Emergency Dentist Right When You Need It
Dental emergencies, like any emergency, always occur unexpectedly and at the worst possible times, plus they usually involve quite a bit of pain! Fortunately, if you ever find yourself in need of immediate dental care, you only need to do one thing to get it: call Dream Dental.
Our Towne Lake emergency dentist, Dr. Haren Patel and our team have years of experience handling all kinds of dental emergencies, so no matter what your situation might be, you can rely on us for help. When you call in with an emergency, we’ll be ready to give you advice, offer first-aid tips, and we’ll work to see you in our dental office as quickly as possible. Our goal is to never have anyone wait while they are in pain! Remember, if you ever find yourself in the middle of a dental emergency, don’t panic, call Dream Dental!
We Can Help with the Following Dental Emergencies:
- Knocked out teeth
- Partially dislodged teeth
- Chipped, cracked, or fractured teeth
- Severe toothache
- Lost or damaged dental work
- Object stuck between the teeth
- Injury to the lips, gums, or jaw
- Pain or swelling in the face
Even if you are unsure whether or not your situation is an emergency, just give us a call, and we’ll be happy to let you know what you should do next. However, if you have suffered a broken bone in addition to your dental injury, or if you can’t stop bleeding after 10 minutes, please head straight to your nearest emergency room first. Contact us only after you have been cleared to leave!
Tips to Avoid Dental Emergencies
- Wear a mouthguard when playing sports, no matter your age or level of play.
- Don’t chew on extremely hard items like ice, rock candies, pens, pencils, etc.
- Don’t use your teeth as tools to open bottles, packages, or remove tags.
- Come to Dream Dental for regular checkups and cleanings so we can stop a small problem from becoming an emergency later!
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
At Dream Dental, Dr. Patel and our team focus on prevention to help our patients minimize dental emergencies as much as possible. But we know that unexpected situations can still happen anywhere, at any time. Dr. Patel has been an emergency dentist in Towne Lake for many years and has helped our patients get through every kind of emergency with their oral health intact. Below, we’ve answered some of the emergency FAQ’s we hear most often, but if you have a question that isn’t included, you can contact us anytime!
Can I Take Pain Medication Right Away?
When you’re in pain, you (understandably) want to feel better as quickly as possible. It’s completely fine to take an over-the–counter pain reliever as directed. However, even if your pain goes away, it’s still important to come in as soon as you can. In some cases, there are serious underlying causes that can become dangerous if they’re not addressed (e.g. a toothache could be caused by an infection that can spread to other areas of the body.)
What’s Considered An Emergency?
In many cases, it can be hard to know if you’re having a true emergency or not. Here are a few things to look for that indicate the need for emergency care, but if in doubt, we can always advise you over the phone:
- Moderate or heavy bleeding
- Pain that prevents you from eating, sleeping, or going to work
- Swelling, including in your cheeks, chin, lips, or gums
- A broken tooth or filling (if you’re not in immediate pain, you can wait a day or two)
- Knocked-out tooth
What If I Have an Emergency Outside of Dental Office Hours?
Emergencies often occur at the most unexpected times, including on weekends. You can always give our dental office a call, even if we’re closed, as our voice messaging system includes a phone number to reach Dr. Patel outside of dental office hours.
Or, if you’re experiencing something minor and simply want to leave us a message, we always check messages first thing the next business day and will get back to you right away.
When Should I Go To the Hospital?
In each of the following scenarios, we recommend getting medical care at the nearest hospital or urgent care center. When you’ve been stabilized, you can call us for any dental work that may be necessary.
- You have bleeding that doesn’t subside after applying pressure for 15 minutes.
- If you have severe facial cuts or lacerations that might require stitches.
- If you think your jaw could be fractured or dislocated.
- You have swelling, a severe toothache, or an abscessed tooth and you can’t make it to our dental office. You may have an infection that requires antibiotics as soon as possible.
- If you’ve knocked out a tooth and can’t see us within an hour.
As an emergency dentist in Towne Lake with your best interest at heart, Dr. Patel and our team have made emergency care a priority. We have the training, experience, and compassion to help you or a loved one in any situation and we’re always just a phone call away!