Emergency Dentist Archives

Should I Be Worried About a Rotted Wisdom Tooth?

October 13, 2025 by writeradmin

I have a wisdom tooth that has been decaying for some time. The rest of it broke off at the gumline. I’ve shined a flashlight on the area just to double check. I don’t see anything else there. Is this okay or do I need to go see a dentist? I’d prefer not to go, but don’t want to be stupid about it.

Burt

Dear Burt,

I’m glad you wrote. While most dentists would say hurry up and get to the dentist to have this checked, I don’t think that is necessary at this point for this tooth. There is a big “however” coming though. Before we get into that, with the crown of the tooth gone, there is less likely of a chance that any infection will get into your bone. It’s not completely guaranteed, but less likely.

Now for those howevers. You dodged a bullet letting the decay get that far. In most cases this would have blown up into a full blown infection. People still die from untreated tooth infections every year. It’s in your best interest to prevent decay from growing. Besides, it’s way less expensive for you to get treatment early. A filling is way less expensive than a root canal and/or dental crown. All of them are less expensive than an extraction and replacement.

Given you haven’t been to the dentist in some time, you may have other teeth at risk. If it is dental anxiety that is keeping you from getting the oral health care you need, there are gentle dentists out there who are sensitive to patients with fear of the dental chair. My suggestion is that, even though you may be okay not getting this tooth checked out, I think you need to get a check up in order to ensure the remainder of your teeth are healthy.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

My Dentist Caused a Dental Emergency

June 24, 2025 by writeradmin

I got a single dental crown. There wasn’t anything wrong with the tooth. He was doing the crown because it was a bit crooked and that was bothering me. After I had the crown done, my tooth became quite sensitive, especially to hot and cold. I called their office and they told me that it was quite normal for that to happen for a few weeks. Eventually, though, it was hurting so much that I went to see another dentist who advertised as an emergency dentist. That dentist told me that the tooth was now infected and I needed a root canal treatment and a new crown. I was blown away and asked how that could possibly happen and the dentist explained that the dentist had left open margins that trapped bacteria there. She showed me the x-ray and there were pretty big margins. I feel like the dentist should have noticed that. Wouldn’t he have done an x-ray, too? I called their office and told them I wanted my money back because now I have to have a new crown plus an additional procedure. Their phone person told me that once the crown was in my mouth it became my problem. Is there any way to get my money back on this?

Srinita

Dear Srinita,

Based on what you have described, your dentist has violated the standard of care in your case. While taking an x-ray is not standard procedure after placing a dental crown, they should definitely run an explorer around the margins of your dental crown to make sure there is a great fit. It does not sound like your dentist did that. The fact that the emergency dentist did take an x-ray that documented the open margins will really work in your favor.

If your dentist was ethical, they’d be willing to admit they made a mistake and refund your money willingly, maybe even offer to cover the additional procedure, but it doesn’t sound like this is going to happen for you. While dental malpractice cases are rarely worth the time and financial investment unless there has been life altering problems as a result, here are some things you can do to encourage your dentist to do the right thing:

1. Tell them you will write in detail everything you experienced as a result of this dentist’s neglect on all the review sites. People do check these sites before trying a new caregiver.
2. Tell them you are going to the dental board. While not as serious as a malpractice suit, they would not want negative attention drawn to the dental board about them.
3. Have the second dentist who diagnosed the problem talk to your dentist. Sometimes having a peer call you out makes a difference.
4. Have a lawyer write a threatening letter. This may make your dentist worry you are willing to follow through with a malpractice suit. That should sober them up.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Is My Dentist Being Ridiculous?

May 16, 2025 by writeradmin

I have a tooth that has been bothering me for a while. Now, the pain is traveling up to my cheek. I went to see the dentist. All I wanted was some antibiotics. He insists the tooth is infected and that I need a root canal. I’m not looking to get an extra procedure. I just want the antibiotics. After a LOT of back and forth, he agreed to give them to me, but only if I signed something that essentially said that I understand this won’t completely solve my problem and I have been told that I need additional treatment, such as a root canal treatment. I signed it, but honestly, I feel like he is being ridiculous. Is there any validity to this or should I just look for another dentist?

