What To Expect During An Emergency Dental Appointment

Sometimes dental emergencies can’t wait. This may be your first dental emergency and you may have questions. We are here to help you! Find out what to expect at your emergency dental care appointment.

Feeling dental pain and realising a visit to the dentist is necessary, it may be the first time you have experienced an emergency dental appointment. This can be a stressful experience for all involved. But knowing what to expect at your visit can alleviate some worry. 

What Is A Dental Emergency?

When you experience significant dental pain, or any structural damage to your teeth, you should see your dentist sooner rather than later. Examples of issues that may require an emergency dental appointment include:

• Swelling of the face, neck or mouth
• Severe pain in your teeth or gums
• Tooth infections or abscesses
• Bleeding in the mouth which will not stop
• Fractured teeth causing pain or soft tissue damage
• Ulcers which do not heal
• Trauma such as a tooth being knocked out
• Referral from your GP

While you organise your appointment with us you can follow some basic care for your dental emergency.

What Should I Do When I Need To Make An Emergency Appointment?

Firstly, contact your local Pacific Smiles Dental Centre. During this call you will be asked a series of questions to determine what type of appointment suits your needs. These questions could include how severe your pain, illness, or injuries are. Once you have answered these screening questions it will be determined if you require an urgent same day emergency dental appointment or if we are able to schedule your emergency dental treatment for a later date.

What Happens When I Arrive At The Emergency Dental Appointment?

When you arrive at your emergency appointment you will need with speak to reception who will ask the same screening questions that you were asked previously over the phone. Our staff ask these screening questions a second time to assist determining if there have been any significant changes to your circumstances.

What Should I Expect During An Emergency Dental Appointment?

The primary aim of an emergency dental appointment is to reduce or remove any discomfort you may be experiencing. During the appointment it is our priority to find the cause of pain, rather than focusing on routine dental procedures, so you may find that subsequent appointments may be scheduled to follow up on your emergency procedure as well as further additional routine procedures.

What Can I Do To Prevent Dental Emergencies?

Lowering your risk of requiring emergency dental work doesn’t guarantee that it won’t happen to you. By their very nature dental emergencies are unpredictable and can happen at any time. However, to mitigate the risk, here are some basic steps to keep your teeth in top shape:

• Avoid using your teeth as tools to open packages, lids, sticky tape etc
• Wear a mouthguard where there’s a risk of dental trauma
• Minimise chewing hard foods such as lollies, ice, popcorn kernels etc
• Cut back on sugary foods and drinks to avoid cavities

The cost of your emergency dental appointment will vary depending upon your individual dental needs. Your dentist will discuss the expected costs with you at the time of your appointment.

If you or a family member are in dental pain or in need of an emergency dentist, contact your local Pacific Smiles Dental Centre for an urgent care appointment.

Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risk. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.