When facing a dental emergency, you need prompt, effective care that emphasizes quality. After all, ignoring a dental emergency can lead to further issues and complications down the road. At East Longmeadow Family Dental Center, we specialize in providing compassionate and efficient emergency dentistry. Our practice addresses your urgent dental needs quickly and carefully, ensuring that a dental emergency doesn’t continue to derail your daily activities.
The Role of Emergency Dentistry
Emergency dentistry plays a crucial role in healthcare. It’s not just about alleviating pain; it’s about fixing problems quickly and preventing further damage to your oral health. Our practice ensures that your dental emergency is treated with the necessary urgency. We offer same-day appointments when possible and deal with emergency appointments quickly, so you’re not left waiting and worrying.
At East Longmeadow Family Dental Center, we understand that a dental emergency can be an unexpected and stressful experience. Our team, led by Dr. Gregory Zirakian, is dedicated to making your visit as comfortable and reassuring as possible. We employ a patient-centered approach, ensuring that each individual receives personalized care tailored to their emergency. Our goal in emergency dentistry is to treat the immediate issue and restore your dental health and peace of mind.
What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?
There are several scenarios that might require urgent dental care. These include, but are not limited to:
- Severe toothaches indicating possible infections
- Broken or knocked-out teeth due to accidents
- Lost fillings or crowns, leaving previously damaged teeth vulnerable
- Dental abscesses (swelling) requiring immediate attention
What Isn’t Considered a Dental Emergency?
Although these are all issues that a dentist should address in short order, they do not normally constitute a dental emergency:
- A dull toothache or mild pain
- A small chip in a tooth
- Minor cuts or sores
- Broken braces
- An object stuck in your teeth
All of these issues can be addressed at a regularly scheduled visit. Call East Longmeadow Family Dental Center to schedule an appointment to fix these issues.
What If I Need Immediate Dental Care After Hours?
Unfortunately, dental emergencies don’t call you to schedule their appearance ahead of time. Sometimes, you need immediate attention when most businesses aren’t open. In that case, you should call our office and follow the instructions for after-hours care. An on-call dentist may be available to see you shortly.
Many wonder, “Should I go to the emergency room or an urgent care center?” That’s a tricky question; most emergency rooms and urgent care facilities do not employ dentists and cannot offer the specialized treatment you may need. However, these help centers can offer symptom management and relief until you can see Dr. Zirakian.
You should go to the ER if you have persistent, unbearable pain or uncontrollable bleeding that will not stop. The medical professionals in the emergency department will be able to help with these issues, but you will still need to see a dentist afterward to address the root of the problem.
Ways to Manage Symptoms Until You Can See a Dentist
You may need to wait a few hours or a day to receive proper dental care. In the meantime, here are some things you can do to help with common symptoms or problems.
- Toothache: Rinse your mouth with warm water and floss to dislodge anything stuck between your teeth. Use over-the-counter medications to help with pain.
- Knocked-out tooth: Only grip the tooth by the “chewing end,” never the root. Gently clean the tooth off, and if possible, carefully and gently reinsert the tooth into the socket. If reinsertion is not possible, store the tooth in a container of milk (not water!) to preserve it until you can see a dentist.
- Chipped or broken tooth: If sharp edges irritate the inside of your mouth, cover them with orthodontic wax, available at most pharmacies.
- Soft tissue injury: Rinse your mouth with salt water or antibacterial mouthwash. Apply pressure to the area until the bleeding stops.
How Much Does a Dental Emergency Cost?
We recognize that the cost of emergency dental care can be a significant concern. Treatment costs will differ depending on what needs to be done. However, at East Longmeadow Family Dental Center, we strive to make affordable dental care available to everyone. We’ll thoroughly review your insurance coverage so you know exactly what’s included in your plan. Our practice also works with various financing companies to ensure that our treatments, including emergency procedures, are affordable. We strive to make the billing process transparent and will help you understand your insurance benefits and available payment options.
Contact Us in Your Time of Need
When a dental emergency strikes, having a trusted dental team ready to provide immediate care is invaluable. Remember, addressing a dental emergency promptly is crucial to prevent long-term complications. East Longmeadow Family Dental Center is dedicated to offering swift, effective emergency dentistry thanks to Dr. Zirakian’s expertise and our compassionate, experienced team.
Contact us as soon as possible if you think you’re experiencing a dental emergency, and allow us to provide the professional care you deserve.
