When you have a dental emergency, whether it's caused by a sudden accident or chronic disease your teeth and/or the tissues of the mouth that surround them need to receive proper care right away. Searching for help in Henrico can be difficult on a whim, but we the Short Pump Dental team are here to help.

Traumatic Dental Injuries and Treatment

Dental injury. A knocked-out permanent tooth requires quick thinking and immediate action. You'll increase the chances that the tooth can be saved if you pick it up without touching the root, gently clean it off with water, and put it back in its socket facing the correct way. Hold it in place with gentle pressure as you rush to the dental office or emergency room. If you can't replant it immediately, tuck it between the patient's cheek and gum or carry it in a container filled with cold milk.

For a traumatic injury such as a tooth that has been moved or loosened the treatment needs to occur within six hours. However, if there is uncontrollable bleeding, immediately head to the ER. Fortunately, other dental injuries that happen more frequently are less severe. The most common traumatic dental injuries are chipped teeth. Even if the chip is minor it is important to have your dentist evaluate it to ensure there will not be any underlying problems.

Tooth Pain and the Benefits of Teeth Cleaning

Tooth Pain. Acute or persistent tooth pain always signals a need for an urgent visit to the dental office. The most common cause of dental pain is tooth decay, a bacterial infection that can spread through many parts of the tooth. A simple teeth cleaning session may not do much, a filling or crown may be necessary

Sometimes, tooth pain indicates that you may need a root canal treatment which is a procedure that not only relieves the pain of an irreversibly inflammed nerve or infection deep inside the tooth but also can keep the tooth from having to be removed. Other times, pain may be caused by a loose filling or simple sensitivity. The only way to know for sure what's causing your tooth pain is to make an appointment at the dental office right away.

Gum Emergencies

Injuries and infections involving the soft tissues of the mouth may also require emergency treatment. The tissues of the gums, tongue, or cheek lining can be damaged by accidental bites, falls, sports injuries, and scalding liquids. They may also suffer injury from foreign bodies that become lodged below the gum line. What's more, they can develop painful and potentially serious abscesses. A periodontal (gum) abscess is a pus-filled sac caused by an infection and is usually quite painful. Abscesses require immediate evaluation at the dental office.

Any injury to the soft tissues of the mouth should be rinsed with diluted salt water. Visible debris should be cleared away. Bleeding can usually be controlled by pressing a clean, damp material on the area for 15-30 minutes. If this does not work, go to the emergency room immediately.

A foreign body lodged beneath the gum line can sometimes be gently worked out with dental floss or a toothpick. But if this can't be accomplished easily, make a dental appointment so the area does not become damaged and/or infected.

Tooth Decay — A Preventable Disease Tooth decay is the number one reason children and adults lose teeth during their lifetime. Yet many people don't realize that it is a preventable infection. This article explores the causes of tooth decay, its prevention, and the relationship to bacteria, sugars, and acids... Read Article

The Field-Side Guide to Dental Injuries Accidents to the teeth, jaws and mouth can happen at any time during any sporting activity. Proper attention can save pain, alleviate anxiety and costly dental treatment. A little knowledge, as they say, can go along way. This field-side guide briefly explains some simple rules to follow when dealing with different dental injuries and when you need to see the dentist... Read Article

Tooth Pain? Don't Wait! Pain is a protective response that informs the body that something is wrong. Tooth pain, specifically, is caused by a reaction of the nerves inside a tooth's pulp chamber, with the severity dependent upon the type and degree of the stimulus. This article gives some examples of pain symptoms and their possible causes... Read Article

Dental Implants in Short Pump & Glen Allen, VA

At Short Pump Dental, we believe everyone deserves a beautiful, healthy smile. As a leading dentist serving the Short Pump, Glen Allen, and Richmond, VA areas, we're proud to offer a wide range of dental treatments ranging from general and preventive care to restorative procedures like dental implants. If you need to replace a missing tooth or want to replace a tooth to improve the health and appearance of your smile, dental implants offer one of the best ways to do it.

