Emergency Dentist

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Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency? Not every toothache is an emergency, but your own could qualify if it becomes severe enough. See your emergency dentist in Melrose if it features:

• Tooth sensitivity lasting for more than 30 seconds
• Sharp aches from biting down
• Intense or persistent pain over 24 hours
• Aching teeth that look darker than adjacent ones
• Gum bumps near the affected tooth
• Signs of a dental infection (swelling, fever, fatigue, etc.)

How you should handle a toothache: You can do several things to manage a toothache before your treatment. For starters, make sure to check the pained area for debris; it may be causing your ache. You should then take over-the-counter pain medicine (or rinse with salt water) if there isn’t any. These methods would ease your ache until your dental visit.

How we treat toothaches: At Melrose Dental Group, how we treat toothaches can vary from patient to patient. We’ll only make a definitive suggestion once we diagnose the underlying issue. Our team can then advise you to get a tooth-colored filling, a root canal, or gum disease treatment. These and similar options should help your pain fade quickly.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment

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Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? Most chipped teeth aren’t dental emergencies, but they still deserve timely dental care. Even if it’s very small, an untreated chip could get worse and expose your tooth’s dentin or pulp. That could result in severe oral damage and tooth decay.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: To handle a chipped tooth at home, you should do three things. The first step is to find the chipped piece (if it fell out) and store it in a clean container. Step two is to rinse your mouth with warm water; it’ll remove harmful microbes and shards. Your final move should be to avoid using the injured tooth for a while.

How we treat chipped teeth: Our treatments for chipped teeth vary from patient to patient; your own will depend on your tooth’s damage. For example, we could fix your chip with dental bonding if it’s small enough. Our team could also hide the chip with a dental veneer for a more cosmetics-focused approach.

Learn More About Composite Dental Bonding Learn More About Veneers

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Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? A tooth with only a slight crack isn’t in serious danger, so the problem isn’t urgent. However, a severe or heavy crack needs immediate care; it could cause a tooth infection. You’ll also need to pay close attention – not all cracks are visible. If your tooth seems to ache suddenly or for no reason, it may have a hidden crack.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: Before your final treatment, you can take several steps to manage your cracked tooth. The first one is to rinse your mouth with warm water; it’ll remove harmful microbes from the area. Next, rely on pain relievers or a cold compress to ease aches or swelling. You can also prevent further danger by not chewing with or near the tooth.

How we treat cracked teeth: Our practice can treat cracked teeth with several procedures. If the damage is minor, we’ll often rely on cosmetic dental bonding, which applies resin to hide the crack from view. We also fix moderate to severe cracks with dental crowns, ensuring the problem area is hidden and protected. The final option is a tooth extraction that removes and replaces the cracked tooth with a prosthetic.

Learn More About Composite Dental Bonding Learn More About Dental Crowns Learn More About Tooth Extractions

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Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? While minor tooth sensitivity isn’t bad, very sensitive teeth count as emergencies. These kinds stem from things like deep cavities, cracked teeth, and gum disease – major threats to your oral health. Given those potential causes, please see us if your teeth get very sensitive.

How you should handle very sensitive teeth: The first step is to call our office; we’ll confirm whether your teeth need dental care based on your feedback. Once we’ve heard from you, our team can also suggest lifestyle changes to help you manage. Such tips include drinking warm water, avoiding certain foods, and taking over-the-counter pain relievers.

How we treat very sensitive teeth: Depending on their cause, our practice has several ways to treat very sensitive teeth. Option one is to suggest special oral products – desensitizing toothpaste, prescription mouthwash, etc. – for mild cases. If your sensitivity stems from an infection, we’ll advise that you get a tooth-colored filling or gum disease treatment.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment

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Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? Among all the oral issues you could have, a knocked-out tooth is one of the most serious; it definitely qualifies as a dental emergency. You’ll need to have it addressed quickly to avoid long-term harm to your looks and oral health. Otherwise, you could lose your tooth and require costly dental work. It follows that you should see your dentist for same-day care.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: As awful as a knocked-out tooth is, you can take steps to (initially) handle it at home. Your first move should be to find this tooth and pick it up by its crown; touching the roots would further harm it. From there, rinse the pearly white and store it in some milk or saline solution. Another good idea is to use a tooth preservation kit with an ADA seal of approval.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: If you visit our office quickly enough, we could potentially save your tooth. We’d just need to try re-implanting it in your mouth; it could then reintegrate with your smile. Otherwise, you’ll need to consult us about replacement options – dental bridges, dentures, dental implants, etc. Such prosthetics would help you avoid the side effects of tooth loss.

