Dental emergencies are some of the most difficult situations to deal with because they always happen when you least expect them. That’s why we recommend that our patients be prepared by having our phone number on-hand, just in case! Our team will help walk you through the situation, any first-aid guidance, and schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible. Our team always tries to see emergency patients the same day they call.
The first step you should always take if you have a dental emergency on your hand is to call our office. We’ll schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible so you won’t have to wait and wonder what’s wrong and whether it’s going to get worse. Below, we’ve also included some helpful tips on how to handle the situation until you’re able to reach our office.
Toothaches are often a sign of an infection hidden within the tooth. To ease the pain, you can take an over-the-counter pain medication like ibuprofen or place a cold compress on the outside of your face for 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, for up to an hour. This will also help reduce swelling.
If you’re able to locate the broken-off portion of your tooth, rinse it off, pick it up, and bring it to your appointment. If the damage has created a jagged edge, you can place a piece of orthodontic wax over it to keep it from irritating the inside of your lips or cheek.
Time is of the essence, so quickly locate your tooth and pick it up, being sure to not touch the roots. Rinse it off under some water and store it in a sealable container filled with milk or salt water to keep it viable. Be sure to bring it to your appointment with you.
If you’re able to locate your lost filling or crown, pick it up and rinse it off. You can temporarily place it back on your tooth using a dab of toothpaste or denture adhesive. To prevent any additional damage from occurring, it’s important to have your restoration professionally restored or replaced.
Are your jaw joints filled with tension? Do you regularly experience lockjaw or head and neck pain? These are all common signs of a condition known as TMJ dysfunction, which affects the two joints that hinge your jaw to your skull. To help ease your discomfort and ensure that your condition doesn’t result in oral damage, we offer several different customized treatments, including occlusal splints and occlusal adjustments.
While it’s impossible to completely avoid accidents, there are some ways that you can reduce your chances of ending up in an emergency dentist’s treatment chair:
Once our team has had a chance to examine your mouth and collect the necessary diagnostic information to identify the root of your problem, we’ll develop a treatment plan to address it. Based on the severity of the issue and what type of procedure you’ll need, we’ll walk you through the cost, including dental insurance benefits. We’re happy to file claims on our patient’s behalf and are in-network with several providers to make treatment more affordable.
When patients hear that they need a root canal, their first response is to often panic because they’ve been made to think that it’s painful and the worst news that you can hear from their dentist. However, that’s not the case! Before we start the procedure, we make sure our patients are completely numb by administering a local anesthetic to the area. In addition, most patients who receive this treatment are able to continue enjoying their natural tooth for the rest of their life!
We understand that there’s no substitution that can compare to your natural teeth, which is why we never suggest extracting one unless it’s absolutely necessary to maintain your oral health and prevent additional damage down the road. Fortunately, after your procedure, you won’t have to live with a gap in your smile for long, because we offer several customized tooth replacement solutions to restore it.
