Emergency Care

Dr. Lugus is readily available for dental emergencies via a twenty-four hour answering service

by dialing the office number – (770) 995-3220.

 

You will always be able to speak directly with a live person rather than having to leave a message on voicemail hoping that the message will be retrieved in a reasonable amount of time. If after office hours,

Dr. Lugus or one of his qualified staff will promptly return your call and assess the emergency and treatment thereof. Dr. Lugus is always contacted however regarding each emergency and will determine the severity of the situation and if and when your child needs to be seen at the office and/or if a referral to another medical or dental specialty or a hospital emergency department is indicated.

 

 

*One specific dental emergency is important to note:

 

Partial or full avulsion (tooth completely loose and severely displaced or completely knocked-out) of a permanent front tooth requires immediate attention. If the tooth is knocked out and is located, do not pick it up by the root, only the crown. If there is visible debris on the root and a water source is available, hold the tooth by the crown and gently rinse it off. Next, if at all possible, gently put the tooth back into the socket making sure that it is not placed in backwards. If almost knocked out and completely out of position, attempt to reposition the tooth upright back into the socket. The quicker the tooth is re-implanted the better. This is by far the best option. Re-implant the tooth even if debris is noted on the root. Get the patient to the child's dentist or an oral surgeon as quickly as possible.

 

If you are not able to re-implant the tooth, place it into a container of milk and get the patient to the child's dentist or an oral surgeon as quickly as possible.

 

If milk is not readily available, have the patient hold the tooth in his/her mouth inside the cheek. Get the patient to the child's dentist or and oral surgeon as quickly as possible.

 

Finally, if none of the above options is possible, place the tooth in water and get the patient to the child's dentist or oral surgeon as quickly as possible.

 

The main goal is to keep the tooth moist until professional help is initiated.

 

The prognosis of the tooth depends on the time it is actually out of the socket.

 

There are tooth preservation kits available but it is highly unlikely that you the parent will have

this kit handy at all times.