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Types of Dental emergencies

There are many causes of dental emergencies.  Some are purely dentally related while  others are medically related (or a combination of both).  Our Highlands Ranch dental office of Dr. James DeLapp and Dr. H. Candace DeLapp need to see you to determine what type of dental emergency you are having

When a patient presents with a chief complaint of dental pain… we need to make a determination as to its source.  When you describe the pain we term this the “subjective” finding by the patient.  As Highlands Ranch and Denver area dentists, we need to determine the “objective” findings before we can render a diagnosis (opinion).  Pain many be due to one cause or from multiple sources.  We describe these different causes of your subjective pains as a Differential Diagnosis.

Purely dental causes of tooth pain can be due to any or a combination of the following:

• Dental decay or Cavity
• Gum disease (Periodontal disease)
• Cracked tooth
• Missing filling
• Cracked tooth “syndrome” (sometimes difficult to diagnose and treat)
• Infected tooth (root canal or extract)
• Other or a combination of several of the above causes or…. some listed below)

“Medical” or “other” cause of “upper” jaw pain

• Clenching and grinding (origin of the masseter muscle)
• Sinus problems (roots of teeth can sit in the maxillary sinus)
• Myo-facial pains (of differing types)
• Tumors
• Other

“Medical” or “other” causes of “lower” jaw pain

• Clenching and grinding (insertion of the masseter muscle)
• Tumors
• Heart related problems (angina to heart attack)
• Myo-facial pain (of differing types)
• Tumors
• Other 

Very unusual cause of dental pain

I had a classmate from dental school who was working at an inner city hospital and a heavily bearded homeless man complained of lower jaw pain.  When taking an x-ray of the area there was a radio opaque area that looked like a bullet.  Yes, indeed, he had been shot in the face and did not remember it (or was unconscious when it occurred).  Note to everyone… don’t drink so much that you do not remember getting shot in the face.

Dr. James DeLapp and Dr. H. Candace DeLapp are Highlands Ranch Dentist who also treat dental patients living in Denver, Ken Caryl, Douglas County, Arapahoe County, Lone Tree Castle Pines and Parker Colorado area. Please feel free to contact their Highlands Ranch Dental office for an appointment at (303) 694-9740.