Now that dental offices are only seeing emergency patients and not doing any elective procedures, I want to shed some light on what is considered an emergency procedure.
According to The American Dental Association, emergency procedures are: “potentially life threatening and require immediate treatment to stop ongoing tissue bleeding [or to] alleviate severe pain or infection.”
Conditions include uncontrolled bleeding; soft tissue bacterial infections with swelling that potentially compromises the patient’s airway; or trauma involving facial bones that potentially compromises the patient’s airway.”
Examples of urgent dental care treatments, include:
- Severe dental pain from a root canal infection
- Wisdom teeth pain.
- Pain after an extraction – possibly from a dry socket.
- Abscess or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling.
- Tooth fracture resulting in pain or causing soft tissue trauma.
- Dental trauma when a tooth gets knocked out.
- Dental treatment cementation if the temporary restoration is lost, broken or causing gum irritation.
Other emergency dental care includes:
- extensive decay or defective restorations causing pain;
- suture removal;
- denture adjustments on radiation/oncology patients;
- denture adjustments or repairs when it affects the function;
- replacing temporary filling on a root canal treatment in patients experiencing pain;
- snipping or adjustments of an orthodontic wire or appliances piercing or ulcerating the oral mucosa.
Non dental emergencies include:
- Routine checkups and cleanings
- Orthodontic procedures
- Extraction of teeth that have no symptoms
- Routine fillings and crowns
- Cosmetic procedures
Still not sure if you have a dental emergency? If you are experiencing: bleeding gums, a broken tooth, mouth injury, or severe pain, then give us a call at 954-566-7479. If you do need an appointment, we’ll do our best to get you in right away.
Everything I have had done at Premier Smile Center has been top-notch. The treatment I received was thorough, precise and extremely professional. I never felt like just another patient because they took the time to listen to my concerns. They addressed my issues and we agreed on the treatment plan together.
The staff is very friendly, warm and extremely knowledgeable. I felt relaxed and comfortable knowing I chose the right place to get the dental work I needed. Dr. Johnson is very humane and very knowledgeable, and she does amazing work. I like the friendliness and honesty of the whole practice. I was not confident with my smile, in fact I was very self conscious and rarely smiled. Premier Smile Center has changed all that. My smile is one of the things I like the most.