A dental emergency is any situation in which a person is feeling a lot of pain or has sustained quite a bit of damage to their teeth. Whatever the problem might be, people should go ahead and give our office a call so they can get the care they need right away. Our team will give you first-aid tips over the phone and schedule the next possible appointment if necessary so we can fix your problem as quickly as possible. Don’t hesitate tocall usfor fast emergency dental care when you need it most!
Why Choose Legacy Dental for Emergency Dental Care?
- #1 PROMPT APPOINTMENTS TO GET YOU OUT OF PAIN FAST
- #2 HIGHLY TRAINED & EXPERIENCED TEAM
- #3 DENTISTS WITH 40 PLUS YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
Dental emergencies can be alarming and overwhelming, but we encourage you to stay calm! It’s important that you keep a cool head so you can act quickly and correctly. Should you or a loved one experience a dental emergency, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Call our office as soon as you can.We do everything possible to see you as quickly as possible, so don’t hesitate to give us a call. One of our experienced team members will get you on our schedule and provide first-aid instructions for managing your situation until you can reach us.
- Step 2: See your Prince Albert emergency dentist. When you arrive, Dr. Janzen or Dr. Wilson will see you right away for an exam. Once they’ve evaluated your situation, they’ll fully explain your treatment options and work with you to create a custom treatment plan.
- Step 3: Get the dental care you need. Once a treatment plan has been made, we’ll get to work right away to repair your smile and protect your teeth. Whether you need a dental crown, root canal therapy, or something else, your comfort will always be our top priority.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
There are many different types of dental emergencies. Some situations need to be treated as quickly as possible, while others can wait until the next available appointment. Nonetheless, whether you’re dealing with a bad toothache or multiple knocked out teeth, it’s always best to seek out professional care as soon as you can, even if you’re not sure if your situation counts as a dental emergency. This will help limit any damage to the smile and enable our team to relieve pain as well. When you call in, we’ll give you a few first-aid tips so you can get a better handle on the situation. Below, you’ll find important information about handling some of the most common dental emergencies we treat here at Legacy Dental.
Broken Denture
Loose Tooth
Gums, Lips or Tongue Injury
Jaw Pain or Clenching
Something Stuck Between Teeth
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
Some dental emergencies can be easily solved with a prescription, while other patients may need a root canal and crown to adequately address their problem. In other words, there is no set price for emergency dentistry. Our treatment recommendations will be based solely on the needs of a patient. Should you ever require urgent dental care, we’ll quickly go over your options so you’ll know exactly what you’ll be expected to pay.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
- Wear a protective mouthguard every time you participate in sports, whether the game involves physical contact or not.
- Don’t bite down on ice, popcorn kernels, rock candy, or other hard items.
- Only use scissors to open stubborn packaging, never your teeth.
- Brush and floss every day to keep your enamel strong and decay-free.
- Attend routine checkups and cleanings so a small problem can be taken care of before it turns into an emergency later.
Toothaches
Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? There are a few cases where the answer is “yes!” If you’re struggling with pain when biting down, the discomfort has lasted more than 24 hours, the tooth in question is discolored, or there is a bump on your gums near the tooth, then call our Prince Albert emergency dentist right away. Over the phone, we can learn more about your situation and determine if a same-day appointment is necessary.
How You Should Handle a Toothache Fortunately, there are a few measures you can take to alleviate your discomfort until we have the opportunity to treat your tooth. First, do your best not to chew on that side of your mouth and avoid acidic, spicy, and crunchy foods. Second, use a cold compress or take an over-the-counter pain reliever to numb the pain. You can also use a piece of floss to gently dislodge any debris that may be the source of the problem.
How We Treat Toothaches Step number one is conducting an oral exam and taking X-rays. Once we’ve discovered the root of the problem, we can share your treatment options. For some patients, a tooth-colored filling is all that’s needed to restore a decayed tooth. For others, gum disease therapy, root canal therapy, a dental crown, or a mixture of these treatments is necessary to restore their pain-free smile.
LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS BUTTON
LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS BUTTON
LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOT CANAL THERAPY BUTTON
LEARN MORE ABOUT GUM DISEASE THERAPY BUTTON
Chipped Tooth
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? If the chip is minor and isn’t causing you any discomfort, then you don’t need to schedule a same-day appointment with our team. You should, however, give us a call so we can examine the tooth within a day or two. Since chipped teeth are often vulnerable to further damage, we want to make sure you don’t end up in an emergency situation in the coming days or weeks.
