Many of us strive to stay healthy. Whether it’s keeping up with annual doctor’s appointments or biannual dental checkups, we make an effort to prioritize our overall health. But sometimes, life throws a curveball and disrupts our plans. If that looks like a severely painful toothache or excessive bleeding in the mouth, you may have a dental emergency on your hands. In those moments, you need fast, professional care to relieve your pain and address the issue. If you’re in the Winston-Salem, NC, area, Dr. Matthew Keider can help. He offers emergency dental services to support patients when the unexpected happens.
What Counts as a Dental Emergency?
Every year in the United States, roughly 2 million visits to hospital emergency departments are for dental pain. But is the emergency room (ER) always the right place to go? It’s a common question, as many people aren’t sure how much the ER can actually do for dental issues, what qualifies as a true dental emergency, or when it’s better to contact a dentist directly.
The American Dental Association outlines a dental emergency as a “potentially life-threatening situation requiring immediate treatment to stop bleeding, remedy the infection, and alleviate severe pain.” If you are in extreme pain or experiencing excessive and persistent bleeding, ER staff can provide quick relief and help stop the bleeding. However, a trip to the ER is not a substitute for a visit to our office; it’s a temporary solution until we can address the situation. It’s important you call us afterwards so we can correct the underlying issue.
While some situations may seem urgent, not all dental pain counts as an emergency. You should address issues like mild toothaches, tooth sensitivity, or a small crack in the enamel sooner rather than later. But it does not require immediate dental care. Regardless, if you are unsure if your situation is an emergency, call our office. Our staff can review your symptoms and guide you towards the best course of action. If your situation arises after hours, we encourage you to call us anyway. Simply listen to the automated message for instructions. If you’re an established patient, we’ll give you the option to contact Dr. Keider directly.
Emergency Dental Services
When our patients come to us for an emergency, we offer several restorative dentistry treatments to help alleviate their pain. If your tooth has been severely compromised, we may need to extract it. While it is our goal to save your natural tooth, sometimes we just can’t restore it. To prevent further damage and pain, we will perform an extraction and go over your options for tooth replacement.
Additionally, if your tooth was knocked out, we offer immediate tooth replacement options. Our first choice to replace a missing tooth is mini dental implants. This minimally invasive option can support implant dentures, a dental crown, or a bridge. Dr. Keider makes a tiny hole in your gums and through the jawbone to place the implant. He then attaches a temporary false tooth on the same day as implant placement. In the meantime, we will work on creating your permanent replacement tooth.
We also offer root canal therapy. When an infection occurs in a tooth’s inner chamber, it can spread and cause further damage if left untreated. Root canal therapy will immediately alleviate your pain and prevent further damage. It will also protect the surrounding teeth and keep them healthy.
If you were in a car accident or experienced extreme impact, your dental prosthetic, like a denture, may have been damaged. In this situation, we can repair it immediately so that you can return to normal functioning.
If your tooth is damaged and has a major chip or crack, we can use a dental crown to protect it. A dental crown covers the damaged tooth and protects it from further damage. It restores your tooth’s natural function, allowing you to return to your daily routine.
Alleviate Your Pain Immediately—Contact Us Today
Regardless of our efforts to stay healthy, life can get chaotic. The unexpected happens, and when it does, Dr. Keider provides emergency services to help. Whether you were in a car accident or are experiencing major discomfort, Dr. Keider offers restorative emergency dentistry services to alleviate your pain. Don’t wait to address your pain; call us today to get the help you need.
