When You Need an Emergency Dentist vs. an Emergency Room

If an individual injures a tooth in an accident, an emergency room will be able to stop the bleeding but will not repair or even possibly be able to save the tooth itself. Therefore, once the individual can return home and leave the emergency room, the patient needs to call an emergency dentist. A dentist can not only replace, repair or save a damaged tooth but can also provide specific emergency care for the patient.

Several treatments that patients can receive are:

  • Dental sealants
  • Dental bonding
  • Dental crowns
  • Dental restorations
  • Treatments for cavities

The individual may already be distressed from the accident and may have trouble remaining calm. Seeing a general dentist for emergency dental care may not be the type of care that the patient requires, or the patient may have waited too long after the incident. General dentists are not always the best option, since they are not accessible outside of business hours. Emergency dentists can offer emergency treatment when the individual is in need at any hour. An emergency dentist has the required services to give the most effective form of treatment for the individual while also keeping the patient relaxed during the procedure.

After the accident occurs, call a dentist office and arrange an emergency appointment. It is important to receive care for a missing or damaged tooth as soon as possible. The longer an individual waits to pursue urgent care treatment, the higher the chance that the individual will not be able to have the damage repaired.

Definitions for dental emergency terminology

Abscess: A dental abscess is a sack of pus that starts in the tooth root from a bacterial infection.

Facial cellulitis: Facial cellulitis is an ailment in which an infection from an abscess or plaque in the teeth causes discomfort and stretches throughout the face.

Impacted wisdom tooth: An impacted wisdom tooth does not erupt from the gums correctly and can cause extreme pain and become infected without professional extraction.

Irreversible pulpitis: Irreversible pulpitis is when an ache in the tooth appears spontaneously or continues to throb after the patient eliminates the hot/cold substance that was creating pain. Normal pulpitis will stop hurting directly after eliminating what is contributing to the pain.

Tooth avulsion: Tooth avulsion is when the tooth displaces from the socket due to an accident or other hygiene issues. A dentist can replant the tooth if the patient seeks immediate care.

Tooth fracture: A tooth fracture can develop from numerous sources, including an accidental hit to the face during a sports game, biting on something hard or falling face first.

What’s the bottom line?

Luckily, tooth issues are treatable most of the time, and regardless of the treatment decision the emergency dentist and individual make, the teeth should be back on the right track for continuing robust oral health.

Request an appointment here: http://www.gatewaydental.org or call Gateway Dental Dr. William Swann DDS at (301) 485-7492 for an appointment in our Bowie office.

Recent Posts

Why You Should See An Emergency Dentist If You Have Oral Pain

An emergency dentist provides dental care on short notice. Many emergency dentists take walk-ins, while some practices have a dentist on call to respond to emergencies.You should have the contacts of an emergency dentist on hand, just in case the unexpected happens. An emergency dentist's phone number and physical location enable you to receive urgent…

What Qualifies As A Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies can occur at any time, just like with any normal health emergency. They are sadly unpredictable and can cause a person pain or discomfort at any time. While dental emergencies are actually common, it can often be confusing to know what is classified as a dental emergency.If someone is experiencing a dental emergency…

How To Fix A Chipped Tooth

A chipped tooth can happen due to many reasons including eating incredibly hard foods or using your teeth to open bottle crowns or packages (which you should avoid by the way). Whatever the cause is, one thing is sure about having a chipped tooth: It affects our smile, causes pain, and self-consciousness.Having your chipped tooth…

Reasons Your Teeth Could Be Aching

Toothaches are typically caused by tooth decay that has been neglected to the point that it causes considerable physical pain. But there are other reasons for tooth pain. Anything from excessive teeth grinding or clenching to gum disease, infection, trauma or an erupting tooth can cause a toothache.A tooth that has suffered physical trauma is…


Recent Posts

Things To Know About Implant Supported Dentures

4 Things To Know About Implant Supported Dentures

Learning more about your options for getting new dentures is necessary, as you need to make a choice that works for you. This requires thinking about your current lifestyle and how denture care will fit in. Denture care is very important, as when you take proper care of your dentures, they can last many years.Finding…

Drinking Coffee With Invisalign® And Other Guidelines

Drinking Coffee With Invisalign® And Other Guidelines

Invisalign® clear aligners are popular for a number of reasons—one being their incredible versatility. For example, they can be removed for a couple of hours daily, allowing patients to drink coffee without worrying about staining the aligners. Read on to learn more important guidelines for using this clear aligner system for straightening teeth.The short answer…