Emergency Dentistry

Root Canal is a treatment which eliminates infection and allows badly damaged or infected teeth to be saved instead of removing it. This procedure involves removal of the damaged area through a thorough cleaning and disinfecting process. The tooth is then filled and ideally straight after sealed with a crown, which protects the tooth from potential fracturing and damage. If a tooth infection is left untreated, complications can include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Spreading infection: Once the tooth’s nerve is infected, bacteria can potentially multiply and cause severe infection or an endodontic abscess, which spreads to the surrounding bone causing swelling and inflammation.
• Localised bone loss: Infection can spread from the ends of the infected tooth to the bone, which can erode the jaw bone
• Loss of tooth: The tooth may reach a point where saving it is not possible and it must be extracted to contain the infection. This will impact a person’s ability to eat and can cause teeth to tilt and move into the empty space over time. Tooth replacement options include dentures, bridges or dental implants. Note that these options might not be suitable for all especially if someone has an infection that has already caused advanced bone loss.

Procedure steps: 

• Removing active decay and infection: The infection of the tooth can occur from either decay, deep fillings, cracks, trauma or gum disease. To start the procedure, tooth decay, infected nerve tissue and damaged nerve are removed and medication is placed to settle any pain you may be in.
• Shaping the tooth canals: In order to ensure that the tooth root is filled properly, the canals need to be shaped appropriately and residual bacteria removed. This process requires the use of specialised small instruments, disinfectants and medication. Note that it may take a few weeks for these solutions to settle in and combat the bacteria. However, this step may have to be repeated several times depending on the tooth situation, which will be advised by the dentist.
• Filling the tooth canals: Once the tooth is free from bacteria infection, the canals will be permanently sealed with a long-lasting barrier material that will prevent re-infection.
• Restoring tooth functionality: Teeth that have gone through root canal treatment will have lost considerable tooth structure due to cracks or decay and it is normally recommended that the tooth be further reinforced with a crown to not only protect the tooth from further damage but also  to ensure no bacteria from the oral environment can leak back into the tooth.

Duration of treatment: A patient normally requires 2 to 3 visits to complete this treatment but varies on the type of tooth and complexity of the case. The dentist will be able to advise accordingly.

Tooth extraction is seen as the last resort treatment, with the exception of extensively damaged or badly decayed teeth. We always strive to provide alternative solutions to preserve natural teeth. However, if the patient requests for it and is the only option available in their circumstances, our highly experienced dentist will remove the tooth in a quick and painless method. Extractions or root canal treatments are needed when the nerve tissue of the tooth becomes infected. When symptoms of infection start manifesting, it is generally too late to proceed with a simple filling, which is why regular check ups are important to preventing and detecting issues at earlier stages. Some other factors that can contribute to infection include severe gum disease and grinding, which can cause cracks which allows bacteria to enter the nerve.

Duration of treatment: Approximately 30-60 minutes for each tooth depending on the difficulty of the extraction.

Wisdom teeth are the very back molars that emerge after all other permanent teeth have erupted, usually around the age of 21. These teeth are typically located at the four back corners of the mouth. X-rays are available on-site at Edens Landing Dental to ensure the dentist can pinpoint the exact location of the wisdom tooth and flag if there are any potential issues to provide the most effective resolution to your pain. Whilst most people usually have 32 teeth, the jaw can sometimes be too small to accomodate all the teeth. This lack of available space in the mouth can cause the wisdom teeth to erupt at awkward angles which can cause pain on the adjacent tooth or pain and irritation on the inside of the cheek and gums. Sometimes the wisdom teeth can fail to erupt fully and be half covered by the gums. The catching of food under the gums can cause a gum infection called pericoronitis. Delaying wisdom tooth removal can result in adjacent teeth becoming infected or damaged due to the infection spreading which makes the jaw sore, sensitive or ache due to referred pain. Hence, the extraction of wisdom tooth or teeth may be the best solution for long term pain relief.

Duration of treatment: Approximately 30-60 minutes for each tooth depending on the difficulty of the extraction.

Traumatic dental injuries often occur during accidents or sports. A large majority of these injuries comprise of minor chipping of the teeth, which can be easily fixed with a filling. In the event that due to a severe accident a tooth is dislodged or knocked out completely, the tooth requires immediate examination by a dentist. It is strongly advised to visit us immediately after suffering dental trauma so as to identify any potential injury and heighten the chance of being able to save the tooth.Treatment will differentiate based on the type, location and severity of each injury. The dentist will be able to advise on the situation and provide appropriate recommendations as they are equipped with skills and techniques to treat traumatic dental injuries.