Dental emergencies are an unfortunate fact of life. You're eating something crunchy, and suddenly a tooth cracks or you wake up in the morning with swelling and pain in your jaw. Many people head straight to the emergency room when they have tooth pain. The problem is that this is inefficient and usually not very helpful.
Most emergency rooms aren't set up to handle dental emergencies. They might be able to give you some antibiotics if an infection is causing your pain, but they will still advise you to see your dentist as soon as possible. For this small service, you are likely to be hit with a huge co-pay or bill.
Call our office instead.
We'll get you in quickly, relieve your pain, and come up with a treatment plan for your problem. This saves you both money and time, not to mention days of dental pain.
Of course, if you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 or go to your local emergency room.
What are the most common reasons that people need emergency dental care?
Sudden tooth pain – Significant tooth pain with no apparent cause results in many emergency dental visits. You should never ignore tooth pain because it is usually a symptom of many serious dental conditions, including:
We can treat these conditions promptly to prevent further damage to the tooth and keep the infection from spreading.
Chipped or fractured teeth – Chipped or broken teeth can be caused by sudden mouth trauma or simply biting down on a hard object. Sometimes this happens because you had a cavity and didn't know it, and the internal structure has been weakened. If possible, keep the broken piece of the tooth and bring it with you to your appointment.
Lost teeth – Whether your tooth was knocked out due to an injury or you lost a tooth for no apparent reason, losing a tooth is a critical dental emergency. In some cases, we can replace the tooth if we get to it quickly, but we may have to replace the tooth with a dental implant or a bridge.
Our chances of saving the tooth are best if you retrieve the tooth and quickly rinse it with lukewarm water, avoiding the root area. Try to replace the tooth in the socket, but don't force it. If you can't replace the tooth, keep it in a glass of milk or saliva. Call our office immediately.
The goal of an emergency dental appointment is to address the immediate need, resolve your problem, and relieve your pain. If we believe further care is needed, we will schedule you a regular appointment to follow up and set up an appropriate treatment plan to prevent future problems.
Some other problems that require prompt emergency dental treatment include:
Call our office for an appointment for any dental emergency.
Dr. Barton Mapes brings a lifelong passion for dentistry, people, and science to his role at Landmark Dental. In 2001, Dr. Mapes began working at the same clinic he’d been visiting since he was a child. His early experiences with his childhood dentist sparked a deep interest in oral health and the human connection behind every smile.
He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Marquette University School of Dentistry in 2007 and has been practicing ever since.
Known for his warm, collaborative approach, Dr. Mapes values the strong team dynamic ...
In today’s modern, digital culture, we are used to having information at the tips of our fingers. Your dental records are no different. Digital records allow us to compare your oral health from one visit to the next, and everything stays safe under encrypted lock and key.