If you or a loved one needs to see an emergency dentist in Cedar Park, TX, please call our office immediately. When a dental emergency arises, time is of the essence, and prompt emergency treatment can often prevent costly, invasive dental procedures.
Once it has been decided that you should visit our office right away, we will begin preparing a treatment room so that we are ready to go upon your arrival. We offer emergency dental care as a general dentistry service in Cedar Park, Texas.
Emergency Dentistry in Cedar Park, TX
A dental emergency is any issue that requires immediate treatment and can’t wait. Without prompt treatment, they can severely damage your oral health. Emergency dentistry allows us to remedy the immediate issue, allowing for less invasive and more affordable care in the future. But what counts as a dental emergency?
Tooth Pain
Tooth pain is the most common dental emergency. It comes in many forms, including sharp, throbbing, sudden, gradual, and aching. No matter which version is hitting you, it deserves immediate attention. Pain is a flashing indicator that something is wrong. One of the reasons it should be seen immediately is that it can have many different causes.
Tooth decay is one of the most common causes of tooth pain. The bacteria burrow far enough into your tooth that they’re affecting dental nerves, causing pain. When an infection gets deep into the bone around the tooth, it can cause an abscess — a pocket of infection filled with pus that gets very painful. Trauma or injury to a tooth can cause pain as well.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Especially as an adult, getting a tooth knocked out can be jarring. But it’s a case where you need to remain calm and collected for the best result. Depending on timing, the tooth may be viable to put back in your mouth. Retrieve the tooth if you can, and gently rinse off any dirt or debris without scrubbing. Put the tooth in a cup of saliva or milk to preserve it for as long as possible. When you bring it to our office, we’ll examine it and determine if it can be returned to your mouth.
If you cannot regain your natural tooth, we offer multiple options to replace missing teeth. These include dental implants, considered the gold tooth replacement standard.
Broken Tooth
A small cosmetic chip off your tooth that you don’t even feel isn’t a dental emergency. That changes when a large chunk of your tooth breaks off. It may expose dental nerves, causing pain when those brush against food or your tongue. Depending on how the tooth broke off, there may also be sharp edges that can harm your tongue or other soft tissue. If you can, retrieve the portion of the tooth that broke off and bring it to your appointment.
We have various solutions for a broken tooth. One of the most popular is dental bonding. The bonding material is malleable, so we can craft it to perfectly match the portion of the tooth that broke off. This protects those dental nerves again and ensures no more sharp edges.
Broken Dental Restoration
A dental restoration can be many things, including a dental crown, filling, or denture. When you break a restoration, try to collect the pieces to bring to your appointment. We’ll determine if we can repair the restoration or need to make a brand new one. Don’t try to glue your restoration back together. You should also avoid putting the damaged restoration back in your mouth.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
Learn more about emergency dental care with answers to common questions from patients:
What is considered a dental emergency?
If you are experiencing significant dental pain, swelling, or bleeding, you are always welcome to call our office so we can advise. Not every situation requires immediate attention, but we will almost always recommend that you come in right away for the following conditions:
- Unbearable toothache
- Cracked, broken, or dislodged tooth
- Severe gum swelling or bleeding
- Lost dental restoration
- Dental abscess
Should I go to the emergency room or see an emergency dentist?
It is pretty standard for patients to visit the hospital for issues that a dental professional should treat. However, if your emergency is tooth, gum, or jaw-related, we recommend calling our office first before you decide what to do.
Emergency rooms generally don’t have the expertise or equipment required to care for dental emergencies, and they often refer patients to an emergency dentist. If you have any other injuries that are more time-sensitive, then you may want to visit the ER first.
Is emergency dental care affordable?
At Vista Ridge Family Dentistry, we strive to make all our services as affordable as possible, including our emergency services. However, in many cases, the best thing you can do is seek immediate treatment and work out the financial details later to prevent your situation from becoming worse and more costly.
Our membership plan covers one emergency exam per year, and we accept payment plans if you need to break up the cost of your care. For more information, please call our office or visit our financial page.
Call Our Cedar Park Office
If you have a dental emergency, please call 512-866-9654. You can schedule a dental consultation online if you require dental care but do not have an emergency.