What is considered a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is when a patient comes to the office in pain. The patient has a problem with a tooth, or it might be that from some trauma or an accident, the patient is having an issue with some part of their mouth. Usually, it's related to pain.
When do I need to see an emergency dentist rather than go to the emergency room?
As dentists, we normally recommend going to an emergency dentist instead of an emergency room because, normally, in an emergency room, what they have are regular doctors. Patients can get pain medication and antibiotics, but if you can really go to a dental office, that's going to be the way to go.
What is the common type of dental emergency?
The common types are usually tooth pain, right? We also might have tooth pain related to wisdom teeth. Another one that we might have is when the patient has an abscess, an infection, right? The patient has a swollen part of the face, which is, of course, a concern and is also symptomatic. It's painful.
It is important that you do not wait until something hurts to go to a dental office. Not necessarily every emergency has to hurt. Normally it does, but if your gums are bleeding, if you have something in your mouth that's not normal, please don't wait.
When do I need an emergency dental extraction?
A dental extraction is always the last resort. Normally, as dentists, we want to try to save your teeth because there's nothing better than your own natural teeth. Sometimes, teeth are hopeless. This is not an option anymore. When teeth are broken or have very severe decay that we cannot restore, we have to take them out. Of course, we're always going to give you an option to replace that tooth.
Why might I need an emergency root canal?
You might need a root canal when the nerve of the tooth is dying, right? And that is causing pain or inflammation. When that inflammation is irreversible, it means it's not going to go back to healthy. That's when we usually do what is called a root canal.
When that inflammation is reversible, and it's going to get better, then we don't do a root canal because it's not needed.
Do you offer same-day appointments at Wiser Smiles?
That's definitely a yes. Sometimes it's very difficult to accommodate every patient with an emergency in our schedule. But we always try to see the patient with an emergency on the same day. It is very important because sometimes they've been in pain for a long time. Sometimes they haven't been eating well, not drinking water, and it's important that they come right away, and we're going to make sure that we see you right away.
Even if we are not able to finish the whole treatment, at least we're going to get started and we're going to get you out of pain. That's the goal.
Are there late hours available at Wiser Smiles?
Usually at Wiser Smiles, we have that flexibility. You just have to let us know in advance, like during the day, during work hours, so we're able to accommodate and do that for you. Definitely, we can do that.
Totally agree. We both have kids. We know life is not very predictable sometimes. And even when we try to spend time with our family, we understand some emergencies, some situations, require some flexibility, and definitely yes, late appointments and weekends are an option, but always with a previous appointment.
At Wiser Smiles, you come first. Whether you need dental care or simply have questions, call us at (754) 704-9939 or email [email protected] to schedule your visit. Our team is here to help you every step of the way.