Emergency Dentist: Knowing When to Call One

by Mike Rollins⁽³⁾

Emergency situations do come up; it's a fact of life. When you have a medical emergency, you take a trip to the hospital and visit the emergency room. What about if you need an emergency dentist? For the most part, our teeth remain healthy and don't require immediate care of any sort, and if something does come up, you can just visit your regular Eau Claire dentist.

However, what if you don't have a regular dentist? Maybe you just moved to a new area or you haven't visited the dentist in years. This is where an emergency dentist comes in handy, and it is important to know what constitutes a dental emergency, and what does not.

Less Serious Dental Emergencies

• Toothache

• Abscess

• Swollen gums

• Root canal issue

• Loose crowns

• Lost fillings

• Broken dentures

• Mouth ulcer

• Wisdom teeth issue

• Tooth decay

• Chipped tooth

As you can tell from the list; while none of these are pleasant situations, they are still things that you can temporarily treat until you are able to call a regular Eau Claire dentist in the morning. Most of these can be treated (to some extent) with painkillers, allowing you to get some sleep at least.

More Serious Dental Emergencies

• Dislocated, broken or fractured jaw

• Severe bleeding

• Loss of consciousness

• Swelling in neck or face area

These are more serious types of oral injuries. They could be the result of a vehicle accident, sporting accident, slip and fall, etc. If any of these symptoms arise, it is time to consider an emergency dentist, once you have received proper medical care, if needed.

What an Emergency Dentist Does

Most emergency clinics are found in densely populated cities, yet there are exceptions. They are there to treat patients who face one of the previously mentioned situations, or another type of emergency issue. They help patients who are unable to get to their regular dentist for one reason or another.

A few clinics do take appointments, but most operate on a purely call-in or walk-in basis. Oftentimes, a regular dentist will refer their patients for emergency services when they are either unable to see them, or their needs cannot wait for an appointment.

An emergency dentist can perform many of the procedures that a typical dentist does, however they normally concentrate on emergency services. This is because they want to leave their schedule open for patients who are in dire need of services. This is not always the case, however.

Some emergency clinics will help patients who need cosmetic dentistry performed. While they do not offer a wide array of services, they will provide care to rectify an issue with a previously-performed cosmetic procedure. For instance, if a patient is experiencing pain because of a cosmetic implant or veneer, an emergency Eau Claire dentist may be able to help.

However, it is important to note that with convenience comes cost. An emergency dentist will generally be a bit more costly than a typical dentist. However, if your regular dentist offers emergency services, then there may not be an additional charge for after-hours or emergency services.

Mike Rollins is a freelance writer who writes on a variety of dentistry topics, such as Eau Claire sedation dentistry and Eau Claire cosmetic dentistry. Though not an Eau Claire dentist himself, Mike and shares a passion for the healthcare field in general.

Article submitted Thursday, February 09, 2012 & read 1 times.

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