dental procedures in the ED?

[reedman]

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does anyone do simple dental procedures like nerve blocks and extractions? what do you do with people that come in with unbearable tooth pain?

 

[EM2BE]

does anyone do simple dental procedures like nerve blocks and extractions? what do you do with people that come in with unbearable tooth pain?

We will do nerve blocks. Especially on people who are known to come in with tooth pain. We tend to make many of them have pain contracts that say they will not receive narcotics in the ER and won't receive prescriptions for narcotics (these are of course up to the discretion of the attending though, as in if they come in for something legitimate other than tooth pain, they often receive a small amount in the ER but won't get scripts). I love that we have a system in place for many types of people (for any type of problem - including those who are noncompliant with meds or have home issues that have been flagged).

 

[Birdstrike]

Nerve blocks occassionally. Extractions, no. Drain an abscess if it's large and easily accessible. Replant an avulsed tooth occasionally. Most dental stuff is quick in and out.

 

[reedman]

what kind of training you y'all get regarding dental procedures? we certainly arent learning anything in med school. i can't remember learning anything about relevant dental anatomy.

 

[EMRAGE]

Nerve blocks occassionally. Extractions, no. Drain an abscess if it's large and easily accessible. Replant an avulsed tooth occasionally. Most dental stuff is quick in and out.

Exactly!

RAGE

 

[Greenbbs]

there's a dental residency in my hospital, so anything huge like reimplantations, etc, usually get a call to them. otherwise, it's out to the hospital's walk-in dental residency clinic for definitive care.