When you are in need of an emergency dentist, it is a good idea to look for one that offers same day dental care. This type of clinic is usually open on the weekends and can provide urgent care for patients that are experiencing discomfort or pain. In a case of a dental emergency, time is of the essence. A knocked-out tooth and severe pain that doesn’t subside are clear signs that it’s time to visit a 24 hour dentist. If the tooth isn’t knocked out, it may be cracked or chipped and will need to be treated immediately.

Dental emergencies happen at the most unexpected times. These events are typically accompanied by pain and anxiety.

Emergency Dental Care

A crack that extends deep into the tooth structure requires urgent treatment because it leaves the inside of the tooth vulnerable to infection and may require a root canal procedure. Bleeding that won’t stop is also a serious condition that needs immediate medical attention.

Visiting a 24 hour dentist will cost you more than going to a normal dental clinic, but they are better equipped to handle urgent problems like tooth pain and abscesses. They understand the urgency of your situation and will get you in as soon as possible. They’ll first take X-rays and then figure out what type of treatment you need.

Tooth Reattachment

While modern materials have offered us a vast array of restorative options, there is no substitute for natural tooth structure. If you’re dealing with a significant break, such as a chipped or cracked tooth, the dentist may be able to reattach the original fragments of your tooth.

Generally speaking, the more intact the original tooth fragment is, the higher the likelihood of successful reattachment. The first step is to evaluate the damage. If the fracture is small, your dentist can simply repair the chip with bonding material. For more serious breaks, the dentist might need to reposition and reinforce the original tooth fragment with a dental crown.

Various studies have demonstrated that the fracture resistance of a reattached tooth fragment can be similar to that of an original unfractured tooth. The use of a bevel with flowable composite increases fracture resistance as well. A fragment that has been stored in milk or saline for an hour prior to bonding also offers increased bond strength.

Tooth Extractions

Tooth extractions can be provided at a 24 hour dentist to treat severe gum disease or damaged teeth that cannot be repaired. These emergencies are often very painful, but the dentist can numb the tooth and jaw bone with a local anesthetic, and in some cases also provide sedation or general anesthesia for added comfort.

The procedure is simple, and requires little more than a few squeezing motions to loosen the tooth from its socket. Once the tooth is loose, it can be wrested free from its ligaments using tools such as dental elevators and extraction forceps. The socket is then cleaned and a few resorbing stitches are used to close it.

Immediately after the surgery, patients are asked to bite firmly but gently on a piece of gauze for several hours to slow bleeding and allow a blood clot to form. It is important to avoid rinsing or spitting, as this can dislodge the clot and disrupt healing.

Dental Implants

Dental implants are permanent replacement roots inserted into the jaw to support tooth restorations like bridges or dentures. They also allow people who have missing teeth to eat, speak and smile with confidence.

Dental implant treatment requires a significant time commitment and financial investment. Before placing the dental implant, a dentist visually examines the site of the missing tooth and reviews X-rays and other dental imaging studies to assess the quality and quantity of bone at the implant site.

If the existing bone is soft or thin, a bone graft may be needed to create a more solid base for the implant. A graft can be made from natural bone from another location in the mouth or from a synthetic bone-substitute material.

After an adequate amount of healing, the implant post (the titanium component that is the equivalent of a tooth root) is placed in the bone. A metal spacer called an abutment is attached to the post, and then a replacement tooth, or “crown,” is placed on top of it.