If you have a dental emergency, contact our dental office at 267-651-7247. The team at Brookwood Dental Associates provides emergency dental care to patients in Lansdale, PA, and surrounding communities. Emergency dental services are a part of our general dentistry services.
Prompt emergency care can prevent the spread of tooth decay, alleviate tooth pain, and prevent tooth loss. We can offer comprehensive dental services for tooth damage, knocked-out teeth, and injuries to the gums. Our office also performs root canals.
Please call a hospital if you have an immediate or life-threatening medical problem, as our team can handle any oral health problems afterward. We want our patients to make the right physical and oral health choices.
Do I Have a Dental Emergency?
It can be hard to determine exactly what’s considered a dental emergency. A dental emergency is anything that needs immediate attention. If a large part of your tooth breaks off and you feel a lot of pain, that must be taken care of immediately. But, if a small chip of your tooth comes off and you don’t even really feel it, that’s something that could wait until your next dental appointment.
A knocked-out tooth in an adult is always an emergency. So is any form of pain, particularly if it’s sharp or sudden. This is a big indicator that something isn’t right. Bleeding is as well, particularly if it’s a lot of blood. If you’re bleeding every time you brush your teeth, that’s a sign that you have gum disease. Other bleeding points to trauma in your mouth somewhere.
Infections or abscesses need to be treated immediately, but it can be difficult to determine if you have one. Symptoms include throbbing pain, swelling around a tooth, and a fever. An infection in your mouth can impact your entire body and livelihood. It needs treatment as soon as possible to avoid more harmful effects.
Emergency Dentistry Services in Lansdale, PA
Some of the emergency dental problems that we can treat include:
Lost Permanent Teeth
If you have just knocked out one of your permanent teeth, try to locate it. Pick up the tooth by the top or crown and place it in a cup of cold milk. Sometimes, the lost tooth can be successfully reseated into the socket. If we cannot restore the natural tooth, we will recommend a tooth replacement option, such as a dental implant. Dental implants are titanium posts that replace teeth at the root. They are the most durable and versatile restoration option for our patients with missing teeth.
Broken or Lost Dental Restorations
Our office can repair or replace dental crowns, dental bridges, and dentures. Please bring your broken restoration to our office and do not attempt to place it back in your mouth, as this can damage your teeth and gums. We will find the appropriate solution for your specific restorative needs.
Toothaches
Tooth pain and toothaches can have many causes. Dental injuries, wisdom teeth, dental erosion, or tooth decay are the most common reasons. Contact us if you are unsure of the cause of your tooth pain. We can examine your smile to find the cause and recommend the right treatment.
Injured Teeth
Have you just chipped or cracked one of your teeth? Gently rinse your broken tooth in water. Then, apply a cold compress on the outside cheek or mouth. You may also take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Our dental office provides multiple options to restore structure to broken teeth. We may recommend dental bonding, a procedure for sculpting biocompatible material onto an injured tooth. A dental crown can also provide strength to a fractured tooth or molar.
Excessive Bleeding
It is normal for patients to experience bleeding at an extraction site several hours after their procedure. However, it is abnormal for bleeding to continue for days after an extraction. Several causes of continual bleeding can include accidental injury or damage to the site or broken stitches. Call our office so we can stave off the bleeding and ensure that your gum tissue heals properly.
Importance of Emergency Dentistry
Dental emergencies are painful. It’s hard for you to function normally when experiencing debilitating pain. At the very least, emergency dentistry can help manage your pain and alleviate your condition. Tooth pain is the most common emergency we see in our office. There are many different causes of tooth pain, which is why it requires diagnosis from our office. We ensure we’re treating the root cause of the pain so that the pain is stopped at the source.
Untreated dental emergencies can lead to severe complications. It’s crucial to seek emergency care promptly to avoid the possibility of these more intense developments. Things like bone infections, gum disease, and tooth loss are all possibilities if you don’t seek dental care when your symptoms start. We treat pain, control infections, and ensure the problem doesn’t progress any further.
A dental emergency is understandably stressful. Your emotions are high, and you’re trying to calm your fear and anxiety to control the situation. We’re trained to give our patients compassionate, comfortable care. You can rest assured that you have a safe environment where you know you’re in the best hands. Our team can help you regain confidence and know you’re on track to a resolved condition.
Preventing Dental Emergencies
One of the worst things about dental emergencies is that some can happen to anyone, no matter how well you care for your oral health. It’s impossible to prevent the possibility of any dental emergency, but there are preventative measures you can take to minimize your risk.
Good oral hygiene is the best way to prevent infections and tooth decay. Brushing and flossing prevent food particles and bacteria from building up on and around your teeth. Bacteria feed on food particles, emitting an acidic byproduct that’s the root cause of tooth decay and dental cavities. This erodes the tooth enamel, giving bacteria access to the deeper, more sensitive layers under the enamel.
Regular dental visits are a crucial part of preventing dental emergencies. Each one provides a thorough dental exam. We look at all your teeth and use diagnostic technologies like x-rays to examine all tooth structures. We also check dental restorations, like fillings and crowns, to ensure they’re all in good shape. If we find any issues, we can teach you the best prevention methods and ensure you’re on a path to good oral health.
Many common dental emergencies occur when playing sports or other intense activities. A mouthguard protects your teeth from damage or being knocked out during physical activities. Nightguards can prevent the effects of grinding and clenching your teeth at night. The pressure exerted on these teeth can break or wear down your teeth prematurely.
Emergency Dental FAQs
Anyone can experience a dental emergency. Learn more by reading the answers to these commonly asked questions.
What is an emergency dentist?
An emergency dentist is a dentist who can treat dental problems that require immediate care. Emergency dentists can schedule same-day appointments for patients who have dental emergencies, including toothaches, lost teeth, and severe dental injuries.
What is the most common dental emergency?
Toothaches, or severe tooth pain, are the most common type of dental emergency. If you have sudden, severe tooth pain, please contact us so we can determine the cause of your pain and find the best solution.
Will my dentist see me for an emergency?
Yes, we can see you if you have a dental emergency. We can treat toothaches, knocked-out teeth, tooth injuries, injured and bleeding mouth tissues, and more.
Do I go to a dentist or doctor for my emergency?
We recommend visiting a doctor if you have physical injuries in addition to your dental problems. It’s important to receive care in the ER to treat medical emergencies before dental emergencies. Once you are medically treated, we will address your dental problems.
How long can I go with a broken tooth?
You should not wait long to get treated if you have a broken tooth. You need to see a dentist within days of injuring your tooth. Seeing a dentist as soon as possible if you have a large tooth fracture is especially important. You can damage your tooth further and even lose your tooth when you brush, floss, or eat. Addressing a broken tooth promptly will also prevent further pain and discomfort.
How long should I wait to treat a toothache?
You must see a dentist if tooth pain lasts one to two days straight. It is important to receive professional treatment for a toothache because damage or infection can spread quickly.
Contact Our Dental Office Today
Call Brookwood Dental Associates at 267-651-7247. If you do not have a dental emergency, you may schedule a dental appointment with our team online. Please let us know if you have any current concerns or questions about our emergency treatments. We will always be happy to help.