Find High-Quality Emergency Dental Care at ASE Dental
There’s never an opportune time to have a dental emergency. That’s why our top Silver Spring dentist works hard to prioritize emergency dentistry and short-notice care. Whether the emergency happens during the week or weekend, our staff ensures that our patients find the solution they need to alleviate pain fast.
Emergency dental care finds the source of your problem and alleviates your pain. Going to an emergency room for a dental emergency can be expensive, and physicians are likely unable to fix any long-term or cosmetic issues. Making ASE Dental in Silver Spring, MD, your first visit after a dental emergency can save you time and money.
Read on to find out more about our Silver Spring emergency dentistry procedures.
What Is a Dental Emergency?
Emergency dentistry solves a dental problem that can’t wait for routine, general dentistry. Examples of issues treated by emergency dentistry include:
- Trauma resulting in tooth breakage or loss
- Dental infection
- Mild to severe oral pain
Contact our Silver Spring dental office immediately at (301) 593-5500 if you’re experiencing any of these problems. Our professional dental team will work with you to ensure the best possible outcome for your emergency dental treatment.
Our Dental Emergency Solutions
Finding the solution to your emergency dental situation begins with a phone call to our Silver Spring dental office. Try to call immediately, as it is more likely that we can maintain your oral health when you receive immediate treatment. We’ll assess the situation and provide tips for reducing pain and saving your tooth until you visit our office. Dr. Bassford will try to make herself available as soon as possible in emergencies.
Tooth Extraction
If you’re in pain because a tooth has decayed from infection and Dr. Bassford can no longer save it, you’ll most likely need to undergo an immediate tooth extraction. We’ll safely extract the dead tooth and provide you with a tooth replacement option that best suits your needs.
Repairing Dental Hardware
Living with a cracked, loose, or lost dental crown, bridge, or filling can lead to issues in your everyday life. If this happens and you need to come in for repairs, we suggest that you save any broken pieces of your restoration that you have. Make sure to keep the restorations clean while you wait for your appointment.
Root Canal Therapy
When you’re experiencing severe tooth pain, it may be an infection in the root canal. If this is the case, we can perform emergency root canal therapy. Root canal therapy involves removing the disease from the pulp of your tooth. We finalize this procedure by safely sealing it with a protective crown so the infection doesn’t occur again.
What To Do Following a Dental Emergency
Although our Silver Spring dentist prides herself on being available for emergencies, there may be times when our office is unavailable for immediate treatment. In these cases, here are steps you can take to minimize damage in the meantime:
- If you’ve lost a tooth in an accident, you can mitigate the damage to preserve your tooth. Hold the tooth by the top, and be careful not to touch the root. Rinse it carefully but do not brush or scrub. If possible, reinsert the tooth back into its socket. If reinsertion isn’t possible, place the tooth in a small cup of milk to keep it from drying out until we can see you.
- Dental infections can cause severe pain and swelling in the area around the infected tissue. Infection can occur in or around the tooth root, which contains blood vessels and nerves. If you suspect you have an infected tooth or gum socket, take over-the-counter pain relief medication, ice the location, and seek immediate treatment.
- Unbearable tooth pain can be a distraction from your everyday life. If you begin experiencing tooth pain that isn’t responding to general pain medication, our dentist will have you ice the spot from the outside of your cheek before you can visit our office. We’ll diagnose and treat the root cause of the pain as soon as possible, along with finding ways to help manage your pain.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have lost a tooth from trauma, the first thing you should do is find the missing tooth. Rinse the tooth to remove dirt or debris, but don’t brush it. Brushing or scrubbing can damage the root structures necessary to reattach your tooth. You can then submerge the tooth in either milk or water — keep the tooth moist in the time until your dental appointment.
Although your treatment depends on the severity of the infection, you should still treat any infection as though it is an emergency. Start by calling your dentist and scheduling the soonest possible appointment. You can ask any questions you have at that time and receive specialized advice for your specific situation.
In the meantime, practice excellent oral hygiene to stop the infection from worsening or spreading. You should always brush twice a day, floss once a day, and work antibacterial mouthwash into your routine to contain the infection.
If you have a loose tooth, it’s crucial that you call your dentist right away. Scheduling the next available appointment will give you the best chance of saving your natural tooth. In the meantime, you should do your best to keep the tooth in its place. Minimize contact with the tooth while maintaining your oral hygiene the best you can. If there’s any pain around the loose tooth, you can take over-the-counter pain medication to mitigate the symptoms.
Many situations constitute a dental emergency. If you’re experiencing unmanageable pain, have lost a tooth or dental hardware, or have a noticeable infection, you should call your dentist immediately.
If you suspect you have experienced a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to call an emergency dentist. The sooner you visit your emergency dentist, the better the outcome will be for your oral health.
Emergency Dentistry at ASE Dental Alleviates Pain
Dental emergencies never happen at opportune times. With Dr. Bassford’s experience and her talented staff, she can mitigate your symptoms to provide the best outcome possible. If you experience a dental emergency, call our office immediately. We’ll work with you to get you into our office as soon as possible.
Call (301) 593-5500 to speak with a Silver Spring emergency dentist about your symptoms.