About Dental Implants

Dental implants are an effective, convenient, and long-lasting option for replacing teeth. Implants are made from a small screw-like titanium post that's inserted into the socket left by a tooth, then covered with a lifelike dental crown. Once placed, implants are virtually indistinguishable from natural teeth, and they can last a lifetime with proper care. Even more importantly, dental implants possess the unique property of osseointegration: because the implant itself is made from titanium, it literally fuses with the jawbone. This works to evenly distribute bite pressure throughout the jaw and guard against bone loss, which is one of the lesser-known consequences of missing teeth.

The Dental Implant Process

Implants are placed using a minor surgical procedure. During this procedure, your Glen Allen dentist will place the implant into the socket left by your missing tooth, then cover the implant with a temporary crown. The implant is then left to heal for a few months, providing time for the bone to fuse with the implant. Once this process is complete, your Richmond dentist will replace your temporary crown with a permanent crown that's custom-made to match your natural teeth.

Types of Dental Implants

Implants are one of the most versatile cosmetic dental treatments. We can use implants to replace one or more teeth in a variety of ways:

Replace a Single Tooth: If you're missing a single tooth, we can replace it using one dental implant and one crown. Single-implant replacements have an incredibly high success rate, making them an excellent investment in your dental health. With proper oral hygiene, your implant will last you the rest of your life - and because we can custom shape and color match implants to perfectly fit your existing smile, your implant will look virtually identical to your natural teeth.

Replace Multiple Teeth: If you're missing more than one tooth, there are a number of options available to you. While we can use one implant to replace every tooth, we can often combine replacements to reduce the number of implants needed. By using implant-supported dental bridges, we can replace 3 or more teeth with just two implants, providing an efficient and cost-effective treatment option. This also prevents needing to use natural teeth as supports for a dental bridge, which can weaken them.

Implant-Supported Permanent Dentures: If you need to replace all of your teeth on the upper and/or lower jaw, dental implants are an excellent repair option. We can use implants to replace the entire dental arch, providing you with a permanent set of lifelike teeth. Often, we can use as few as 4 implants to replace each dental arch, although we may need to use more depending on the health of your jawbone. In any case, replacing your teeth with implants will provide you with a new smile that looks natural, will never slip, and will last you the rest of your life.

Implant-Supported Removable Dentures: Even if you'd still prefer removable dentures, we can use implants to improve your treatment. Using implants to support removable dentures can help to distribute bite pressure in a healthier way, preventing the bone loss that can come from traditional dentures. This is because traditional dentures rest directly on the gums, putting bite pressure downwards on the jawbone. Over time, this causes the jawbone to deteriorate. Implants, however, distribute bite pressure throughout the jaw, protecting it an preventing bone loss.

Caring for Dental Implants

Thankfully, maintaining your dental implants is remarkably easy: just treat them like you would your natural teeth! Brush and floss your implants on a daily basis to keep them clean and keep your gums healthy. In addition to oral hygiene, it's important not to use excessive pressure when biting down, as this can damage the implants. So long as you have a sufficient number of implants, though, bite pressure is rarely a problem. With conscientious care and regular oral hygiene, your implants should last you a lifetime!

Book an Appointment with Your Glen Allen, VA Implant Dentist

Dental implants offer one of the most effective, natural-looking, and long-lasting options for replacing teeth, and if you think dental implants may be right for you, we'd love to help. Contact us today to learn more about dental implants or to schedule an appointment with your Short Pump Dentist. We can't wait to hear from you, and we're excited to help you achieve a beautiful new smile!

Dental Implants - Your Best Option For Replacing Teeth Dental implants have many advantages over older methods of tooth replacement like bridges and dentures — from the way they function and feel to the way they look and last. Vigorous research has documented and confirmed that in the right situations, dental implant success rates are over 95%. It is no exaggeration to say that they have revolutionized dentistry. They may even change your life... Read Article

The Hidden Consequences of Losing Teeth For those missing even one tooth, an unsightly gap is actually the least significant problem. What's of far greater concern is the bone loss that inevitably follows tooth loss. Dental implants can preserve bone, improve function and enhance psychological well-being. Learn how implants serve both as anchors to support replacement teeth and preserve bone... Read Article

Implant Dentistry