hurt01-1Nobody wants a toothache!! There are several symptoms that could send you to the dentist right away: A broken tooth, cracked tooth, a tooth that has been knocked out or severe pain that may or may not be accompanied by swelling in your cheek and jaw can all be dental emergencies. A dull throbbing ache or stabbing pain that wakes you from your sleep, bad taste or puss in your mouth and fever can all signify an abscessed or infected tooth. Pain with cold or heat that doesn’t go away once you’ve stopped eating and drinking, bleeding gums or foul taste in your mouth should always be evaluated by your dentist. Dr. Roberts can x-ray your tooth and examine gum tissue and diagnose the cause of your pain or infection.

When a tooth reaches the point that it can no longer be saved, an extraction or “pulling a tooth” is sometimes the only option. This sometimes happens when the tooth cracks all the way to the root or if there is too much decay in the tooth to save it. Extractions can be either simple or surgical and the tooth can be erupted or still below the gum line. If Dr. Roberts feels your tooth should be extracted by an oral surgeon, our office will help you get set up with the referred surgeon. Our staff will provide you with all the instructions you need to ensure a smooth recovery from your extraction. There are usually no complications following an extraction but occasionally a patient can develop a dry socket if they don’t take preventative measures, if this were to happen we can treat it in our office. The missing tooth or teeth can then be replaced with an implant, partial, flipper or a bridge.