What Is Considered a Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies can and do happen, and that's why our team at Austin K. Brown DDS is proud to provide emergency dental care.  

What Is Considered a Dental Emergency?

Patients can experience a wide variety of oral health concerns. Some of these require immediate treatment, while others can wait for a routinely scheduled dental appointment.

Signs and symptoms of dental emergencies requiring immediate treatment include:

• Uncontrolled bleeding

• Severe swelling in the mouth or face

• Severe oral pain

• Signs of an oral infection (significant oral swelling, red and inflamed gums, pus in the mouth, a tooth that feels longer than normal, bite changes, and/or fever)

• Dry socket following a tooth extraction procedure

If you are experiencing symptoms around in or around the oral cavity that you believe might require immediate care, we recommend contacting our office as soon as possible.  

Common Dental Emergencies Treated by Our Dentist in Clayton

Some of the most common dental emergencies we see include:

Avulsed (Knocked-Out) Tooth

Save the knocked-out tooth, being careful not to touch the roots. Do not rinse with water. If you can, replace the tooth in its socket, but do not force it. If necessary, hold the tooth between your cheek and gums until you receive medical attention.

Luxated (Displaced) Tooth

Immediate care can save a tooth that has been forced out of place but not completely knocked out.

Broken Tooth

A chipped or fractured tooth is at risk of infection and should be treated right away. Failing to treat a compromised tooth can result in the need for a root canal procedure.  

Lost Dental Crown or Filling

After losing a crown or filling, a tooth can be compromised to further decay and infection. We can quickly replace a lost filling or dental crown with same-day crowns.  

Oral Abscess

An oral abscess is a bacterial infection of the mouth. These infections are very serious and can be life-threatening if left untreated.  

Traumatic Injury

An injury to the face or mouth - even with no apparent damage - can result in jawbone fractures that require immediate treatment. We always recommend a diagnostic X-ray after an impact on the face.  

Oral Surgery Complications

Following oral surgery (such as a tooth extraction or dental implant placement), we provide patients with aftercare instructions including a list of signs and symptoms of complications that require emergency treatment such as dry socket or infection.  

Do You Need to See an Emergency Dentist?

If you believe you are having a dental emergency, we strongly encourage you to contact our office. In these cases, we typically recommend erring on the side of caution, and we can help you determine whether or not you require immediate treatment.  

Investing in Your Health and Well-Being

Many patients have concerns about the costs associated with emergency dental care, such as root canal cost, dental crowns cost, or emergency treatments. We encourage patients to speak with our office team about how we can help maximize dental insurance benefits or reduce the total cost of care with a patient wellness plan. We're here for you and strive to make emergency treatment accessible to all patients.  

Our Emergency Dentist in Clayton Is Here for You

At Austin K. Brown DDS, we care deeply about our patients' health and well-being, and that's why we're here to provide emergency dental exams and treatment when you need dental care the most. Please contact our office to learn more about emergency dentistry or determine whether you need immediate treatment.  

If you think you're having a dental emergency and need urgent treatment, we welcome you to contact our office to request an emergency appointment with our Clayton dentist.  

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