Large Cavities

Large cavities can undermine the tooth and cause the tooth to break. The tooth can become very painful if the cavity has reached the nerve. These teeth may need a root canal or a crown.

Chipped or Fractured Teeth

Some types of chips, cracks or fractures are relatively painless, but others may result in extreme pain. When you chip or fracture a tooth, contact our office immediately. While waiting to meet with our dentists, here are some things you can do:

• If any part of the tooth has broken off, rinse it in lukewarm water and bring it with you to the appointment
• Apply gauze to any bleeding areas for 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops
• Place an icepack or cold compress on the cheek over the area to minimize swelling and pain
• Use a topical pain reliever

Broken teeth may present with little to no pain. They can be sharp to the cheeks, lips, or tongue. Depending on how big the chip is, a tooth like this would need a filling or a crown.

You may also cover the affected area with dental cement (available for purchase at most pharmacies).

Broken front teeth like these will need a large filling or a crown. If you can find the broken piece of tooth, bring it in and we may be able to use it to repair the tooth.

Dislodged or Loosened Teeth

First, contact our office immediately to make arrangements to meet with our dentists. Then place an icepack or cold compress over the area to relieve swelling and discomfort. You may also use a mild pain reliever.

Our dentists will examine the dislodged or loosened tooth and reposition and stabilize it again in your mouth. If it remains in the mouth and is attached to the blood vessels and nerves, you may not need a root canal. If the tooth does not heal, a root canal treatment may be necessary.

Avulsed (Knocked-Out) Teeth

If your tooth has been completely knocked out of the socket or displaced, call our office immediately at 801-486-1155.

Follow these directions for permanent teeth only:

1. Rinse your mouth to remove blood or other debris.
2. Pick up the tooth by the crown (chewing surface). Do not touch the root!
3. If possible, gently rinse the root with water to clean it.
4. Have the person (patient) who had the tooth knocked out lie on the ground or floor and tip their head back (if possible, place some kind of cushion under the head).
5. On the count of 3, have the patient raise their leg at the same time that you push the tooth back into the socket. Once the tooth is back in the socket and at the same level as the surrounding teeth, hold it in place and meet Dr. Mirci at the office as soon as possible.
6. Dr. Mirci will splint the tooth in place and follow through with medication.

If you cannot do this, keep the tooth moist by holding it in the cheek pouch, or by placing it in milk, saline solution, your own saliva, a tooth preservation kit (available at most pharmacies) or in water.

Lost Filling or Crown

Crowns or fillings may become loose due to a blow to the face or decay in the tooth beneath the restoration. If this happens, contact our office to make an appointment as soon as possible. You may experience heightened tooth sensitivity when you lose your restoration.

In the meantime, keep your dental crown (if you have it) in a cool, safe place. We may be able to replace it on the tooth.

While waiting for your appointment, you may:

• Clean the crown and affix it to the tooth with dental cement (available at pharmacies)
• Smear the top of the tooth with cement to alleviate discomfort
• Apply clove oil to the tooth for pain relief

Do NOT use any kind of glue to replace the crown on your tooth.

As long as the crown and the tooth are in good shape, we can re-cement the crown back on. Lost fillings can usually be replaced as well.

Toothaches

A simple toothache can often be relieved by rinsing the mouth to clear it of debris, or by flossing to remove debris lodged between the teeth. If this does not relieve the problem, contact our office and make an appointment with our dentists so that we can determine the cause of your toothache and provide an appropriate treatment.

Do NOT place aspirin on your gums or teeth, as this can cause damage to your oral tissues.

Extreme pain to hot, cold, or biting or aching all the time could be signs of many different things. They could be solved by adjusting the bite to doing a root canal.

TMJ Pain

TMJ pain is a pain that can be felt in the jaw joint by your ear. It is especially painful when you move your jaw, such as opening or closing your mouth.

You may suffer from TMJ if you experience frequent jaw pain or facial pain. TMJ disorders may also cause:

• Grinding, clicking or popping sounds in the jaw when you open and close your mouth
• Inability to open your mouth wide to speak, yawn or chew
• A locked or stuck jaw
• Pain when chewing and biting
• Pain in the neck, shoulders or ears
• Frequent headaches

For TMJ pain, you may need a biteguard, bite adjustment, and/or message therapy.