When I was at USC School of Dentistry, an older student saw me finish my work early and gave me some great advice. As I was packing up my equipment he stopped me, looked me in the eye and said; “Don’t go home. Get down to the emergency department and help someone with a tooth ache. Any dentist worth his salt will be able to get someone out of pain.” As a result of spending my extra time in the emergency department, and taking 100’s of hours of continuing education, I am able to help many patients relieve their dental pain.
The above x rays show a badly decayed tooth that caused the patient to suffer from hot and cold pain as well as spontaneous throbbing. We were able to numb the area, clean out the infected nerve, seal the canal, and get the tooth ready for a crown in a little over an hour. The patient leaves with no pain and a tooth that will soon be completed with a permanent crown. All in time for the weekend!