Karen

Dear Karen,

I am glad you wrote. While I am not privy to the conversation between you and your dentist and cannot give an opinion on how he went about things, I can speak to the information he is giving you.

Antibiotics do not “cure” a tooth infection. The best they can do is get it under control if it has spread so that you can have the appropriate treatment. If your pain has gone up your cheek then it has definitely spread, so antibiotics as a starting point are the appropriate action to take. However, once your antibiotics run out, then the infection will blow back up again. I would consider your situation a dental emergency.

The only real way to treat an infected tooth permanently is for a dentist to get in there and remove the infected pulp. Your treatment procedure should be to give you some antibiotics to get the infection contained and to schedule a follow-up appointment to take care of the infected pulp.

Ideally, this would be with a root canal treatment because it will save the tooth. If the infection or tooth is too far gone, then you will have to have the tooth extracted. In that case you will also need to replace the tooth so there is not shifting of your bite because of the open space. The reason you don’t want that is because shifting can lead to painful TMJ disorder. Replacing your lost tooth can avoid that.

If it does come to that, the best tooth replacement is a dental implant. However, there are other options.

Your first step, though, is to get this infection dealt with. If you don’t, it will continue to spread. Then, a dental emergency can turn life threatening. Believe it or not, people still die from untreated tooth infections every year.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Am I Too Old to Extract a Wisdom Tooth?

February 28, 2025 by writeradmin

I have a wisdom tooth that is starting to bother me. All of them are impacted, but this is the first time I’ve had any trouble with them. I have a consultation scheduled with a dentist. The thing that worries me is that I am 32 years old. Am I too old to have this extracted if it is infected?

Camille

Dear Camille,

If your tooth is infected, then you will have to have it extracted no matter what the age. An infection from a tooth will continue to spread until the infected pulp is removed. That means a simple toothache can turn into a dental emergency where you are in a lot of pain. If that isn’t treated, it can turn life-threatening as the infection makes it’s way out of your jaw and travels to other parts of your body. Your jaw is close to your brain, heart, and throat. You don’t want the infection reaching there.

While, at your age, your risk factors are up, I don’t start to get worried about the complications until a patient is forty. You mentioned that all of your wisdom teeth are impacted. I am going to recommend that you get them all out. This way you won’t be risking them blowing up when the risks from complications are at their worst.

The good news is that with a wisdom tooth, you don’t have to find a tooth replacement, like you would with any other tooth. That’s because there won’t be gaps between teeth where the other teeth can shift or tip into. If you were losing another type of tooth, I would recommend a dental implant as a replacement.

At your consultation, I would highly suggest you talk to him about removing all the impacted wisdom teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Porcelain Veneer Fell Off

December 31, 2024 by writeradmin

I had some porcelain veneers placed on my teeth. I really like them and how they make my smile look. A front one split lengthwise and fell off. I salvaged the pieces and called my dentist. They did temporarily glue it back on. It feels weird and to me it is obvious that something is off about my smile. I have to wait a week before they’ll even get me the temporary veneer. I argued feeling that it is a dental emergency. My dentist said it’s just cosmetic. Is this the typical attitude. Also, should I replace it with another veneer or is a crown better after they fall off?

Belinda

Dear Belinda,

Whether a dental office would consider it a dental emergency depends on the practice. Some dentists do more cosmetic work than others. Those who do more would tend to prioritize this as an esthetic emergency.

My suggestion is that you replace it with another porcelain veneer. If he does a porcelain crown will require your dentist to grind down healthy tooth structure. It is very feasible to re-bond a veneer. However, your dentist will need to have a good understanding of bonding chemistry.

It is preferable to remove all of the old bonding material so that there is a clean surface to work with. But, that won’t be completely necessary so long as your dentist knows how to properly treat the surface.

