Emergency Dentistry

Cosmetic Dental Services

Dental emergencies occur anywhere and at any time. There are many types of dental emergencies caused by an impact to the mouth, including a chipped tooth, a knocked out tooth, a loosened tooth, or a repositioned tooth. Dr. Kourosh Maddahi, Los Angeles family dentist, urges immediate handling with dental emergencies. Upon receiving an injury like this, a dentist should be visited immediately; 30 minutes could mean the difference between being able to save the tooth or not.

If your tooth is knocked out, be sure to only touch it at the crown - not the root. The tooth should be rinsed, but not scrubbed. If possible, the tooth should be placed back in the hole it came from to keep it from drying out. If that's not possible, another option is placing it in a clean cloth or gauze pad that is soaked with saliva or milk. A dentist needs to be visited immediately.

If your tooth is chipped or fractured, you should rinse out your mouth with warm water. A cold compress can be placed on the injury site (not the tooth) to reduce swelling. If you can find the chip, it is a good idea to rinse it and put it in a plastic baggie with some water or a moist cloth; bring the chip with you to the dentist. Depending on the chip, the dentist may be able to attach it back onto the tooth, either with enamel or bonding. Enamel tends to look more natural, but will only be used if the break was not across the nerve.

The longer you wait before seeing the dentist, the more likely you are to suffer from nerve damage, so don't wait. We have an answering service, 24 hours a day, to ensure that your message can get to Dr. Maddahi as fast as possible.