What is emergency dentistry?
At Eastpoint Dental Clinic, we understand how painful a toothache can be.
To that end, we accept dental emergencies on a walk in basis and are on-call
in order to treat patients who require "immediate attention."
Accidents do happen, and knowing what to do when one occurs can mean the difference
between saving and losing a tooth. In the event an accident occurs, call us and
provide as much detail as possible about the situation.
If you're not sure if a dental problem is an emergency, we offer this
advice: If it hurts, it's an emergency. This is because even injuries that seem
small or superficial can affect the living tissues inside the teeth. Quick treatment
improves the odds of saving injured or damaged teeth. Even if you aren't in much
pain, any structural damage to a tooth — from a sports injury, for example — should
be considered an emergency.
Chips or fractures can affect the living tissue inside
the tooth, causing more problems in the future. Your dentist can prevent the
damage from getting worse. The same is true of a lost filling or crown. Even
if you don't have any symptoms, the tooth has lost its support and it could easily
become weaker. Pieces could break off or crumble, and you would need more extensive
treatment. If you see your dentist right away, there's a good chance he or she
will be able to repair the damage with minimal treatment.
Any injury to teeth or gums can be serious and should not be ignored. Injury
can damage nerves or blood vessels. There is also a risk of getting an infection,
which can become life threatening. If you ignore dental pain or dental injury,
you're taking a chance. You should not delay getting treatment. Delays in treatment
can be dangerous to your health. Getting injured teeth repaired and treated quickly
is the best thing to do. |
