FOR LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCIES, PLEASE CALL 911

pain or swelling

- Facial and/or dental fractures (i.e. fracture of the jaw, chipped tooth, broken filling).

- Swelling of the jaw and/or face.

- Profuse bleeding.

- Prolonged severe or spontaneous toothache spreading to your face and/or ear.

READ BELOW TO KNOW MORE ABOUT DIFFERENT DENTAL EMERGENCIES: -

TOOTHACHE

Severe toothache is a sign of infection and/or irreversible inflammation inside or around a tooth. If you experience prolonged pain after food/biting, spontaneous pain or pain that wakes you up at night, call us to schedule an emergency exam. 

In the emergency visit, we will perform a thorough oral examination, conduct proper diagnostic tests which might include x-rays to properly diagnose the condition, and prescribe the right course of treatment to alleviate the pain and effectively treat the underlying condition. 

SWELLING

Swelling of the jaw or face can indicate an abscess or a severe infection that is travelling within soft tissue spaces. This is a dental emergency requiring immediate attention. Some swelling conditions in the head and neck can be very severe and life threatening. 

If the swelling is localized, controlled, painless or slow moving, call us immediately or walk-in during office hours. If you feel that the swelling is developing at a very fast rate, or it’s moving towards your eyes, rush to the nearest emergency department immediately for I.V. antibiotics.

CHIPPED, CRACKED OR FRACTURED TEETH

A very common dental emergency is fracture of teeth or existing fillings due to weak teeth or excessive forces. If the chip is small or there is no pain and experienced after business hours, we can see you on the next business day to get it fixed unless it’s an aesthetic concern. However, care must be taken while chewing to avoid exacerbating the situation. Treatment is usually smoothing the chip out or adding tooth coloured filling to repair the defect. 

If, however, the crack or fracture is extensive, pain or sensitivity is experienced or bleeding is noted, you can contact us immediately so we can get you in as soon as possible. Symptoms of pain suggest that damage might have occurred to the pulp of the tooth. Severe fractures (such as complete gum line fractures or vertical root fractures) can be so extreme that the tooth cannot be saved. If you suffer a fractured tooth, call immediately for an emergency appointment to assess the severity of the fracture and initiate immediate treatment.

TISSUE INJURY AND BLEEDING

If you experience any type of soft tissue injury such as lacerations, tears or large ulcerations of the lip, cheeks, gums and tongue with signs of bleeding and pain, contact us immediately. If profuse uncontrolled bleeding is experienced, you should rush to a nearby hospital immediately. 

To alleviate facial pain caused by trauma, you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) but not (Aspirin) or (Advil) as the latter medications are anticoagulants and might cause excessive bleeding. 

AVULSED OR KNOCKED OUT TEETH

This is a dental emergency that requires urgent attention. Time is of the essence in this case. If the tooth is preserved well in the first hour, chances are high that the tooth can be re-inserted into the bone and persevered. 

If such an emergency happens, call us immediately and we will give you instructions prior to reaching our office. If the emergency happens at night or when you are unable to come immediately, please follow the below instructions: -

1- Grab the tooth by its crown, do not touch the root or remove the blood clots around it.

2- Rinse the tooth very gently, no scrubbing, no brushing.

3- If you can, gently place the tooth back into the jaw. If you can’t, place the tooth in a small cup of milk.

4- Call us immediately. We will reposition the tooth, apply a splint and provide you with necessary medication.

5- Root canal treatment may be needed based upon the stage of root development. The length of time the tooth was out of your mouth and the way the tooth was stored may influence the type of treatment you receive and how successful the outcome is.

LOOSE, INTRUDED OR EXTRUDED TEETH

If, as a result of a blow or injury, one or more teeth became loose, mobile, sunken into the jawbone or extruded out, call us immediately or walk-in during office hours. If you managed to reposition the tooth back into its position, bite down on it to keep it stable. 

We will observe the tooth, if the pulp remains healthy, then no other treatment is necessary. However, if the pulp is damaged or infected as a result of the trauma, then a root canal therapy will be required. 

SORES AND ULCERS

Cold sores are very common blisters that rupture leaving a crusted ulcer. It is not considered a dental emergency and can be treated with over the counter medication.

Cheese burns, chemical burns and bite ulcers are also not considered dental emergencies and usually resolve spontaneously within a few days.

If, however, you noted a painless ulcer for more than 2 weeks, contact us immediately. 

BROKEN RETAINERS, ORTHODONTIC WIRES AND APPLIANCES

If your retainer, brackets or wire are broken or dislodged, contact us or walk-in during office hours to get them fixed as they might injure your soft tissue and delay treatment.

FALLING OF TEMPORARY FILLINGS AND PROVISIONAL CROWNS

Temporary fillings or temporary crowns are provisional procedures pending a permanent treatment. If a temporary filling or crown falls out, we can see you in the next business day.