Emergency & Trauma - Highlands, Ranch, CO

A tooth abscess is a collection of pus caused by a bacterial infection. The most apparent symptom is intense throbbing pain in the affected area that starts suddenly and gradually worsens. Other symptoms include sensitivity to hot or cold food and beverages and facial redness or swelling. An emergency root canal is a first-line treatment for an abscessed tooth because the infection has nearly always infiltrated the dental pulp.

Toothaches can be more than a painful nuisance—your body tells you something isn’t right in your mouth. When you experience sudden and unexplainable tooth pain, call Highlands Ranch Oral & Facial Surgery, and we’ll fit you into our schedule.

Our qualified emergency dental team has the advanced skills and gentle touch to diagnose and treat the underlying issue. If the toothache is caused by an infected dental pulp, an emergency root canal can alleviate the pain and often save the tooth from extraction.

Sometimes, it’s obvious you cracked a tooth; for example, if you bite on something hard and part of your tooth around a filling breaks off. In other cases, a crack can be asymptomatic or produce fleeting symptoms that you may ignore. If the crack extends from the chewing surface of your tooth vertically down into the pulp, a root canal can prevent further damage.

But if the crack extends below the gum line, it’s no longer treatable and will require extraction, followed by a dental implant. Other types of damage include craze lines, fractured cusps, split teeth, and vertical root fractures.

A dislodged or knocked-out tooth should be treated within 12 to 24 hours to minimize trauma and save your tooth. If you lose a tooth due to trauma or it comes loose from infection, it’s important to be seen by our team as soon as possible.

A missing tooth can affect the surrounding teeth and put you at high risk for infection. Avoid food and drink and rinse with warm water to minimize pain and bleeding. To increase the chances of saving your tooth, keep it in milk or saliva until you can see our team.

Gums that won’t stop bleeding, especially if accompanied by pain and swelling, can indicate an underlying dental or health issue. Likewise, if your mouth or jaw suddenly becomes swollen for no apparent reason, call Highlands Ranch Oral & Facial Surgeryfor emergency dentistry in Highlands Ranch, CO. An infection, irritation to your lymph nodes, or another severe issue could cause these symptoms and require immediate attention from a dental professional.

After a tooth extraction, a protective blood clot typically forms over the underlying bone and nerves. If the blood clot doesn’t form or gets dislodged, sensitive underlying tissue is exposed. When nerves are exposed, this can be an excruciating experience that only gets worse if you delay treatment. Call Highlands Ranch Oral & Facial Surgery immediately to alleviate severe pain, and we’ll fit you into our schedule. Treatment involves gently rinsing and packing the socket with a medicated gauze pad. This process may need to be repeated until a blood clot forms and your pain subsides.