Learn More About Dental Bridges Learn More About Dentures Learn More About Dental Implants

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Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? Since fillings and crowns aren’t meant to last forever, losing one or the other isn’t an emergency. Still, you really should have the missing part replaced by your dentist when you can. Patients who lack a filling or crown are at higher risk of tooth infections.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: Patients who lose a dental crown should first locate it and then bring it to our office; we can reseal it if it’s still functional. That said, we can’t do the same for a missing dental filling, so please leave it alone.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: If your crown is intact, we could recement it into place. However, you may need a new filling or crown if the old one is lost or too damaged and weak.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings Learn More About Dental Crowns

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Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? A broken denture is usually an emergency, as wearing it can injure your gums, soft tissues, jaws, and remaining teeth. Given that fact, please call us quickly if your denture’s artificial teeth or base gets damaged.

How you should handle a broken denture: Should you suffer a broken denture, please don’t wear it; doing so harms it and your mouth. Avoid doing any DIY repairs as well, as they cause adverse side effects. Last but not least, remember to see a qualified dentist to fix your device(s).

How we treat broken dentures: Our practice has several ways to treat a broken denture. If the damage is slight, we could “fill in” small chips and cracks with composite resin. Another option is for our dentists to perform a relining if the denture has a poor fit. For severe damage, we could even replace the prosthetics or provide you with implant dentures.

Learn More About Dentures Learn More About Dental Implants

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Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a loose permanent tooth a dental emergency? Loose permanent teeth can lead to tooth loss, so they count as dental emergencies. The smile gaps from such a loss are also quite bad for oral health, leading to decay of surrounding teeth, gum disease, and worse.

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: When you have a loose permanent tooth, please visit us as quickly as possible; we’ll work to save it. You should also avoid touching or using the tooth until you arrive at our office. While you wait, your best bet is to swish warm water in your mouth.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: At Melrose Dental Group, we strive to save teeth before considering other options. Our team can often use dental splints and similar methods to keep a loose tooth safe. That said, we typically perform extractions when the affected teeth can’t be salvaged. Our staff can then place a dental implant or bridge as a suitable replacement.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions Learn More About Dental Implants Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment

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Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? If the resulting damage is severe, an injury to your gums, lips, or tongue is an emergency. A fairly deep cut in your mouth can bleed a lot and threaten your long-term oral health. To be specific, it could get irritated and develop an infection without care.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: Your first step should be to rinse your injury with clean water; doing so washes away debris. From there, apply pressure with a clean washcloth until the bleeding stops. You could also apply an ice pack or cold compress to address pain and swelling.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: So long as it isn’t too bad, our dental team can clean your wound and stitch it closed. You should otherwise visit a local ER if the injury doesn’t stop bleeding within ten minutes.

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Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? Jaw pain is only an emergency when it interferes with daily life and causes serious oral health issues. In those instances, you should take it seriously and visit your local dentist for care.

How you should handle jaw pain: Firstly, please call us to receive informed care tips over the phone. Our team can instruct you to use over-the-counter pain relievers, ice packs, etc. If your jaw is broken or dislocated, we’ll also advise you to visit an ER first; we’ll gladly fix your smile afterward.

How we treat jaw pain: Based on the source of your ache, our treatments for jaw pain can vary. We often provide patients with a custom mouthguard when the underlying issue is bruxism. On the other hand, our team may suggest an extraction if the core problem is an impacted wisdom tooth. We’ll also advise you to visit an ER for severe cases, though we’ll fix your teeth once you’re discharged.

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Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Depending on the situation, an object stuck between teeth can be an emergency. Whether it’s an urgent problem (or not) is based on the discomfort it causes. With that said, don’t try dislodging the debris with toothpicks or tweezers; these tools can harm your mouth. You should instead floss and rinse your mouth with water, or see us for a precise solution.