Emergency Dentist Springfield

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? It might be! If your symptoms have persisted for more than 24 hours, it hurts to bite down, there is a pimple-like bump on your gums, or your tooth is discolored, then you should absolutely schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist in Springfield.

How You Should Handle a Toothache We recommend doing what you can to prevent it from worsening until you get to our office for the necessary treatment. That includes rinsing with warm saltwater, avoiding crunchy foods, taking OTC pain medication as directed, and keeping your head elevated while you sleep.

How We Treat Toothaches Tooth-colored fillings, dental crowns, and root canals can all be used to treat a damaged tooth. Ultimately, the one we recommend will depend on what we find during your emergency exam. As always, we will share with you what we found, offer our recommendations, and answer any questions you have as well.

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? A very small chip usually doesn’t require a same-day visit to our office (an appointment before the end of the week should suffice). Of course, if the chip is substantial in size, then you should come in right away, especially if you’re in pain.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth Calling us is an important to do. So is rinsing your mouth thoroughly with clean, room-temperature water before covering the tooth with sugar-free gum or dental wax.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth The most common treatment for chipped teeth is cosmetic dental bonding. That’s because it comes in a wide range of lifelike shades, it can be placed in a single appointment, and it’s one of the most affordable cosmetic dental services.

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Whether the crack is large enough that you can see it or is small enough that you’re only experiencing the symptoms, like pain when biting down, the next step is the same: call us immediately to schedule an emergency appointment.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth First, get in touch with our Springfield dental team so we can see you for an emergency exam as quickly as possible. Then, transition your focus to trying to protect your tooth from further harm (i.e., not eating anything crunchy, not chewing on that side of your mouth, not touching the tooth with your finger).

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Fortunately, a cracked tooth can often be saved with a dental crown. If that’s not an option because the damage is too extensive, then we will carefully remove it before restoring the look, health, and function of your smile with a dental bridge or implant.

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• Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Teeth can become overly sensitive for reasons like eroded enamel or the roots being exposed. While mild cases aren’t usually urgent, you may need emergency care if the discomfort is severe, if it lasts for several days, or if it only affects one or two teeth, as these can be signs of cracked teeth, fillings, or infections like advanced tooth decay or gum recession.
• How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth: If you have severe tooth sensitivity, call our office. We’ll provide you with first-aid instructions and book you for an appointment. Stick to drinking lukewarm water, avoid foods that are sweet, spicy, or acidic, and take pain relievers if needed.
• How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth: If the problem is caused by eroded enamel, we may treat it with prescription mouthwash or desensitizing toothpaste. If it’s caused by tooth decay or gum disease, we may treat it with antibiotics, gum grafting, gum disease therapy, or a root canal.

• Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? It’s important to act quickly upon dislodging a tooth if it is to be saved. Upon securing the tooth, call our office to explain the problem and let us know that you are coming. A tooth’s chances of being reimplanted begin to fall after thirty minutes, so it’s important that we treat it as soon as possible.
• How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth: Find the tooth and handle it only by the crown, as touching the root can injure its delicate tissues. Swish the tooth in a bowl of lukewarm water to clean it and place it in a container with milk or saliva or a tooth preservation kit with the ADA seal of approval. Then head to our office.
• How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth: If the tooth is in good shape and we get to the tooth quickly enough, we may be able to reimplant it in the gum where it will naturally reintegrate with the soft tissue and bone structure. However, the tooth may need to be replaced with a bridge, denture, or implant if it is beyond saving.

• Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Fillings and dental crowns are not meant to last forever and can eventually break or fall out. While this is not the most urgent dental problem, it makes your tooth more vulnerable to infection even if it doesn’t hurt. Call our office as soon as possible.
• How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown: Try to find and secure the lost restoration so you can bring it to our office. You can also try to temporarily fix a dental crown back in place with dental cement. However, we cannot recommend doing the same for a lost dental filling.
• How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns: If the restoration is in good shape, we may be able to put it back in place with new cement. However, if your crown or filling is compromised or lost, we may need to fit you with a new one.