What is a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any situation that's creating pain or discomfort. Aside from that, you can have a cosmetic emergency, a denture fracture while eating something, or an injury from a fall. All of those can be considered dental emergencies. Of course, infections and facial swelling are dental emergencies that need to be taken care of right away.
Who should you see for a dental emergency?
There are specific dentists for different types of dental emergencies. If you're a child, you may need to see a pediatric dentist. If you have tooth pain, sometimes you're going to want to see an endodontist. In any case, the best thing to do is to visit your primary dental office. They are going to be able to evaluate the problem and refer you to the proper dentist or specialist if needed.
What should you do if you have an after-hours dental emergency?
If it's after hours and you have an emergency that's creating a lot of pain, or your face has become swollen, you may need to go to the nearest emergency room. If you're having difficulty breathing or experiencing another life-threatening emergency, call 911.
There are certain dental emergencies that can be very dangerous, specifically serious infections involving the lower jaw. They can potentially affect your breathing, and that type of emergency needs to be seen at the emergency room. Allergic reactions also need immediate medical attention.
When is an emergency dental extraction needed?
Dental extractions may be needed for different reasons during an emergency. A dental extraction may be necessary when a tooth is creating a severe infection and needs to be removed to help resolve the infection, sometimes along with antibiotics.
An emergency extraction is rather rare unless the tooth has been severely broken or damaged and needs to be extracted immediately. In some cases, we're going to use antibiotics first and allow them to work before we do an extraction.
When is an emergency root canal needed?
An emergency root canal may be needed when the tissue inside a tooth is inflamed beyond repair, and this type of situation will usually create a lot of pain. Typically, when someone is in so much dental pain that they can barely think about anything else, it may be related to inflammation inside a tooth that will not return to normal.
In those cases, we may need to do an emergency endodontic procedure, which basically involves numbing you and removing the affected nerve tissue to help get you out of pain. Another situation where you may need an emergency root canal is when you have an infection inside the tooth. In those cases, we also want to go in and properly clean and drain the area so we can release the pressure and help relieve your pain.
Do you offer same-day care for dental emergencies?
We do offer same-day care at HQ Dontics. If you're having a dental emergency, just give us a call during regular hours, and we're going to do as much as possible to bring you in immediately.
At HQ Dontics, you come first. Whether you need dental care or simply have questions, call us at (229) 508-0551 or email [email protected] to schedule your visit. Our team is here to help you every step of the way.