Emergency Dentist in Woburn, MA
Dental issues can happen unexpectedly, leaving you in pain and unsure what to do next. If you’re experiencing pain, swelling, or bleeding, it’s important to seek prompt care. At Four Corners Dental Care, we provide timely intervention to alleviate your discomfort and address the underlying issue. As with other medical emergencies, prompt care improves treatment outcomes. If you need the help of an emergency dentist, don’t wait. Call our office for further assistance!
What Is a Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies are conditions that require immediate attention from a dentist that you can trust. Our experienced dentists have been providing compassionate care for decades, so you can be confident that your urgent dental needs will be addressed effectively and promptly.
Urgent conditions include but are not limited to:
- Tooth pain: Severe pain is the most common dental emergency and can indicate a serious problem like infection or extensive decay.
- Uncontrollable bleeding: Bleeding in the mouth that won’t stop requires immediate attention to prevent excessive blood loss and further complications.
- Chipped or cracked tooth: Large chips and deep cracks in a tooth can be painful and increase the risk of infection.
- Partially dislodged tooth: Timely treatment is necessary to save the tooth and prevent permanent damage.
- Knocked-out tooth: Quick action is crucial when your tooth has come out of its socket. We can usually reinsert the tooth if treated within 30 minutes to an hour.
- Dental abscess: This painful bacterial infection appears as a pocket of pus on the gums. Because the infection can spread quickly, urgent attention is needed to relieve pain and prevent health risks.
- Soft tissue injury: Injuries to the cheeks, lips, gums, or tongue can cause pain and affect your ability to eat and speak normally. Soft tissue injuries can also become easily infected if left untreated.
- Lost dental crown or filling: While it may not be as critical as a knocked-out tooth, a crown or filling that has come out can be painful and cause further damage to the already vulnerable tooth.
If you are experiencing bleeding, pain, swelling, or another symptom of a possible dental emergency, please call our office as soon as possible. Our compassionate staff will provide guidance on the next steps.
What Does Not Qualify as an Emergency?
Not all dental problems require emergency care. Some issues can wait for a regularly scheduled appointment. These include mild or dull toothaches, small chips and cracks, and minor soft tissue injuries. However, any dental issue merits a phone call to our office—especially if you’re unsure whether you are experiencing an emergency.
What Procedures Does an Emergency Dentist Perform?
Dental emergencies come in many forms, requiring different procedures to relieve pain and restore oral function. At Four Corners Dental Care, we understand that every patient is different and has unique needs. We provide patient-centered care tailored to your individual situation, ensuring the best possible outcomes. Below are just some of the procedures we perform in emergencies.
Root Canals
Root canal treatment addresses painful infections that occur inside the tooth in the pulp chamber. Cracks and decay allow bacteria to enter this inner part of the tooth, leading to infection and inflammation. When we perform a root canal, we carefully remove the infected tissue and seal the tooth to prevent further damage. The procedure results in immediate pain relief and maintains the tooth’s structural integrity.
While most root canals can be scheduled in advance, severe infections can cause unbearable pain, requiring an emergency procedure to save the tooth and provide relief.
Extractions
Sometimes, a tooth is so damaged that we must remove it to alleviate pain and prevent complications. For example, a split tooth is a more advanced condition than a cracked tooth, as it divides the tooth into distinct segments. When a tooth is this severely injured, we cannot save it. We need to remove it to prevent infection and allow the surrounding tissues to heal properly.
An extraction may also be needed for severe infections that cannot be resolved with antibiotics or root canal treatment or for extensive decay or injury.
While our first priority is to relieve your pain and restore your oral health, we can also discuss tooth replacement options if you need an extraction. At Four Corners Dental Care, we offer dental implants, bridges, and full and partial dentures to replace missing teeth.
Crowns, Fillings, and Bonding
Dental crowns, filling, and bonding can cover and protect a damaged tooth. Dental crowns are caps that surround the entire tooth surface, helping to strengthen it and prevent further damage. Fillings treat less severe decay by filling the cavity in the tooth’s enamel and safeguarding it from additional injury.
Dental bonding is especially useful in emergency situations since it allows for quick, effective, and non-invasive tooth repair. It’s also very versatile, enabling us to address various issues. If you have a crack or chip in your tooth, we can sculpt the putty-like bonding material onto the tooth and harden it to restore its shape and strength.
Need an Emergency Dentist? Contact Four Corners Dental Care Now!
At Four Corners Dental Care in Woburn, MA, we are dedicated to providing prompt and compassionate care for all dental emergencies. Whether you’re dealing with severe tooth pain, a knocked-out tooth, or any other urgent dental issue, our experienced team is here to help. We understand that dental emergencies can be painful and stressful, which is why we prioritize your comfort and well-being with our patient-centered approach.
Don’t let a dental emergency disrupt your life—contact us now for the expert care you need!
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend calling an emergency dentist before heading to the ER. Emergency departments and urgent care centers provide limited care for dental emergencies as dentists aren’t generally on staff. However, emergency room staff members can stop uncontrollable bleeding and help you manage pain until you can see the dentist. If you are unable to get to our office and are experiencing severe pain or bleeding, please visit the nearest hospital and follow up with us as soon as possible for thorough treatment.
If your tooth has been knocked out, quick action increases the chances of saving it. Handle the tooth only by the crown (the part that’s visible when it’s in your mouth), rinse it briefly if dirty, and try to insert it into the socket. If you cannot put it back in the socket, keeping it moist is crucial. You can place it in a jar containing milk or saliva or use an emergency tooth preservation kit.
Be sure to seek emergency dental care as soon as possible, preferably within 30 minutes. The longer the tooth is out of the socket, the lower the chances of saving it. However, with prompt attention, we can increase the likelihood of successfully reattaching the tooth and preserving your natural smile.
While you wait to see an emergency dentist, try these pain management strategies:
- Rinse your mouth gently with warm salt water to clean the area and reduce inflammation.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers, like ibuprofen, to alleviate discomfort.
- Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek near the painful area to reduce swelling and numb the pain.
- Avoid chewing on the side of your mouth where the pain is located.
- Stick to soft foods to prevent further irritation.
- Avoid very hot or cold foods and beverages, as they can worsen the pain.
However, if the pain is unbearable and you cannot see the dentist that day, you may need to go to the emergency room for immediate relief.