
Emergency Treatment
Many conditions, such as tooth sensitivity, sore gums, or mild dental problems should be treated promptly, but are not considered urgent. Simply contact Edwards Family Dentistry on our next business day to schedule an appointment for a checkup.
Some conditions, however, require urgent treatment. In these cases, you should contact us immediately to be booked for a priority appointment or go to your nearest emergency room after hours. Check out the situations we consider an emergency below, as well as the steps we recommend you take immediately after the emergency occurs.
What is a Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. Accidents, impact injuries, and tooth damage can happen in a variety of daily activities. We offer priority care to patients who are experiencing urgent dental problems, but if your injury occurs outside of our normal hours of operation, you should receive emergency care and call us on the next business day to schedule a follow-up appointment.
Toothaches, Broken Teeth, and Cracked Teeth
Tooth pain can be one of the most painful, overwhelming experiences a person can go through. It can make normal activities potentially unbearable. Patients who have experienced a toothache say that eating, sleeping, and daily living quickly becomes overwhelming. Since tooth pain is typically caused by a dental abscess, an infection, or decay that has irritated the nerves surrounding one or more teeth, having it treated urgently is very important. The faster you receive treatment for these conditions or injuries, the more successful your treatment will be.
Having a Tooth Knocked Out
If you have a tooth knocked out of the socket, take a deep breath. The experience is traumatic, but the tooth is usually salvageable. First, locate the tooth and place it in a clean container filled with milk to protect the tooth and provide it with valuable nutrients. Then, contact our office immediately, or, if the incident occurs after-hours, go to the emergency room right away. A tooth that is reinserted within an hour is more likely to be saved than one that is out of the mouth for a longer period of time.
Other conditions, such as a lost or damaged filling, lost crown, or loose braces bracket can typically wait until Edwards Family Dentistry is open for business. However, if the condition causes severe pain, you can follow the same instructions mentioned above for a toothache. Make sure to call Edwards Family Dentistry the next business day for definitive care.