If you are concerned that your dentist will take too long or that he does not have the skill to do this, you don’t have to have it done by the same dentist. Your dentist is under an ethical obligation to share all his treatment notes with any dentist you choose. Even if he doesn’t, if you go to an expert cosmetic dentist they can match the new veneer perfectly. Look at Dr. Murphree’s bio in order to get an idea of what to look for in an expert cosmetic dentist in your area.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Dentist Can’t Find the Problem

November 14, 2024 by writeradmin

I had an emergency root canal while on a trip in France with my university before I fell and damaged one of my front teeth. The other front tooth was fine. When I returned home, my dentist checked everything out and placed a dental crown over the root canal saying that everything looked good. Fast forward about a year later, and the crowned tooth became sensitive. I went in to see my dentist. He did x-rays and messed about with it but could not find anything wrong with it, so he sent me to an endodontist. The endodontist said the pressure is probably coming from the next tooth because it looks like I’ve been clenching my teeth. Neither of them of them have done anything for the tooth and, even though it has stopped hurting, I am worried there is a real problem. Otherwise why would it be absolutely fine for a year and then start hurting?

Amelia

Dear Amelia,

If they did a proper root canal treatment on you then that tooth should not have any pain because the nerve was removed. Sometimes, when a root canal is done on a back tooth, there could be a hidden canal that gets missed, but front teeth are very easy so this should not be an issue. Plus, you had two dentists, on separate continents, look at the root canal when you first got it done, both of them said it looked fine. Because of that, I don’t think the root canaled tooth is the problem.

Bear in mind that I have not examined you. That being said, I actually think it is the tooth beside the one with the dental crown that is the problem. When you damaged your front tooth, the adjacent tooth likely experienced trauma as well. It is not unusual for an injured tooth to not show symptoms at first. Some can take a couple of years.

Not having the problem show up on the x-ray does not surprise me. It will not show up until the inflammation progresses to an infection that starts to spill out of the tooth. You don’t have a dental emergency at the moment. But, if it starts hurting again or you develop a pimple on your gums, then that means the adjacent tooth will need a root canal treatment as well.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.
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Are There Porcelain Veneer Emergencies?

October 31, 2024 by writeradmin

My daughter had porcelain veneers done before leaving for college. About a month ago she fell and chipped one of them. We went to see her dentist while she was home for a quick break. That dentist “fixed it” by trimming down both teeth to the same size. Now the teeth have a blue tinge to them. Did she do something the damage the teeth? Are the veneers in danger of falling off?

Pamela

Dear Pamela,

You didn’t say where the color change is. However, It sounds like the bonding between the tooth and the veneer is failing. While it is possible that it will fall off, unless she has an expert cosmetic dentist nearby that can replace the porcelain veneers, she is better off allowing the veneers to fall off on their own.

I don’t think the dentist did anything by trimming them. The problem was probably there from the beginning and is just now showing up. The bluish color is from things getting caught between the tooth and the veneer.

When it falls off, most dentists would not consider it a dental emergency. That being said, a true cosmetic dentist does understand the urgency of an aesthetic emergency.

So, how will she find one of those dentists? She will want someone who has had both post-doctoral training and a track record of artistry in creating beautiful smiles. Take a look at Dr. Murphree’s bio to get an idea of what you are looking for.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.

Trauma to This Tooth Was Handled Badly

September 14, 2024 by writeradmin

My husband had an accident at a game and had a concussion and trauma to his teeth. After the ER, we went to see the dentist who wanted to wait two weeks until his tooth was treated. During that time period his tooth had turned dark. He was no longer in pain. When the dentist went in she felt dried blood and said he’d need a dental crown. The temporary crown was started and then the procedure completed within a few weeks.

Fast forward a couple of months and he was in tremendous pain. We went back to the dentist and she said it looks like he may need a root canal treatment. She started that procedure and gave him five days worth of amoxicillin. The pain went away for a day or so, but then came back. By the time she finished up the root canal treatment about seven days later, he was in massive pain again. The root canal was done and he was still miserable. She told him to give it time. He was in agony for a couple of days and then I insisted they see him. Next, they root canaled the tooth next to the injured one saying that it was probably the problem. I don’t think it was because he is STILL in pain. What do we do?

