Promptly Locate a Raleigh Emergency Dentist
What is Classified as a Dental Emergency?
You might hesitate to visit an urgent care dental practice because you don’t want to blow a small problem out of proportion. On top of that, determining what requires immediate treatment and what can wait can be sometimes difficult.
Generally, if you experience persistent tooth pain, excessive gums bleeding, and a swelling that doesn’t resolve even after applying an ice pack, you could be having a dental emergency. Make an immediate appointment with an emergency dental office near you to have the problem addressed.
When Do You Need Emergency Dental Care?
Don’t hesitate to see a Raleigh emergency dentistry professional any time you find yourself in a situation that requires immediate attention. We can aid you in locating one of the available 24-hour dentists near your Raleigh home. The most common dental emergencies that require immediate treatment include:
- Painful, throbbing toothaches
- Tooth sensitivity
- Damaged dental work
- Knocked out tooth
- Lost filling or crown
- Something trapped between teeth
- Dental abscess
- Soft tissue injuries
The above list doesn’t cover all dental emergencies in Raleigh, NC. If you are in the middle of any dental problem, don’t hesitate to seek urgent dental care. If it’s a problem to you, it’s a problem to us and urgent care dentists in our directorate.
How an Emergency Dental Clinic Addresses Dental Emergencies
Setting up an emergency appointment: Start by calling an urgent care clinic, regardless of your dental concern. One of the staff will pick up your call and gather as many details as possible about your concern.
The staff will then review this information to determine if you have a true dental emergency. If so, they will ask you to visit as soon as possible. Our referral specialists can assist you in finding an open 24-hour clinic near your neighborhood within a short time. That way, you won’t waste time searching and calling around.
Emergency Exam and X-rays: Immediately after you get to the clinic, an urgent care dentist will perform several diagnostic studies, including a dental exam and X-ray, to help identify the cause of the concern. He or she will also administer medication to alleviate the pain.
Analyzing findings and developing a treatment plan: The dentist will look at the findings and develop a personalized treatment plan for your unique situation. He or she will discuss with you the estimated costs and how long the treatment will take.
Emergency Dental Services
Gum Disease Treatment: Gum disease, or periodontitis, is a serious gum infection that harms the soft tissue and can destroy the bone holding your teeth in position if left untreated. This disease can result in tooth loss or loosening. You can prevent this disease by brushing and flossing daily. Routine dental checkups can also help detect and treat the disease at its early stages.
If gums are swollen or puffy or seem dusky red, bright red, or purplish, you might be suffering from gum disease. Other signs of this disease include painful chewing, bleeding gums, bad breath, and pus in the gaps between teeth and gums.
See an urgent care dentist in Raleigh, North Carolina, if you detect any of those gum disease signs. The dentist will perform root planing and scaling to thoroughly clean the gums and stop the disease from further spreading.
Root Canal Therapy: This dental treatment procedure removes infection that has spread to the tooth’s pulp. Root canal therapy is a three-step procedure and might involve one to three sessions, depending on the nature of the infection.
Your urgent care dentist starts by putting you under local anesthesia. Then, the professional makes a tiny access hole at the tooth center and uses small files to take out the dead pulp tissue. The next step is cleaning, shaping, and disinfecting the hollow area. The dentist uses small files and irrigation solutions, such as sodium hypochlorite and EDTA, to achieve this. The dentist fills the space with a rubber-like material.
The final step is adding a filling or crown to protect the fragile tooth from new infections. The addition of a filling or crown also helps restore the normal functioning of the tooth. This step usually requires one visit.
Emergency Tooth Extraction: Tooth extraction is necessary when a natural tooth is permanently damaged. A dentist opts to proceed with an extraction when all treatment options cannot help a damaged or infected tooth. A tooth extraction is usually necessary under the following circumstances:
- Impacted wisdom teeth
- Crowded teeth
- A severely fractured or broken tooth
- Advanced gum disease or tooth decay
- Trauma
If your dentist has recommended an extraction, do not wait too long to act. Otherwise, the infection may spread quickly to the other teeth. Once you undergo the procedure, you’ll be okay within 24 hours to 48 hours. Expect some pain and slight bleeding at the extraction site a few hours after the procedure.
Applying a piece of gauze at the site can help stop bleeding. Placing a cold compress outside the cheek as close to the extraction site as possible can ease pain and prevent swelling. Be sure to comply with other aftercare guidelines offered by your dental professional.
Dental Crowns and Bridges: Your dental specialist may use a dental crown to restore the appearance and performance of your damaged or decayed tooth. He or she will use dental cement to fix the crown to the damaged tooth. If several teeth require protection, the dental professional will connect several crowns in a bridge.
Dental Implants: Unlike crowns and bridges that treat partially damaged or decayed teeth, dental implants replace missing teeth completely. Fitting an implant is a small surgery that entails affixing a replacement root in your jaw. The dentistry professional then fits an abutment and crown to give the implant the appearance and functionality of a natural tooth. Your jawbone and other surrounding teeth must be healthy to get a dental implant.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Emergency Dental Services
Your dental insurance might pay for your urgent care visit. The surest way to know if your urgent dental service is covered is to contact your insurance provider.
You can still get emergency dental care even if you don’t have dental insurance. Most Raleigh urgent care dentists accept cash and most credit cards. Others offer discounts and low-interest financing options to help patients access immediate care without unnecessary financial pressure.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
While it’s hard to avoid dental emergencies entirely, you can take some steps to lower your risk and preserve your beautiful smile. Observing excellent oral hygiene at home can boost your dental health and prevent dental problems. Brushing and flossing twice per day for at least 60 seconds each session can significantly improve the cleanliness of your teeth.
Visiting a dental office regularly for cleanings can help remove stubborn plaque and tartar that survive regular brushing. Your dental specialist can also catch any dental issues at their early stages during regular checkups.
When engaging in strenuous physical activities or playing contact sports, be sure to put on a protective mouthguard. This protective dental device will protect your teeth from unanticipated (or anticipated) impacts.
If you need any help in locating an emergency dental professional in Raleigh, North Carolina, contact us at 888-941-8655. We will help you get a same-day appointment with an emergency dentistry professional near you.
Team Emergency Dental
215 S McDowell St, #515 Raleigh, NC 27601
Area/Zip Code We Cover
27513, 27529, 27560, 27587, 27601, 27603, 27604, 27605, 27606, 27607, 27608, 27609, 27610, 27612, 27613, 27614, 27615, 27616, 27617, 27695