When you have a dental emergency like a severe toothache or severe dental damage, you need to put everything else on hold, so you can get emergency dentistry treatment as fast as possible. Putting off emergency dental care could lead to more severe problems that are even more difficult to address. Keep Crownridge Dental’s phone number with you, so when something happens, you can call us right away to schedule an appointment with Dr. Pham, our trusted emergency dentist in San Antonio, TX, and the rest of our caring dental team.
Why Choose Crownridge Dental for Emergency Dentistry?
Many Services in One Location
State-of-the-Art Facility
Dentist with Extensive Education
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
Emergency Appointment: Call our dental office and let us know what your current situation is. If we think you have an emergency, we’ll arrange to see you as soon as possible. We’ll also give you some advice on how you can manage your symptoms on your own until your visit.
Comprehensive Exam: The first thing we need to do is examine your mouth and take X-rays to figure out what the source of the emergency is. If you’re in immediate, severe pain, we’ll take steps to stop it during the examination stage.
Review Findings: We’ll explain the nature of your emergency and how it can be treated. Then we’ll discuss our recommendations with you and explain how long you can expect the treatment to take and how much you’ll likely pay for your care.
Stop Your Pain: We will quickly carry out the selected treatment to get you out of your pain and prevent the emergency from getting worse.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies can take many different forms, so it can sometimes be hard to know which issues require urgent care and which don’t. Below is a list of common emergencies that everyone needs to be aware of. Let us know immediately if you start showing symptoms of any of these problems.
Some dental emergencies are more complex than others, which means some are more costly than others. Maybe you just need a filling, or perhaps your tooth needs to be replaced altogether; whatever the case, you won’t know how much emergency treatment will cost until we narrow down exactly what your smile needs. We’ll always be upfront about explaining the treatment you need and why it’s your best option so that you can be sure you’re making the right choice when it comes time to pay.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
The old cliché “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” holds true when it comes to dental emergencies. Regular brushing and flossing combined with biannual checkups can help lower your risk of tooth decay, potentially letting you avoid cavities and dental infections altogether. You can also protect your teeth from physical harm by wearing a nightguard and putting a stop to any habits that could put your enamel at risk, such as using teeth as tools to open packages.
Root Canals
Many people who hear the word “root canal” expect a very painful treatment, but in reality, the goal is to put a stop to pain. Root canal therapy is the removal of inflamed or diseased dental pulp; it’s the most reliable option for saving a tooth that has become badly infected. The mouth will be numbed during this procedure, so you will feel little to no pain while the pulp is being removed. A crown will be placed to protect the tooth after it has been treated.
Tooth Extractions
Advanced gum disease, severe damage that cannot be repaired, and decay that has already compromised the dental structure are all reasons why a tooth might have to be removed. We know that this can be a very stressful procedure, so we’ll take whatever steps we can to help you stay calm and comfortable while we take the tooth in question out of your mouth. We can take steps to make sure that the gap is filled in as quickly as possible.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Dental emergencies can occur with no warning. Don’t panic! It’s normal to have several questions and concerns about the situation. Your emergency dentist in San Antonio, Dr. Christian A. Pham, will explain everything during your appointment to calm your nerves. You can also find the answers to the most frequently asked questions below. You may also contact our office to speak with a member of our dental team.
Contrary to common belief, an occasional toothache isn’t normal. It’s a symptom of a larger underlying problem, like an infection deep within the tooth. The issue won’t go away with no treatment. In fact, you can be at risk of losing your tooth if you delay seeing an emergency dentist. Dr. Pham will pinpoint the source of your discomfort to create an effective treatment plan to stop your pain and save your tooth.
Not all chipped teeth cause discomfort, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to see a dentist. A chipped tooth is a dental emergency in San Antonio. Your tooth will be vulnerable to sensitivity, bacteria, and additional damage if you put off having it treated because your enamel will not grow back. Even if you aren’t experiencing any pain, it’s best to schedule an appointment promptly.
Your teeth are protected by your enamel, which is the hardest substance in your body. It is even stronger than some metals! However, unlike other tissues, your enamel can’t regenerate. Once it is gone, it is gone for good. Therefore, your tooth will not grow back. At most, it may remineralize, but it must still be repaired by an emergency dentist.
Yes, a broken denture requires immediate attention because you can’t go without any teeth. Don’t continue to wear a damaged denture because it can cause oral injuries. Instead, wear an old denture if possible. Do not try to fix your denture with OTC kits or glue because you might cause more damage. Not to mention, glue can contain toxic chemicals or cause allergic reactions. We will get you into the office quickly for the necessary repairs or replacements to restore your stunning smile.
Toothaches
Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Although ignoring a toothache is never recommended, it also doesn’t immediately necessitate an urgent appointment. The best thing to do is assess your symptoms. If the pain has persisted for more than 24 hours, it hurts to bite down, or your gums are inflamed, then we recommend calling our San Antonio emergency dentist.
How You Should Handle a Toothache While your toothache won’t heal without professional treatment, there are some measures you can take to prevent further harm. That includes rinsing periodically with warm saltwater, avoiding crunchy foods, and taking an OTC pain reliever (as directed on the label).
How We Treat Toothaches Even if two patients come to our office with the same symptom (tooth pain), we may recommend two different treatments. That’s because we need to consider both the root of the problem and how severe it is in order to restore your pain-free smile in the short and long term!
Chipped Tooth
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? A chipped tooth doesn’t always warrant a same-day visit to our office. If you’re in pain or the damage is extensive, then you certainly shouldn’t hesitate to get in touch with us so we can restore the missing structure of your tooth right away.
How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth After using some room-temperature water to rinse your mouth, cover the tooth with some dental wax or sugar-free gum. Lastly, avoid doing anything that could cause further damage, like eating something crunchy.
How We Treat Chipped Teeth We’ll only be able to make a recommendation once you come in for an exam. With that said, veneers are a popular option because they can fix small and large chips, and the results can last for a decade or more with proper care.
Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? A cracked tooth is absolutely a dental emergency. That’s why you need to call our San Antonio office right away! The only exception is if you’re also experiencing potentially life-threatening symptoms (like extreme facial swelling or trouble swallowing). In that case, you should head to the ER or call 911.
How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth The last thing you want is for the tooth to break further, which is why you should avoid chewing on that side of your mouth. Instead, rinse periodically with room-temperature, clean water to prevent bacteria from collecting around the area in the meantime.
How We Treat Cracked Teeth Similar to a decayed tooth, a cracked tooth can be treated in several ways. One is with a dental crown. Another is with a tooth extraction. If the latter is best, then we will also fill the new space in your smile with a dental bridge or implant.
