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Emergency Services

When a child is injured, it is a frightening experience for any parent. And as any parent will tell you, injuries in children are common simply because of the way they play.

When an injury involves dental trauma, it can be particularly scary.

Whether your child becomes injured while playing sports or from a fall or collision, Little Smiles Dentistry is available to help. Dr. Stefan Ionescu knows that proper dental care is necessary to help save a tooth and prevent dental complications from occurring later in life.

When a Tooth Is Lost

When a tooth is knocked out because of an accident or injury, your immediate course of action will depend on what kind of tooth it is.

If it is a permanent tooth, we want to try to save it. If possible, have your child hold the tooth in place and give us a call right away. If there is no damage to the tooth, we might be able to save it by reimplanting it.

If it is a baby tooth, make sure that your child did not swallow or aspirate the tooth. Loss of a baby tooth usually does not require treatment but call our office to schedule an appointment so that we may evaluate proper healing. Dr. Ionescu can make sure no other damage was done at the site.

The Importance of Sports Guards

Because children are prone to injury when playing sports, a mouth guard or sports guard can protect their teeth. Sports guards will help keep your child’s teeth safe if they are hit or if they fall.

Guidelines for Whom Should You Call and When

It’s not always easy to know whether or not you should call our office. If you are dealing with any of the following, however, it’s a good idea to give us a call:

Your child has lost or damaged a tooth because of a trauma.
A tooth has become cracked or otherwise compromised because of an injury.
Your child has a painful toothache.
Your child is experiencing pain or clicking in the jaw or the jaw is locked.
There is a mouth wound from the injury.
Your child’s tooth becomes discolored.

In a situation where a serious injury has occurred, it’s best to take your child to the nearest emergency room or call 911. Possible signs of serious trauma include:

There is something stuck in your child’s mouth.
You child has blurred vision or slurred speech.
Your child is experiencing nausea or feeling disoriented
Your child is experiencing uncontrolled bleeding that will not stop with pressure.
Your child loses consciousness.

If you are unsure of what to do, you can always give Dr. Ionescu a call and we can help you determine the best action to take.

Call Our Office if Your Child Has Had an Accident or Suffered an Injury

Give us a call any time you are concerned about any kind of trauma your child has experienced. We can answer questions and help you assess whether or not the situation is an emergency.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my child has a dental emergency?

If you are unsure about what to do if your child has an urgent dental matter, you can always give us a call. If you have a true after-hours emergency (such as facial swelling or a knocked-out permanent tooth), call the office and the doctor will be available to respond shortly.

We have also included some guidelines here to help you make a decision on what to do.

For toothaches, have your child rinse thoroughly with warm water and use a toothbrush or dental floss to remove and food debris. If your child is still in pain, Children's Motrin (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen) is recommended as directed on the bottle. Call to make an appointment as soon as possible to prevent more severe problems.
For a chipped tooth, rinse the mouth out with water and apply and cold compress to the injured lip or cheek. Locate the fragment and bring it with you to the office. Call us right away and we will fit you in the same day.
If a permanent tooth has been knocked out, find it if you can. Handle it by the crown, rather than the root. You can rinse it carefully with water or saline. If you don’t see any fractures or other damage to the tooth, your child can try to hold the tooth in place by biting down on a piece of gauze. Bring your child in to Little Smiles Dentistry immediately. Time is of the essence if the tooth is to be saved.
If a baby tooth has been knocked out, make sure that your child did not swallow or aspirate the tooth. This usually does not require treatment but call our office to schedule an appointment so that we may evaluate proper healing.

For serious injuries, such as a blow to the head or jaw, or if bleeding of the mouth will not stop, take your child to the nearest emergency room immediately.

Meet Our Doctor:

Dr. Stefan Ionescu

Dr. Stefan Ionescu enjoys creating a fun and comfortable experience for children at each and every dental visit. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. He taught high school in Europe prior to returning to Texas and obtained his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Baylor College of Dentistry. He then went on to complete an additional two years of specialized pediatric training at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.

Dr. Ionescu is a board certified pediatric ...