A toothache can really ruin your day. Whether it’s a broken tooth or a painful cavity, unexpected dental problems often leave patients in a panic and unsure of where to turn. Often, urgent care and emergency room clinicians don’t have the training or the equipment to deal with a dental emergency. You may wait a long time, pay a hefty co-pay, and get nothing for your trouble besides antibiotics or pain medication. Unfortunately, neither of those will fix a broken tooth!
At Harte Dental, we are almost always able to see patients with emergencies on the same day or the next day after they call. We will usually be able to provide diagnosis and pain relief at these visits, and will make a plan with you for a longer-term solution if we don’t have time to provide one that day.
Below you can find information about some common dental emergencies which patients experience, and what types of treatment might be necessary.
Pain
By far the most common reason patients may call to make an emergency visit is because of dental pain. For many patients making the appointment, pain may have begun suddenly or with little warning. For others, their symptoms may have been brewing for a while. If you notice pain starting to develop, don’t wait to call. It’s often very difficult to predict if or how your pain may take a turn for the worse; the sooner we can initiate treatment, the sooner we can help you get comfortable.
Pain in the mouth or jaw can come from a variety of sources, including but not limited to:
A broken or infected tooth or teeth
An infection in the gums
A loose tooth or teeth
Problems in the jaw muscles or jaw joint
In the vast majority of cases, pain that has a dental origin will not resolve on its own. Sometimes it might get better temporarily, but it will often return worse than it was before. Our doctors can evaluate and identify the cause of your pain to help relieve the root cause of the issue.
Broken/Loose Dental Work
As much as dentists try to make sure our treatments last as long as possible, often the treatments we provide are not as durable as your natural teeth. A filling may fall out, a crown may get loose or even come out, a denture may break, etc.
Failing past dental work can also be a sign of an underlying problem with a tooth; teeth that have fillings and crowns can still develop cavities, and sometimes a loose denture is really being caused by a loose tooth. Regardless, dental work that has failed to function as it should will often get worse if left alone.
Aesthetic Emergencies
Not all emergencies involve pain or discomfort, but a “social” emergency can still very much be an emergency! Whether you’ve chipped a front tooth, want a bright smile ASAP for next week’s interview, or have any other aesthetic issue, give us a call and we will help you to get the results you want as quickly as possible.
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From the front desk staff to the dental team who treated, everyone was so welcoming and friendly. I appreciated their communication and getting seen asap for my dental procedure. They explained the whole process thoroughly and have really set the bar as far as being a top choice dental office.
Harte Dental makes every effort to provide same-day emergency dental appointments for patients! If you are experiencing toothaches, broken teeth, lost fillings or crowns, dental infections, or other urgent dental problems, send us a call. If you're having a dental emergency, call our office as soon as possible so our team can evaluate your situation and schedule you at the earliest available time. Our goal is to relieve your pain quickly, protect your smile, and help you avoid more serious dental complications.
Sensitive toothpaste can help reduce discomfort from cold, hot, sweet, or acidic foods, especially if the sensitivity is mild. However, tooth sensitivity can also be a sign of a cavity, cracked tooth, worn enamel, gum recession, or another dental problem. If your sensitivity is severe, lasts more than a few days, is getting worse, or is accompanied by pain when biting, it's best to schedule a dental exam. Your dentist here at Harte Dental can identify the cause and recommend the most effective treatment.
Send us a call at (617) 696-5257 or email ContactUs@hartedental.com . We can often fit in your visit same-day!
If you crack or break a tooth, Harte Dental in Milton, MA offers emergency dental care to evaluate the damage, relieve discomfort, and determine the best way to restore your tooth. During your emergency visit, one of our dentists will examine the tooth and may take a dental X-ray to see how deep the crack or damage extends.
Treatment depends on the severity of the damage. A minor chip may be repaired with cosmetic bonding or a filling, while a larger fracture may require a dental crown to protect the tooth. If the crack reaches the nerve inside the tooth, root canal treatment may be necessary. In some cases, a severely cracked tooth may need to be removed.
If you've cracked or broken a tooth, contact Harte Dental at 617-696-5257 as soon as possible. We make every effort to accommodate dental emergencies promptly for patients in Milton and the South Shore of Massachusetts.
A dental emergency is an oral health problem that requires prompt professional attention to relieve severe pain, control bleeding, treat infection, or prevent permanent damage. Examples include:
Severe or persistent tooth pain
Facial or gum swelling
Signs of a dental infection or abscess
A knocked-out or displaced permanent tooth
An adult tooth that suddenly becomes loose
Uncontrolled bleeding from the mouth
A cracked, fractured, or badly broken tooth
A lost or damaged crown, filling, bridge, or other restoration causing pain or exposing the tooth
If you are uncertain whether your symptoms require urgent dental care, call Harte Dental in Milton, MA, at 617-696-5257. Our team can ask about your symptoms and help you determine the appropriate next step.
Most toothaches, broken teeth, lost fillings, lost crowns, and localized dental infections should be evaluated by an emergency dentist such as us here at Harte Dental. A dentist can diagnose and treat the underlying dental problem, which an emergency room may not be equipped to correct.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you experience:
Difficulty breathing or swallowing
Rapidly spreading swelling of the face, jaw, eye, or neck
Major facial or jaw trauma
Bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure
Loss of consciousness or other potentially life-threatening symptoms
For urgent dental problems that are not life-threatening, call Harte Dental at 617-696-5257 for guidance and an emergency dental appointment in Milton, MA.
Did you know that we use Digital Radiographs (X-Rays) instead of older, traditional film radiographs?
The National Council on Radiation Protection (NCRP) stated the average resident of the U.S. receives about 360 mrem (Millirem; roentgen equivalent man) every year from background sources. A typical dental x-ray exposes you to only about2 or 3 mrem.
With our crisp images, our doctors can...
-See cavities/decay early and work to prevent them
As dental providers, we strive to keep our patients out of emergency situations. Maintaining regular hygiene visits with cleanings, exams, and radiographs as prescribed by your dentist will help diagnose issues ahead of time before they become a problem. Unfortunately, accidents do still happen! This is one of the reasons it is so important for your entire family to have an established relationship with a dental home starting by age one, or by their first tooth, as recommended by the American Dental Association (ADA).
