“Dr. Bodak, Help…I need a dentist!”

Although we cannot provide 24-7 emergency dental services, we are often available to provide emergency dental care for children and adults during the day and early evening hours, and we are often available on weekends.   Our telephones are answered and we return calls during daytime and evening hours, 7 days per week.

Dental Pain   Do you have a toothache?   Many first-time patients visit us because of dental pain. Discomfort can range from tooth sensitivity to toothache to excruciating pain.  Persistent dental pain requires immediate attention and is a sign that something is wrong.  Dental pain has many causes.  These range from minor conditions such as trapped material between the teeth causing gum irritation to fracture of the tooth, infection of the tooth or surrounding tissue, or injury or inflammation in the nerve.  And please, do not place an aspirin (salicylic acid) on the tooth; the acid can burn the tissue and cause more injury.

Lisa W., patient since 1999, describes her dental emergency.

Abscessed Tooth  A cavity (dental caries or tooth decay) is a type of infection that spreads beyond the outer enamel of the tooth.  Once decay has penetrated the enamel, it continues to destroy the tooth until the decay is removed and the tooth is treated by cosmetic bonding or metal (amalgum) fillings.  In untreated cavities,  the decay can spread from the crown of the tooth to the sensitive pulp within the root.  Severe dental pain may be a sign that infection and decay has spread into the sensitive nerve or beyond.  Untreated infections are not only painful – they can be dangerous.  We can treat the infection, begin the healing process, and discuss all your treatment options with you. If you are experiencing dental pain, seek help from an expert dentist as soon as possible.

Listen to what one of our newest patients has to say. After suffering with a severe toothache that became progressively worse over several months, she came to see us. The decay from a cavity had spread to the nerve in her tooth root, and she was in severe pain. We relieved her pain in one visit by performing root canal therapy and saving her tooth.

Sports Injury

Fractured Broken Tooth  What should you do when you break a tooth?  A sudden fracture of a permanent tooth can be caused by previous decay, deteriorating old fillings, or dental trauma caused by an accident, a fall or a sports injury. 

Sports Injury 1 Hour Later

If you fracture a tooth and you have the fragment, place the tooth in a small container, covering it with milk or saliva.  Immediate help can consist of treatment by bondings, veneers, or crowns.  In case of dental trauma, we may be able to permanently preserve the tooth structure.  In some cases, it is possible to craft a wonderful veneer to match your teeth while you are seated in the chair.  In one visit, you can come in with a broken tooth and leave my office with a restored smile the very same day!  In other cases, I may be able to fashion a temporary replacement tooth until we can complete your permanent restoration.

Loose Tooth  Have you noticed that a tooth is suddenly loose?  Loose teeth may occur after trauma, or may be one sign of periodontal (gum) disease, which requires periodontal treatment.  We may be able to stabilize your tooth and prevent further tooth loss. Once a tooth is lost, there is ongoing progressive bone loss throughout your lifetime.  This leads to distortion of your jaw and facial appearance, along with possible collapse of your bite and TMJ jaw joint problems. If you have lost a tooth, consider replacing it as soon as possible with a Bicon dental implant.  A dental implant will stabilize your bone loss, and may actually  increase the amount of bone. Call us!  We are here to help.

Loose Crown or Veneer   Occasionally a crown or veneer will become loose or fall away from the tooth.  If the crown or veneer is intact and the underlying tooth is healthy, it may be possible to immediately re-attach the restoration.  At other times, the crown or veneer became unstable because the underlying tooth developed a new problem such as decay.  In either case, we can help.

Extraction  There are times when a tooth has such extensive damage that it cannot reasonably be saved.  It is possible to extract a tooth without pain and without damage to adjacent healthy teeth or bone.  It is always my practice to replace the extracted tooth with an implant, fixed bridge or denture. Removing one tooth changes the position and function of the remaining teeth, which affects the bite and stresses the jaw joints. I can create an immediate, temporary restoration on the same day as the extraction so that you can smile and chew with confidence, while maintaining your bite and the position of your remaining teeth.  We will complete your restoration with a permanent bridge, dental implant or partial or full denture.

Emergencies: The Cost of Care  Many patients who lack dental insurance defer dental care until they have an emergency.  We understand, and we have developed our own Media SmileMaker Program that provides preventive care for 12 months. In addition, when you join our SmileMaker Plan, you are entitled to discounts on all other procedures we perform, including  extractions, root canal therapy, crowns and dental implants.  We accept MasterCard, Visa and Discover credit cards, as well as CitHealth and Care Credit 0% interest and low interest financing.  For more information, click here  http://mediapadentist.com/our-services/