Emergency Dentistry FAQ

Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding emergency dentistry.

What Kinds of Dental Problems Are Considered Emergencies?

Types of dental emergencies range from injuries causing a tooth to become loose or knocked out to damage caused by an infection. Therefore, if you ever experience an injury or trauma to your mouth that causes damage to your teeth, gums, or mouth, call your emergency dentist in Peoria for immediate care. And, if you don’t already have a dentist to call for emergencies, call our dental office, Maple Shade Dental Group, right away.

Here are some other kinds of dental emergencies:

● Broken, fractured, or chipped tooth

● Abscessed or otherwise infected tooth

● Dry socket

● Severe gum disease

● Lost filling

● Dental crown pain

Any of these dental problems could interfere with how you live your normal life. The quicker you get proper care for a dental emergency, the sooner relief will come and you can resume your life as normal. You also help avoid more severe dental issues from occurring.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Dental Emergency?

● A tooth that’s loose or has come out

● A severe toothache associated with extreme pain, pressure, or sensitivity

● Inflammation of the face

● Broken, chipped, loose, or lost dental fillings or crowns

● Mouth bleeding that you can’t control after 15 minutes

If you experience any of these signs or symptoms, take immediate action by calling an emergency dentist in Peoria. Not only can this dentist relieve any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing, he or she can also treat the source of the problem, making any necessary repairs or restorations or performing any other dental procedures required to eliminate the problem. For the emergency dentistry you require to alleviate any of these signs or symptoms, contact us at Maple Shade Dental Group.

What Are the Potential Consequences of Avoiding Emergency Dental Treatment?

By putting off emergency dental treatment, your dental issue could worsen, making it necessary to perform even more extensive and costly procedures to treat it. You could also cause permanent damage, like a tooth falling out or needing extraction.

Does a Damaged Tooth Count as a Dental Emergency?

If you break, fracture, or chip a tooth or a tooth becomes loose, it can negatively affect how you eat, lead you to cut the soft tissue in your mouth (lips, gums, cheeks, tongue), and cause mouth bleeding. Or, it may just put you in extreme pain. Therefore, no matter what, you can consider it a dental emergency.

Can I Fix a Broken Filling or Crown Myself?

The only one who can fix a broken filling or a crown is a dentist. By neglecting to seek out a dentist in Peoria to fix the problem, however, you only make yourself more susceptible to sensitivity or pain in the affected tooth. Unfortunately, you may also promote more serious complications like an infection or greater damage to that tooth or the teeth near it.

If the part of the tooth exposed by the broken or missing restoration is sharp enough, it could also cut your mouth and cause potentially severe bleeding. Even if the filling or crown hasn’t yet broken but is only loose, it can still pose the same risks, making a loose crown or filling an emergency dental situation as well. By seeing your emergency dentist without delay for this type of problem, you can get temporary treatment and immediate pain relief while your dentist and you plot out a more permanent solution.

What If I Experience a Dental Emergency During Regular Business Hours?

Many dentists’ schedules have time set aside for emergency dentistry. Therefore, if you have a dental emergency during a dentist’s normal business hours, you should still call for emergency dental care.

Contact us at Maple Shade Dental Group about your dental emergency, even if it occurs during our normal business hours. If we can, we’ll fit you in that same day. Otherwise, depending on the nature of the emergency, we may recommend you seek care at the nearest hospital emergency room. By making sure to describe your dental emergency to your dentist in the greatest detail possible, you can help your dentist determine the urgency of the care you need.

When Should You Go to the Emergency Room for a Dental Emergency?

If your mouth or face is swelling significantly or bleeding profusely, you should get medical treatment as soon as possible, even before you seek emergency dental care. The same applies if you experience a sudden impact injury to your head, face, jaw, or teeth. You should go to the ER as well if you have any of the signs or symptoms of a dental emergency with fever, chills, or problems breathing or swallowing accompanying them; these can suggest a possible life-threatening complication you need to address immediately.

What Causes Dental Emergencies?

The causes of most dental emergencies can be boiled down to the following situations and problems:

● Tooth decay

● Gum disease

● Large or older fillings

● Disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ)

● Car crashes

● Accident on the job

● Contact sport injury

● Falling down

● Biting or chewing hard food (like popcorn kernels) or inedible items (like pens)

● Improper use of your teeth, such as to tear or rip inedible items

● Jaw pain or locking

Don’t just ignore dental problems assuming they’ll just run their course. The longer you wait, the harder the problem can be to fix and the bigger the possibility that you could develop permanent damage or, at minimum, expensive and intensive oral procedures and surgeries.