How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth First, gently rinse your mouth with clean, lukewarm water to avoid accidentally swallowing shards of your tooth. From there, use a piece of dental wax or sugarless gum to cover the tooth. This will help prevent sensitivity and avoid cuts to your lips, tongue, and the soft tissue in your mouth.
How We Treat Chipped Teeth If the chip is more significant and it’s on one of the teeth that are visible when you smile, veneers are likely the best option. With a thin shell of a high-quality dental material like porcelain, we can restore the missing structure – sometimes in just two appointments too!
LEARN MORE ABOUT VENEERS BUTTON
Cracked Tooth
Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Cracked teeth in Prince Albert are a dental emergency, even if the crack is small. Since the tooth is vulnerable to infection and further damage, it’s of the utmost importance that you don’t wait to schedule an appointment with our team.
How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Until your appointment, you can help avoid sensitivity by placing a piece of dental wax or sugarless gum over the tooth. If the discomfort persists, you can try taking an over-the-counter pain reliever or placing a cold compress against the outside of your cheek. Lastly, stick to soft foods (like oatmeal and yogurt) so you don’t put pressure on that tooth until it’s been treated.
How We Treat Cracked Teeth Typically, teeth that have sustained a crack are covered with a dental crown. This restorative treatment utilizes high-quality materials that are as lifelike as they are durable, ensuring the look and function of your smile are restored. In extreme cases where the damage is so severe that the tooth is no longer salvageable, then we may recommend extracting it and replacing it with a dental bridge or dental implant.
LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS BUTTON
LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS BUTTON
LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL BRIDGES BUTTON
Very Sensitive Teeth
Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? While a degree of sensitivity is normal, heightened tooth sensitivity may be a cause for concern. Tooth sensitivity can arise from various underlying issues. It could indicate the onset of deeper decay, receding gums exposing vulnerable surfaces, or enamel erosion allowing bacteria to reach the sensitive dentin layer.
How you should handle sensitive teeth: Monitor your sensitivity and take note of any triggers. If the sensitivity worsens or becomes more severe, it's advisable to contact us for an immediate appointment. Additionally, if you find it challenging to function due to your highly sensitive teeth, seeking an emergency visit is recommended.
How we treat tooth sensitivity: The treatment approach depends on the cause of your tooth sensitivity. In cases of decay, we can address it and restore the tooth using dental crowns or fillings. In some instances, a root canal may be necessary. For other situations, we may apply composite resin to provide added protection against extreme temperatures and other triggers.
<Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings>
<Learn More About Gum Disease Therapy>
<Learn More About Root Canal Therapy>
Knocked-Out Tooth
Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? Absolutely! Once your adult teeth come in, they are intended to last a lifetime and should not come out. Time is of the essence in this situation. A knocked-out tooth can only be saved for a limited time, so it's crucial to act promptly and contact us immediately.
How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: When handling the tooth, only touch the crown – the part that is typically visible above the gums. Avoid touching the root. Gently rinse the tooth and your mouth with clean water, and attempt to reposition the tooth in its socket. If this is not possible, place the tooth in a container of milk to keep it moist until you reach our office.
How we treat knocked-out teeth: If the tooth is still viable (meaning it is still alive and not severely damaged), reimplantation may be possible. With time, it can reintegrate back into its original position. However, if saving the tooth isn't feasible, it's essential to explore replacement options like bridges and dental implants. This helps prevent the complications associated with untreated tooth loss.
<Learn More About Dental Bridges>
<Learn More About Dentures>
<Learn More About Dental Implants>
Lost Filling or Crown
Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? Yes, mainly because your tooth is left exposed and vulnerable without a restoration. Even if you're not experiencing immediate pain, this issue requires immediate attention to protect the underlying, more delicate tooth structure.
How you should handle a lost filling or crown: If possible, locate the lost filling or crown and rinse it with clean water. Then, apply a small amount of toothpaste to the restoration and carefully reposition it onto the tooth. This should provide temporary stability until you can visit our office. If the filling or crown is severely damaged or cannot be found, you can place a piece of sugar-free gum over the tooth to shield it from bacteria.
How we treat lost fillings or crowns: Depending on the condition and age of your restoration, we may be able to reattach it to the tooth. However, in most cases, it will be necessary to replace the filling or crown.
<Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings>
<Learn More About Dental Crowns>
