If you ever lose a filling or chip a tooth, don’t wait until your next exam to ask your dentist about it. Certain situations require urgent dental care! You should always contact your dentist for an emergency appointment if you have extreme tooth pain, a lost or broken tooth, or damaged dental work. Let’s go over some of the most common types of dental emergencies, so you know when to contact your dentist for immediate care.
Four Types of Dental Emergencies
- An Extreme Toothache. If you have severe dental pain and aren’t able to sleep or eat normally, don’t delay! Schedule an emergency appointment right away. Extreme tooth pain could be due to an abscess, dying tooth pulp, an impacted wisdom tooth, or a number of other serious conditions. Waiting only puts your health at risk and makes the need for costly treatments more likely.
- A Chipped, Cracked, or Broken Tooth. Even if it doesn’t hurt, a tooth fracture is always an urgent reason to see a dentist. Cracks, chips, and fractures expose the interior of your tooth to infections. If you wait to get a broken tooth repaired, you risk losing the entire tooth to decay. Don’t wait until you start to feel pain—getting a broken tooth restored right away could be the difference between losing a tooth or saving it.
- A Loose or Knocked Out Tooth. If you were in an accident, took a fall, or suffered an injury playing sports and it feels like one of your teeth is loose, get to the dentist. You may need emergency intervention to save the tooth. Even if a tooth was knocked out, your dentist may be able to save it. Put the tooth back into the socket or into a small container of milk—do not try to wash it or place it in water—and get to the dentist immediately.
- A Lost Filling, Broken Crown, or Failed Implant. Much like a chipped or broken tooth, damaged dental work is also a dental emergency. If you lose a filling, break or lose a crown, or damage any other type of dental restoration, you need to request an urgent appointment. Although it’s extremely rare, a failed implant is another type of dental emergency. If you experience severe pain or discomfort more than a week after getting an implant, or if the implant site seems infected, you need urgent dental care.
Emergency Dental Care in Highlands Ranch
Toothaches may come and go, but they are always a reason to see a dentist. If you’re in pain and wondering whether to contact a dentist, you probably should! Our team of specialists at Highlands Ranch Dental Group can resolve your problem and relieve your pain the very same day. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, contact us for an urgent appointment.