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Emergency Treatment

Urgent Dental Services: Coping with Emergency Treatment Needs

Imagine this scenario: You're enjoying your favorite meal when suddenly, a sharp pain shoots through your mouth. You've just chipped a tooth. Or maybe you wake up in the middle of the night with an excruciating toothache that's keeping you from getting any sleep. These are examples of dental emergencies - urgent situations that require immediate attention to prevent further damage or discomfort.

At Signature Dental Care, we understand that dental emergencies can happen at any time, and they often do when you least expect them. That's why we're here to help guide you through these unexpected events. In this article, we'll explore what constitutes a dental emergency, common emergencies our patients face, and how our team can assist you in these critical moments.

What is emergency dental treatment?

Emergency dental treatment refers to the immediate care required when you experience sudden oral pain, swelling, or trauma. These situations demand swift action to alleviate discomfort, prevent infection, and save your teeth. While some dental issues can wait for a scheduled appointment, others require prompt attention from our experienced team at Signature Dental Care.

Dental emergencies often occur due to accidents, poor oral hygiene, or underlying health conditions. Some common examples include broken teeth, knocked-out teeth, severe toothaches, and infected gums. When these situations arise, it's essential to know how to manage your symptoms at home temporarily while seeking professional help as soon as possible.

At our Hickory Hills dental office, we prioritize emergency cases and strive to accommodate patients with urgent needs on the same day they call us. Our team is committed to providing compassionate care in a comfortable environment, ensuring that you feel confident and at ease during your visit.

Common Types of Dental Emergencies

We treat many types of dental emergencies and urgent oral health problems, including:

  • Toothaches
  • Chipped or fractured teeth
  • Abscesses
  • Loose or broken fillings
  • Dislodged or lost dental crowns
  • Broken, ill-fitting, or lost dentures
  • Problematic wisdom teeth
  • Acute Periodontal Problems
  • Loose or broken down teeth
  • Swollen, bleeding gums
  • Bacterial, viral, or fungal Infections affecting the tongue, cheeks, gums, lips, or other soft tissues of the mouth
  • Oral pain or swelling of unknown origin
  • Suspicious bumps, spots, and lesions

If you're unsure whether your situation constitutes a dental emergency, don't hesitate to reach out to our office. Our team is always here to help and can provide guidance over the phone if necessary.

Emergency dental treatment: What can be done?

When you arrive at Signature Dental Care with an urgent dental need, our skilled team will promptly assess your situation and develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs. Some common emergency dental treatments include:

  1. Tooth extraction: In some cases, a severely damaged or infected tooth may require removal to prevent further complications. Our team will ensure you're comfortable during the procedure and discuss options for replacing the extracted tooth.
  2. Root canal therapy: A root canal is performed when the pulp of your tooth becomes inflamed or infected. During this procedure, our dentist removes the damaged tissue, cleans the interior of the tooth, and seals it to prevent future infections.
  3. CEREC same-day crowns: If you've chipped or cracked a tooth, we may recommend placing a crown to protect and restore its functionality. With our advanced CEREC technology, we can design, fabricate, and place your custom crown in just one visit.
  4. Medication and antibiotics: In some cases, our dentist may prescribe medication or antibiotics to alleviate pain, reduce swelling, or treat an infection. Be sure to follow the instructions provided and complete the full course of treatment as directed.

After your emergency dental treatment, it's essential to follow our team's aftercare instructions carefully to promote healing and prevent complications. This may include avoiding certain foods, maintaining good oral hygiene, and attending follow-up appointments as scheduled.

Preventing future dental emergencies

While some dental emergencies are unavoidable, many can be prevented with proper care and attention to your oral health. Here are some tips for minimizing the risk of urgent dental situations:

  1. Maintain good oral hygiene: Brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and rinse with an antibacterial mouthwash to keep your teeth and gums healthy.
  2. Attend regular dental check-ups: Visit our office every six months for professional cleanings and examinations. These appointments allow us to detect potential issues early and address them before they become major problems.
  3. Wear a mouthguard during sports: Protect your teeth from trauma by wearing a custom-fitted mouthguard when participating in contact sports or other activities with a high risk of injury.
  4. Be cautious with hard and sticky foods: Avoid biting down on hard objects, such as ice or non-food items, and be mindful of eating sticky candies or foods that can dislodge dental work or damage teeth.

If you or a loved one experiences a dental emergency, don't panic. Stay calm, assess the situation, and contact our office immediately for guidance and support. At Signature Dental Care, we're committed to providing exceptional care in times of urgent need, helping you maintain a healthy, beautiful smile.

Don't let a dental emergency disrupt your life any longer than necessary. Trust the experienced team at Signature Dental Care to address your urgent needs promptly and effectively. Call our Hickory Hills office today at (708) 598-4055 to schedule an appointment or learn more about our emergency dental services.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a dental emergency?

