Emergency & Trauma - Houston, TX

A dental abscess is often caused by inflamed and infected dental pulp that’s left untreated. The primary symptoms include toothache, chewing pain, sensitivity to heat and cold, and swollen gums. If you have an abscessed tooth, the first-line treatment is typically oral antibiotics. If you require urgent dental care at Memorial Houston, TX, or Medical Center, Houston, TX, we can make a small incision in your gum tissue to drain the pus.

While this helps reduce pain and swelling, it doesn’t resolve the underlying cause of the abscess. If antibiotics are ineffective, a root canal is typically advised to remove the infected pulp inside your tooth root. After removing the infected root pulp, the chamber is thoroughly disinfected and sealed with a specialized filling called gutta percha, and a crown may be warranted after you heal.

Although tooth enamel can withstand a lot of wear and tear, bruxism (teeth clenching/grinding) or chewing on hard food can lead to a cracked tooth. Symptoms include pain when chewing or biting, especially when you release the bite; sensitivity to heat, cold, or sugary drinks and food; intermittent pain, rarely continuous; and swollen gums around the affected tooth. It’s important to seek prompt treatment to prevent worsening symptoms and potential tooth loss. Cracks that extend into the pulp can be treated with a root canal procedure followed by a crown, while cracks that extend below your gumline require tooth extraction.

Dislocation or dislodgement of a tooth from its normal position is called luxation. During an injury, the tooth may be pushed forward, backward, sideways, partially out, or into the socket. All luxation injuries cause some damage to the periodontal ligament.

When trauma has caused a tooth to be dislodged from its normal position, in most cases, it should be gently reseated as soon as possible. If you have a knocked out (avulsed tooth), management focuses on replanting the tooth, preferably within 20–40 minutes of your injury. Emergency intervention minimizes periodontal damage and prevents infection of the pulp tissue.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons are adept at diagnosing various conditions of the oral cavity that can cause swelling. The most common swellings in the oral cavity are either submucosal or related to the underlying jaw (maxilla or mandible). While minor swelling or postsurgical swelling may not necessitate emergency treatment, it’s always safer to err on the side of caution to rule out virulent or fungal infections, abscesses, severe tooth damage, and benign or cancerous lesions.

If you have swollen or bleeding gums around a dental implant, this could be a sign of peri-implantitis, which requires prompt treatment to prevent failure. Timely treatment is based on imaging, symptoms, and the underlying cause.

A dry socket is a complication that can occur following a tooth extraction, especially in molars and wisdom teeth. Typically, a blot clot forms in the empty socket that protects your underlying bone and nerves. If you experience severe throbbing pain following extraction, the clot likely dislodged or dissolved prematurely. It’s important to come in as soon as possible so our oral surgeons can promptly diagnose and get you back on the path to healing.

We’ll remove any food particles from the socket and pack it with a medicated dressing. We may also prescribe antibiotics or advise you to take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. Gently rinsing your mouth with salt water or a medicated mouthwash at home can ease pain.

Traumatic dental injuries are caused by direct or indirect impact, most often due to a fall, accident, or sports injury. Most of these injuries are minor, such as chipped teeth or superficial fractures. If a broken tooth causes severe pain, you’ll likely need emergency oral surgery. With advanced skills, techniques, and technologies, our oral surgeons can often save injured teeth. If the nerves are exposed, you’ll likely need an emergency root canal, followed by a crown, after your gums have healed.

Although a lost dental crown or filling is usually not an emergency, it can be painful. The exposed tissue can be sensitive to air, pressure, or temperature. If you lose a crown, you should put it in a safe place and make an appointment as soon as possible. If you experience extreme pain or other difficulties, prompt treatment is essential to prevent infection or damage to the exposed tooth.

Spitting blood is not something to take lightly. Our oral surgeons can diagnose and treat small amounts of blood or tooth-related issues. For example, you may have bitten your cheek or tongue or injured your mouth. But bleeding from the mouth could be due to problems in your digestive or respiratory tract. If you have a life-threatening medical history or are displaying severe symptoms, you should call 911 or promptly go to the nearest hospital emergency room.