What is considered a dental emergency?

A dental emergency can be a myriad of things. It could be a broken tooth, a toothache, inflammation, swelling—there are so many possibilities. Anything that makes you think about a tooth more than the rest of the things in your daily life is an emergency. That's when you should make a phone call, and we're here for you.

When do I need to see an emergency dentist versus going to an emergency room versus just a normal dental appointment?

There are three scenarios to consider:

  1. Regular Dental Visit: If you're coming in for a routine six-month cleaning and felt something strange a couple of weeks ago or noticed a tiny piece of filling came out, but it's not sensitive or painful, you can address that at your routine cleaning.
  2. Emergency Dental Visit: If you have swelling, a toothache, a broken tooth, or trauma like an accident where a tooth gets chipped, call our office, and we'll get you in ASAP. If it's an emergency, we'll see you the same day.
  3. Emergency Room: For major incidents like car accidents, fights, or severe swelling when all offices are closed, go to the emergency room. There will be an oral surgeon on call. You should also go if you experience general pain that won't go away, and you can't function normally.

Can you go through every common type of dental emergency and what can be done about each of them?

There are several types of dental emergencies:

  • Broken Tooth: We evaluate it, take an x-ray, and decide on treatment. It may require a root canal, a crown, or extraction with a bone graft if necessary.
  • Swelling: We'll prescribe antibiotics to manage the infection, then evaluate if the tooth can be saved with a root canal or needs extraction.
  • Wisdom Teeth: If they cause issues like pericoronitis, we may need to remove them. If they're coming in straight and aren't causing problems, we prefer to keep them.
  • Tooth Sensitivity: Often due to decay or old fillings. We'll clean out any decay and place a filling. Sensitivity at the gumline might require a filling and adjustments to your bite.
  • Broken or Loose Crowns/Veneers/Bridges: We'll clean and examine the crown and tooth. If it's sound, we'll re-cement it. If not, a new crown may be needed.

When would I need an emergency dental extraction?

An emergency extraction is needed if a tooth is severely decayed, fractured, swollen, painful, or if the supporting bone is compromised. If the tooth structure is salvageable, we'll attempt a root canal to save it. Otherwise, extraction may be necessary.

Do you offer same-day care for an emergency?

Of course. An emergency is an emergency. If you call and say you're in pain or something broke, we'll get you in that day. Call us at the end of the day or first thing in the morning, and we'll make sure to see you and put a plan together, possibly even treat your situation immediately.