Dental Emergencies in San Diego
Whether you are dealing with sudden, throbbing mouth pain, a knocked-out tooth, or some other type of oral discomfort, dental emergencies shouldn’t be ignored. When treating urgent dental care needs at M&M Dental Care, we provide prompt, efficient, and practical solutions in a modern, comfortable setting. Take a moment to learn more about our emergency dental services.
What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?
Dental emergencies vary, but they often involve sudden and severe tooth pain, a broken tooth, or unexplained mouth or jaw pain. Gum swelling and bleeding is another type of dental emergency that shouldn’t be ignored, primarily if it’s associated with a hard impact. Other common dental emergencies we treat include ones involving:
- Pain felt when biting or chewing
- Gum abscesses
- Wisdom tooth swelling/inflammation
- Tooth/gum trauma from an accident
- Visible swelling or bleeding
- Loss of a temporary dental crown
- Jaw pain or pain from jaw trauma
- Teeth or gum infections
Before You Get to Us
If a tooth is knocked out, try to find it and save it with the root intact. Rinse it off and place it by your cheek inside your mouth to keep it moist. Use ice packs if you have a cracked tooth. Do the same thing if you have mouth or jaw pain until you can get to our office.
Making a Diagnosis
The nature of some dental emergencies is evident with a visual dental exam. Some other urgent dental problems require dental X-rays to confirm the problem or determine the extent of the issue so that appropriate treatment can be recommended.
Unexplained mouth pain is typically diagnosed with a combination of a visual exam and image tests to check for structural issues or signs of a jaw joint problem. A TMJ arthroscopy is sometimes necessary to accurately diagnose a suspected temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.
Emergency Dental Treatment
Treatment depends on the nature of the emergency. With a knocked out (avulsed) tooth, re-implantation is often possible. This applies to permanent teeth in children and adults, but not primary (baby) teeth in children. Drainage, root canal surgery, and tooth extraction are the standard treatments for an abscessed tooth.
Treatment for chipped or broken teeth depends on the extent of the damage. If a small piece has broken off, a dental filling is often used to repair it. If the tooth is visible, a procedure called bonding is typically the preferred option. Tooth sealants are sometimes used as well. Additional treatment may be necessary if there is nerve damage.
Follow-Up Care
Not all dental emergencies require follow-up care. Even so, it’s essential to continue with regular dental visits to maintain a healthy smile. Some serious dental issues do, however, require follow-up treatment to ensure everything is healing as expected. With emergency dental surgery, follow-up typically involves checking for signs of infection and confirming that healing is progressing as planned.
Addressing dental emergencies as quickly as possible increases your odds of responding well to treatment. Contact M&M Dental Care today to learn more about our emergency dental services.
Emergency Dental Service - The Care You Need, When You Need It The Most!
- Our local, trusted dental practice offers same day, walk in appointments for urgent care dental emergencies – give us a call for an immediate need
- The prices of emergency procedures vary greatly, but dental insurance can help make them more affordable
- Our emergency dentists have years of experience in providing quality dental care
- Toothache’s, tooth extractions and wisdom tooth pain are some of the most common types of emergency procedures