When you or a friend or loved one experiences physical trauma, you go to a hospital emergency room where they will assess the type of treatment you need. Medical professionals trained to handle broken bones or concussions are the best people to go to in the event that an accident happens involving broken bones or head injuries.
The same goes for emergency dentistry. When you or someone you know has an accident and incurs damage to their teeth, come see us at Artistry in Dentistry in Gilbert, AZ, where we offer emergency and urgent dental care.
Tooth pain and toothaches could also be an indication of a larger, more serious problem. If you are experiencing pain in your teeth, or a persistent toothache, make an appointment today. You do not need to live with tooth pain.
What Is Emergency Dentistry and What Does It Cover?
Dental treatments and appointments are typically organized and held to a schedule. But an emergency can’t wait to be squeezed into an open time slot a week or two from the time of the accident. That’s why we have emergency dentistry.
Emergency dental care is when our office staff and dentists are on-hand to treat urgent and serious cases of dental trauma, including things such as the following:
- Bacterial Infection: This is a serious condition that if left untreated can cause abscesses to form. If you are sensitive to hot and cold, have persistent aching pain in your tooth or teeth, a fever, and/or swelling in the mouth, come see us immediately.
- Inflammation: Canker sores and cold sores aren’t fun. If you’ve been dealing with yours for an extended period of time (weeks) come see us.
- Abscess: Abscesses form when a bacterial infection is left untreated. They are pus-filled pockets that form in either the gums or teeth. If you have a fever coupled with intense pain in the mouth, you might have an abscess.
- Knocked out tooth: Accidents happen. If a tooth gets knocked out, keep it clean and come see us right away.
- Loose Tooth: If you have concern over a loose tooth, we will check it out for you.
- Cuts and Lacerations to Gums, Tongue, Lips, or Cheeks: If facial tissues are cut or otherwise damaged, you may not need to visit a hospital. Dr. Sullivan is excellent with tissues associated with the facial area.
- Severe Toothache: When dental pain becomes intense, it may indicate a need for an emergency intervention.
- Chipped Tooth: A small loss of tooth material may lead to larger damage if untreated, so we restore teeth quickly.
- Broken or Cracked Tooth: A crack or break can spread. We may use a filling, crown, or other method to protect and strengthen your damaged tooth.
- Facial Trauma: A car accident, sports injury, or other event may lead to facial impacts or other damage. In some cases, your dentist will be perfectly suited to treat it.
Call us for more information about types of dental emergencies we treat or to come see us!
Get a Professional Diagnosis
Sometimes, it is difficult to know for sure if you have a true emergency. You don’t know if a tooth is supposed to be that loose. You don’t know if tooth pain will go away naturally or will get worse.
That’s why the most important first step in emergency dentistry is to get your dental issue diagnosed. We have years of experience in quickly going through our checklist to find the main cause of the issue.
Often, dental equipment is the only way to get a real diagnosis. An x-ray scanner, intraoral camera, high-powered lights, and even a dental mirror can all be used in your diagnosis.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
What is a dental emergency?
Any tooth-related problem that requires immediate treatment qualifies as a dental emergency. This could be an injury with excessive bleeding, knocking a tooth out, or severe and unrelenting pain. Seeing an emergency dentist can save your teeth and relieve your pain.
What are the most common dental emergencies?
Broken or cracked teeth, knocking a tooth out, painful abscesses, or other severe tooth pain are the most common dental emergencies. If you experience any of these, getting treatment quickly can make a world of difference.
How long can a tooth infection go untreated?
The maximum period that an abscessed tooth can go untreated is around 12 months. However, this comes with dangers such as sepsis and in rare extreme cases, death. Seeing an emergency dentist ensures you get treatment for a tooth infection in time to save you and your teeth.
Can an emergency room perform dental procedures?
Emergency rooms can mitigate the pain and bleeding for a dental emergency, but for most cases, it is illegal for anyone but a dentist to perform dental emergency procedures.
Call Dr. Sullivan for Rapid Emergency Dentistry
If you’re in pain or see an obvious dental problem, call Artistry in Dentistry immediately. We’ll find you the first appointment we can—often on the same day—and work to diagnose and resolve the issue quickly.
