Dental Emergency Scenarios and Common Treatments

Picture this: you’re on the ice, fully geared up, stick in hand, and the puck sliding smoothly toward you. You glide past the goalie, position yourself, and with a quick pass from a teammate, you send the puck into the net! The goal buzzer sounds, the crowd cheers, and your team surrounds you, celebrating. There’s nothing quite like the thrill of scoring, especially when your team needs it most. But imagine the change when, all of a sudden, a dental emergency strikes.

Just as you’re skating back to the bench, a 6 oz puck slams into your face, knocking out a front tooth. Pain shoots through your mouth, and all you can think is: “How am I going to fix this?” At the Centre for Smile Designs, we understand that dental emergencies, like dislodged teeth, can happen anytime. They can leave you in pain and worried about the possibility of losing your smile. But there’s no need to panic. If you need urgent dental care, call us—we’re here to help!

What Is a Dental Emergency?

• A sudden and severe toothache: A severe ache may be a sign of infection or decay. If untreated, this can cause unrelenting pain.
• A knocked-out tooth: Losing a tooth in an accident is a serious problem, but Dr. Hopkins can likely save it if you act quickly. If your tooth falls out of your mouth, give us a call and follow tooth-saving steps like rinsing it and keeping it moist. However, if the tooth was lost in a serious collision, contact emergency services first. You may have a head or neck injury that needs urgent medical care.
• A chipped or cracked tooth: A chipped or cracked tooth is also a problem that, if untreated, could cause further damage to your teeth and gums. These teeth can be painful and sharp, causing great discomfort. If you chip your tooth, hold on to any pieces that fall off and call us.
• Restorations that are loose or have fallen out: Replacement teeth coming loose or falling out is typically considered a dental emergency. To prevent further damage to your smile, call us if you lose an artificial crown or bridge.

Common Emergency Treatments

Dental emergencies come in many forms, and each person’s needs are unique. That’s why we offer a variety of treatments. Some of the most common include:

• Tooth extraction: Many problems, from advanced gum disease to dental trauma, may require tooth extraction. We will work with you to determine if extraction is the right option to maintain your oral health and relieve pain and inflammation. We also provide emergency wisdom teeth removal for those who need immediate extraction.
• Root canal therapy: Enamel naturally protects your teeth, but when these outer layers weaken or decay, the inner tissues become exposed and vulnerable to infection. Root canal treatment eliminates the risk of infection by removing the nerve and pulp tissue to preserve the natural tooth and prevent further issues.
• Dental trauma solutions: Dental trauma can happen in many ways, from sports injuries to using your teeth to open a package. In cases of severe damage, extracting the tooth may be necessary to prevent infection. For less severe damage, a dental crown may be enough to protect and restore the tooth. Additionally, we may use dental bonding to fix small chips or cracks in the enamel. If you’re unsure what care you need, give us a call!

While we often perform the procedures above, rest assured that we’ll tailor your emergency treatment to your specific needs.

Dental Emergency? We Can Help!

At the Centre for Smile Designs, Dr. John Hopkins and our team are dedicated to protecting your smile and relieving your discomfort. Dental emergencies can happen unexpectedly, but we’re always ready to assist. Call us today to arrange an emergency appointment!

Not sure if your situation is an emergency? If you’re experiencing sudden or unusual pain, it’s best to seek immediate attention. If you’re concerned, so are we—give us a call, and we’ll let you know how we can help!