What is a dental emergency?

When patients are seen for a dental emergency, they usually have suffered from some kind of trauma to the mouth which results in fractured or dislodged teeth, pain, bleeding or lacerations to the gums. Sometimes patients are unsure if their dental emergency is urgent, which requires immediate care (within 24 hours). The following are examples of urgent dental emergencies: a loose or knocked out tooth, bleeding that won’t stop, an injured jaw, painful swelling or a painful toothache.

If you are experiencing any of these situations, please seek care immediately. On the other hand, if you are experiencing a non-urgent dental emergency, it is not imperative to seek care right away. Examples of non-urgent dental emergencies include a lost filling, crown or bridge, a broken or cracked tooth (where you are not experiencing pain), food lodged between teeth or a dull toothache.

Although these non-urgent situations do not need to be treated immediately, you should still contact your dentist as soon as possible.

If you are unsure if you have an urgent or non-urgent dental emergency, please give us a call and we can help you determine if you need to be seen right away. We will make sure to take care of you. Call one of our offices to schedule your appointment today.