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Signature Dental Care

Toothaches

Pain is your body's way of signaling that something is not quite right and though there are many reasons for oral pain, one of the most common complaints and reasons for seeking urgent dental care is a toothache. Whether you simply need a dental filling, a crown, or require a root canal procedure to save your tooth, we'll alleviate your discomfort and restore the look and function of the involved tooth.

Signature Dental Care

Dental Trauma

Dental trauma can result in a defect as minor as a small chip in tooth enamel to a more extensive and painful crack or fracture. With sufficient force, a tooth can even be displaced or completely knocked out of its socket. With prompt emergency care, many injured teeth can be restored and saved.

Signature Dental Care

Wisdom Teeth

The last teeth in your mouth to develop, wisdom teeth often do not have enough room to fully erupt or may be positioned in the wrong direction. These issues can affect your dental health as well as overall well-being. Our office provides skilled care to address the complications caused by problematic wisdom teeth.

Signature Dental Care

Broken or Lost Dental Appliances

A broken or lost dental prosthesis or restoration can cause embarrassing gaps in your smile as well as compromise your ability to eat and speak with ease. If you've lost or broken a dental filling, denture, crown, or other dental appliance, you can rely on our office to perform a prompt repair or provide a durable and cosmetically pleasing replacement as quickly as possible.

At the office of Signature Dental Care, emergency appointments are always available. Of course, in addition to providing top treatment for dental emergencies, we also welcome patients searching for high quality and affordable care. We offer a complete range of the latest and best cosmetic and dental services for every member of your family.

How long do I have to wait for an emergency dental appointment?

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If you are suffering from a toothache or have sustained a dental injury, it is important to visit the dentist as soon as possible before more serious complications arise. Whether your dental emergency is painful, if it affects the appearance of your smile, or if you suspect that an infection is present, our office will make every effort to see you as promptly as possible for care.

At the office of Signature Dental Care, we treat your dental emergency as our top priority. Our caring team will respond to your emergency call right away, making sure you get the gentle, state-of-the-art care you need without delay.

As your trusted emergency dentist in Hickory Hills, we provide the highest quality of care to mitigate the stress, anxiety, and discomfort of dental problems. Our dedicated team will help you start feeling better as soon as we receive your emergency call.

Do I need to go to the emergency room or hospital?

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At the office of Signature Dental Care, we provide skilled and experienced care to effectively resolve a broad range of dental emergencies, restoring a patient's oral health while protecting their overall wellbeing.

However, even so, specific dental emergencies pose significant threats to one's health. These situations require immediate, emergency room care. Serious and potentially life-threatening dental emergencies include significant oral and facial trauma such as jaw fractures, deep wounds or lacerations to the face and mouth, an abscess or infection that causes widespread facial or submandibular swelling, or affects breathing and swallowing.

How much does emergency dental treatment cost?

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At the office of Signature Dental Care, we provide prompt, skilled, and experienced care to address dental emergencies. We understand that finances are always a concern and do our best to provide options in care that are both affordable and respect your budget.

Once we've had the opportunity to examine your smile, we can give you a clear picture of any existing dental issues, along with a quote for what the cost of treatment will be. The cost of care all depends upon the extent and complexity of issues affecting the health or appearance of your smile and the types of procedures that are required.

To help alleviate any additional stress or delay, you can count on our staff to work with you to optimize coverage for your dental care and to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses. For patients without insurance, we strive to make things easier as well! We invite you to visit our financial information page or speak to an expert in our business office.

Why choose us for your emergency dental treatment?

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Dental emergencies are often painful and debilitating experiences. For this reason it's important to have an emergency dentist in Hickory Hills, who welcomes patients with urgent dental needs while providing the prompt care required to restore oral health.

Here are just some of the reasons why so many patients choose our office for emergency dental care and to meet their family's dental needs:

  • Skilled and compassionate care for patients of all ages
  • Ultra-modern office designed with patient comfort in mind
  • Professional team experienced in all facets of care
  • State-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technology
  • Precise and gentle treatment using leading-edge systems of care
  • Careful attention paid to patient input and treatment expectations
  • Detailed explanations of treatment options and every step in care
  • Provision of a broad range of dental services and emergency procedures
  • Recognizes the specific needs of each patient and the unique requirements of every smile
  • Provide patients with the education and tools to establish a strong foundation for optimal oral health

We're dedicated to helping patients enjoy good oral health and beautiful smiles. We look forward to helping you keep your smile in tip-top condition. You can rest assured that our highly skilled office team will provide you the highest quality of state-of-the-art dental care and have you smiling again in no time!

To make an appointment or more information on our office and the many state-of-the-art services we provide, give us a call today.

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