Anyone who has suffered from a dental emergency is familiar with the intense pain and discomfort that often accompanies it.
When you are in that situation yourself, it can be hard to decipher what exactly is an emergency, and what steps you should take.
Unfortunately, just because you are experiencing an immense amount of pain does not mean your dental issue will be treated as an emergency.
It is important to be able to decide what kind of emergency needs treatment now, and what can be numbed with painkillers and put off until the next available appointment.
What is considered a dental ‘emergency?’
Although it is completely dependent on the specifics of the case, some things which can be considered a dental emergency are:
Swollen cheeks/face in combination with a toothache
Extreme or unbearable tooth sensitivity
If you are effected by any of the listed symptoms, it may be a good idea to call your dentist and ask for their advice regarding what to do.
This means you can further explain your symptoms and they can get a better understanding of the severity of your case.
There are ways to reduce certain types of pain, e.g. create a solution of hot water and a teaspoon of salt and gargle with this to reduce swelling and irritation.
Additionally, if you loose a tooth put it inside a glass of milk until you can reach your dentist.
These are examples of dental issues that are not considered as emergencies:
Lost filling, crown, bridge
Broken/chipped tooth (unless you are experiencing severe pain)
Broken/ damaged retainer or night guard
Dull toothache
Small chip in tooth
Mild tooth sensitivity
Can you go to the hospital for a dental emergency?
Although a dental issue can often feel like an emergency, most emergency rooms are overpopulated and understaffed, so there will likely be a lot more severe cases that need treated before you.
Additionally, doctors do not have the experience of treating dental emergencies and can do little more than provide antibiotics and painkillers.
If you do decide to go to the hospital, you will eventually need to meet with a dentist to treat your problem eventually.
There are, however, emergency dentists allocated to treating urgent dental care.
Although you should be cautious when to use the hospital – sometimes in highly severe cases the hospital will be the best option.
If you experience any of the following then you should go straight to your local A&E and request to see an NHS dentist:
Intense bleeding that will not stop
Pain that isn’t reduced by painkillers
Trauma to your face, mouth or teeth as result of an accident
If you have lost a tooth through accident or it has been knocked out, it’s important to get to a 24-hour emergency dentist ASAP. The longer you leave it the less likely it is that your tooth will be saved.
Avoiding dental emergencies?
As we all know, accidents happen and it is impossible to fully avoid the occurrence of a dental emergency.
However, if you follow strict hygiene and cleaning regimes, wear mouth guards when playing sports, and make sure to have regular check-ups with your dentist, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of severe damage occurring to your teeth.
AtThe Perfect Smile, we understand that patients may be naturally nervous when thinking of undergoing dental implant surgery.
We would like to reassure you that the dental implant treatment is not painful at all due to proper use of local anesthetics to deeply numb the bone and gum.
We can also usesedation techniquesthat also contribute to no pain or discomfort. More.
Step 1: We will start the process with a highly detailed and thorough comprehensive examination and assessment. We will then construct a customised treatment plan and design your implant treatment.
Step 2: Your new implant(s) will be surgically placed in your mouth.
Step 3: On this review appointment we will assess your healing and make sure everything is going as planned.
Step 4: Records and impression will be taken to construct the top part (post and crown) of the implant.
Step 5: The final part of the implant (post and crown) will be fitted.
Step 6: This appointment gives you the opportunity to have any further refining cosmetic enhancements or minor adjustments.
When a tooth is removed from the mouth, the surrounding bone that holds the tooth in place will diminish in height and width and volume. This may have an effect on the immediate and final appearance of the gum tissue in this area and possibly the surrounding teeth as well.
The larger the width of bone or the height of the bone, the wider and longer implant can be. A wider and longer implant increases implant stability and thus success. We asses the bone height and width by taking digital radiographs or by taking a CT Scan. More.
Once the implant has fused with your jawbone and tissues, the artificial titanium implant acts as an ordinary root. The longevity of your implant depends on how you improve and maintain your oral health. Read more.
When we place the implant, we make sure the procedure is pain-free. We offer a range of sedation and techniques suitable for nervous patients. You can find out more here.
A dental implant offers a wealth of oral health benefits. Not only can an implant improve your smile, but it can also realign neighbouring teeth, protect your mouth from gum disease etc. Read the benefits.
When we implant a titanium implant into the jawbone, it becomes part of your oral foundation.
This offers a number of health benefits that include preventing any bone loss whilst supporting the jawbone structure and reduces the risk of gum disease. More.
Successful Dental Implants can last a lifetime
“If treated correctly, dental implants can last from ten to twenty five years or more.”
Once the implant has fused with your jawbone and tissues, the artificial titanium implant acts as an ordinary root. The longevity of your implant depends on how you improve and maintain your oral health.Read more.
Fast Process
Minimal Appointments. Unlike traditional dental implant surgery, you will need fewer appointments
No Lengthy Treatment Time. The healing time is fast and effective, though individual to each person.
How Much Do Dental Implants Cost? The price of a dental implant can depend if any further treatments are needed to make sure your implant is a success.
Our inclusive single dental implant treatment costs £2995 and includes the abutment and crown. More.
Minimal pain
Is the process painful? You can expect to feel some pain when having a new implant, however with modern anesthetics the discomfort is kept to a minimum. Post process there can be some swelling and aching for 5 -10 days.
Many patients have multiple implants in a single day without undue pain or distress. More.
Natural-looking
Will my implants match the colour of my existing teeth?Implants are colour matched and then shaped to blend in with your existing teeth. To the naked eye an implant is very hard to spot.
Highly experienced team
Unparalled level of patient trust: Dr Rahul Doshi is the founder of the Perfect Smile and is the current President of the BACD.
With over 25 years of dental implant experience, Dr Rahul Doshi proudly leads a highly-skilful team that has access to the latest dental technology.