Martha

Dear Martha,

I am so sorry this has happened to you! I’m going to be honest that your dentist has been pretty negligent, borderline incompetent in this whole thing. When she first saw that there was dried blood she should have known that the tooth needed a root canal treatment. What did she think was going on with the tooth?

Next, when she did realize that the tooth needed a root canal treatment, she only gave your husband 5 days worth of antibiotics, but as I understand you the procedure itself wasn’t completed for seven days. That means the infection would not be dealt with before the antibiotics were used up. Antibiotics do not solve a tooth infection. They only hold it at bay. As soon as the antibiotics are done, the infection comes straight back, even stronger. This is why your husband had a bit of relief when the antibiotics were first started.

The fact that it only lasted about a day is because she also gave the wrong antibiotic. Amoxicillin would not be a recommended antibiotic for a tooth infection. Then, she closed your tooth up with the infection still in it.

Finally, rather than admit her mistake, she tries to just say it is another tooth that is the problem, and root canals what is likely a perfectly healthy tooth.

My suggestion is that you see an endodontist. This is a root canal specialist. Explain to them that you have a dental emergency and they should fit you in fairly quickly. Just tell them the series of events that you told me.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.
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Do I Wait to Have Wisdom Teeth Extracted?

August 15, 2024 by writeradmin

I am 26 years old and have impacted wisdom teeth. All four teeth are impacted but only two of them are bothering me. I’m having them extracted and am wondering about a couple of things. First, should I have all of them extracted at the same time or just the ones that are bothering me? Second, one of them has a root that goes past a nerve. The dentist suggested that we can either try extracting the whole root or leave part of the root so that we don’t go near the nerve. Is one better than another?

Kaylie

Dear Kaylie,

I am going to recommend you get all of the impacted wisdom teeth extracted at once. While the other two wisdom teeth are not bothering you now, they are impacted which means they are very likely to bother you in the future. What you don’t want is to wait until they do and then you have a dental emergency on your hands. There’s a very good reason to all of them now.

At the moment, you are at a good age for these extractions because the bone is still relatively pliable and you don’t have as much cementum built up on the roots of your teeth. Once you hit 30, your chances of complications double from a wisdom tooth extraction. They’ll double again about every five years after that. You are much safer getting them out now.

As for the root by the nerve, It is okay to leave the root, but tell him not to leave the whole root. Instead, he should just leave the tip. This way there is less chance your body will see it as a foreign object that needs to destroyed.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.
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Is A Dental Infection Really Serious?

April 26, 2024 by writeradmin

I had a molar that broke in half last week. It’s on the upper right side. A week later, my cheek and upper sinus area started hurting. I wasn’t sure if it was a sinus infection or a tooth infection. Now the pain is up by my temples. My sister thinks it is a tooth infection from the broken molar and that it is serious. She insists I go to a dentist, but I am incredibly busy. Is this as serious as my sister is making out or can this just wait until my next dental appointment?

Breen

Dear Breen,

I am very glad you wrote. This is a tooth infection and it is spreading. I know it is hard to believe, but people still die from tooth infections. This is making its way to your brain and you do not want that. I know you are busy, but this is something that you will need to make time for. Because of how much it has spread already, I would consider it a dental emergency. Ideally, you want to save the tooth by getting a root canal treatment and then have a dental crown placed on top of it.

If the tooth cannot be saved, then you will need to have it extracted and replaced. You do not want to leave the tooth place empty. If you do, the other teeth will drift or tip into the open space. This could lead to painful TMJ Disorder, so it is important you replace the tooth. There are a great number of tooth replacement options from the top of the line with dental implants all the way down to something like a dental flipper.

A dental implant is the most like having a healthy, natural tooth in your mouth again, but they are a bit pricey. The dental flipper is the cheapest but they are meant to be temporary while you save up for a better option. There are a couple of options in between those two ends of the spectrum as well.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentists Drs. Murphree and Yount.