental trauma is when adolescents participate in contact sports. Beyond these common occurrences, accidental falls or automobile accidents can cause facial and oral trauma as well – at any age.

Knocked Out or Broken Teeth

When a tooth is knocked out or broken, it can produce severe discomfort for children. Severely damaged teeth also require treatment quickly to keep their vital tissues alive. If teeth cannot be saved with restorations and pulpotomies, extraction is necessary to preserve oral health. If your child has a broken or dislodged tooth, we encourage you to call our practice as soon as possible so that we can arrange for treatment. When a tooth is chipped or broken into pieces, try to save them if you can, especially for broken permanent teeth. The pieces may be placed in milk to keep bits of the tooth alive until you can make it to our office.

Toothaches

In most cases, a toothache signifies that a tooth is affected by a deep cavity. The pain associated with tooth decay is related to the cavity encroaching on the root canal, a hollow portion of the tooth that contains nerve endings. If your child has a toothache, we recommend calling us to reserve an appointment with our dentist. In the meantime, we might suggest that your child take an over-the-counter analgesic such as Children’s Motrin or Tylenol. Sometimes cold compresses and rinsing with warm salt water can ease discomfort. A toothache might be treated with a restoration like a filling or crown or an endodontic procedure known as a pulpotomy.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my child breaks a tooth?

A broken tooth is cause for concern and should be treated by a professional as soon as possible. If your child breaks a tooth, you should call our office immediately. The sooner you call, the sooner we can work an appointment into our schedule. We strongly encourage parents and caregivers to keep our office number handy at all times. Save our business cards and place them in your car and work desk. Be sure to save our number in your mobile phone as well.

Teeth can break if they are especially weak from enamel damage and decay or if your child endures facial trauma from an accident or physical activity. A broken tooth will require professional treatment; this is because a broken tooth exposes very sensitive structures of the tooth to harmful bacteria. If you can save the pieces of a tooth, place them in milk or Save-A-Tooth solution. This can help keep its tissue alive and increase our ability to reattach it to the rest of the tooth. If the pieces of a tooth cannot be saved, we will place a restoration like a crown, which will keep the structure of a tooth safe from further damage or the development of a cavity.

What is a dental emergency?

A dental emergency involves any kind of situation that requires fast and immediate treatment. Normally, any situation where a child is in great discomfort or a part of oral anatomy is in danger for developing complications is considered a dental emergency. Common emergencies include toothaches, broken teeth, severe swelling of the gums, and facial trauma that has cut into oral tissue or dislodged teeth.

If your child is in need of immediate medical attention after something like a car accident, visit an ER nearest you.

Are emergencies covered on insurance?

Many dental insurance carriers offer some coverage for dental emergencies. Since not all insurance plans are the same, however, it is best to speak with a representative from your insurance company for a breakdown of your benefits. Whenever possible, our staff will help you understand your insurance policy and we will file your claims for you.