William L Hand III New Bern Cosmetic Restorative General Dentist

Emergency Advice

The following are the most common dental emergencies.

Temporary Crown Out

Temporary acrylic crowns protect the tooth and gives a more normal smile while the permanent crown is being fabricated by the laboratory. Though an acrylic crown is the best possible temporary crown, your new permanent crown will look, feel, and chew better, and last longer.

¨ There is some unavoidable irritation to the tooth and gum during the preparation for your new crown. Increased temperature sensitivity and gum soreness is normal and will improve, usually within a few days.

¨ Rinse with warm salt water (1 tsp. in a glass) several times a day for a few days to help the gum recover. Half hydrogen peroxide and half water is also a good rinse.

¨ Avoid extremely hot or cold foods if the tooth is temperature sensitive.

¨ Avoid hard, crunchy foods (ice, nuts, crusty bread, carrots, chips) and sticky foods (gum, candy) so the acrylic crown does not break or come off.

If you experience any of the following, call to schedule an office visit.

¨ it hurts to bite down (the crown may be too high and striking with excessive force)

¨ there is persistent pain that is getting worse

¨ there is increasing swelling and extreme tenderness (NOT just gum irritation)

¨ the temporary crown breaks or comes off

If your temporary crown comes off, don’t lose it! Try putting it back in place. Denture adhesive (available at most grocery, drug, and convenience stores) can be used to help hold it in. This is rarely a true emergency, but the temporary crown should be re-cemented when convenient. Leaving the temporary crown out may result in damage to the tooth or movement that may affect the fit of the new crown. Call for an appointment during regular hours.

Broken Tooth or Lost Filling

Teeth or fillings usually break because of large cavities or large fillings that have weakened the teeth. In most cases, one can detect the "missing" piece with the tongue. Sensitivity to cold and hot, and feeling a rough edge, is not uncommon. Unless there is significant pain, this problem can usually wait until regular office hours, when the dentist has staff for assistance. Orthodontic wax or temporary filling material from the drug store may help seal the sensitive parts of the tooth and/or cover the rough edges. Call for an appointment during regular hours.

Permanent Crown Out

If a permanent crown comes off, don’t lose it! Try putting it back in place. Denture adhesive (available at most grocery, drug, and convenience stores) can be used to help hold it in. This is rarely a true emergency, but the crown should be re-cemented during regular office hours. Leaving the crown out for more than a few days may result in damage to the tooth or tooth movement that may prevent the crown from fitting back into place. DO NOT USE SUPER GLUE OR DRUG STORE TEMPORARY CEMENTS. They create more problems than they solve, some of which can render the crown unusable. Call for an appointment during regular hours.

Often times, tooth structure may be broken off inside the crown and the crown will not stay in place temporarily, even with denture adhesive. The dentist will need to see it to determine if the crown is usable.

Bleeding after Tooth Removal or Surgery

Please refer to the instructions that are normally provided by the dental office. Minor bleeding is not uncommon. Place a tea bag or two, or folded sterile gauze, on the area that is bleeding, and hold a steady pressure for at least 5 minutes. Pressure on the bleeding site is very important. Once the bleeding is under control, try not to disturb the site. Profuse or persistent bleeding may require professional attention.

Swelling from Infection

Swelling from a dental abscess can be dangerous if it progresses down the neck to interfere with breathing. This is an emergency that requires professional attention, typically a visit to an MD, the Emergency Room, or an Urgent Care Center, where an injection of antibiotics can be given and the situation closely monitored.

Contact Information

If you need assistance during regular hours, we will do our best to help you as quickly as possible with consideration for our already scheduled patients. We may be reached during our regular hours at 252-638-8000. If the office is closed, you may leave a message on the answering machine and your call will be returned.

Monday: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

Tuesday: varies from 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

Wednesday: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Thursday: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

For a TRUE after-hours emergency, you may call Dr. Hand's home, 638-8398. If there is no answer, leave a message on his home answering machine and your call will be returned. Dr. Hand usually checks messages at least once a day when traveling, typically in the early evening.

For legal reasons, emergency care when the office is closed is available only to current patients of record. New patients must be examined during regular office hours. Individuals that do not have a regular dentist should visit the nearest Urgent Care center or the Hospital Emergency Room for care.