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Emergency Dentistry services offered in Glen Burnie, Rosedale and Timonium, MD
Emergency Dentistry Q & A
What is emergency dentistry?
Emergency dentistry is an area of dental practice focused on addressing sudden or acute dental needs. If you sustain a traumatic injury or severe dental pain, knowing where to turn can make the experience far easier to navigate.
Your teeth are living structures and are filled with a soft tissue called pulp. Within that pulp is a network of nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues that nourish the tooth and enable sensation.
When a tooth is injured or infected, securing prompt and professional treatment can make the difference between saving or losing the tooth. Even the underlying bone tissue can be negatively affected, which is why it’s so important to seek emergency dental care if needed.
How do I know if my dental issue is an emergency?
It can be hard to know when an issue rises to the level of a dental emergency. One way to think about the matter is to consider whether your issue can wait to be seen during a normally scheduled visit with the dentist. If you are in severe pain or have a tooth that is clearly damaged, your best option is to come in for an emergency dentistry visit.
Here are some examples of common dental emergencies:
- Cracked tooth
- Fractured tooth
- Chipped tooth
- Severe pain in your gums, jaw, or face
- Knocked-out tooth
- Significant damage to your tongue or other soft tissues
- Signs of infection, including sudden pain, swelling, or redness in your mouth or face
- Broken dental restoration or lost fillings
If you’re in doubt, simply call Sterling Endodontics to share the details of your circumstances and learn about next steps. The practice offers same-day visits to provide pain relief or to perform incision and drainage or other treatments.
What can I do to prevent a dental emergency?
Although it’s impossible to prevent every kind of dental emergency, you can take steps to reduce your risk of certain types of injuries. One of the most powerful ways to prevent pain from infection or advanced decay is to schedule and attend routine dental exams.
Your dentist performs a thorough check of your teeth, gums, and oral tissues during your dental exams. Catching signs of disease or decay in the earliest possible stages can prevent many dental emergencies from developing.
If you play contact sports or engage in certain high-risk fitness pursuits, wearing the proper protective devices can go a long way toward reducing your risk of damage. Helmets, mouth guards, and other devices can protect your teeth and soft tissues from sports injuries.
If you grind your teeth during sleep, wearing a custom night guard can protect your teeth from undue stress and wear. This can prevent cracked and fractured teeth and reduce your risk of nerve pain.
Even with excellent preventive measures, dental emergencies can still occur. If you or a loved one encounters a problem, call Sterling Endodontics to set up a same-day visit. Online booking is always available for less time-sensitive scheduling needs.