Emergency Dentist Tampa, FL

Dental emergencies can be frightening because they are not only painful, but it’s often difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of the pain. Add to that the fact that many emergencies happen at inconvenient times (while on vacation, at night, during the holidays, or over the weekend), and it’s easy to see why many people fear dental emergencies.

Thankfully, your Tampa dentist understands what you’re going through, and they’re here to help. Rest assured, we want to help you get out of pain as quickly as possible. That is why we provide emergency services and keep some appointments open throughout the week for emergency patients.

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What Is a Dental Emergency?

You shouldn’t be aware of your teeth. In other words, in an ideal world, you wouldn’t feel any pain, discomfort, or sensitivity. Those symptoms are signs that something needs to be addressed by your Tampa dentist.

When the dental problems that cause those symptoms progress, they can eventually become a dental emergency. An emergency requires immediate attention from your Tampa dentist or may even entail a visit to your local Emergency Room.

Signs you might be experiencing a dental emergency include:

  • Severe pain
  • Non-stop pain
  • A broken tooth, filling, or crown
  • Uncontrolled bleeding
  • Jaw swelling
  • Abscess

The Most Common Types of Dental Emergencies

If you experience any of the following dental emergencies in Tampa, contact your dental team immediately.

Knocked-out tooth: A knocked-out tooth can happen to anyone at any age. You can walk into a wall or door, get hit in the face playing sports, or get into an auto accident. Sometimes, we can save a knocked-out tooth, but you must get to your dentist immediately.

Broken tooth: A broken tooth can be caused by trauma (getting hit in the face, biting down on a fork) or an existing crack that’s weakened the tooth. A fractured tooth may or may not be symptomatic. But even if your tooth is asymptomatic, you should still see your Tampa dentist. Failing to do so can result in further breakdown of the tooth, damage to the pulp/nerve, intense pain, and the potential loss of the tooth.

Damaged filling: A filling can break for the same reasons a tooth breaks. And you may or may not experience pain if your filling becomes damaged. Still, it’s essential to see your dentist to evaluate the tooth for recurrent decay and to repair the filling to prevent decay and further breakdown.

Lost filling or crown: Old crowns and fillings can fall off/out due to age or recurrent decay. Depending on the cause of this issue, your Tampa emergency dentist may be able to clean out the old crown and re-cement it. If there’s recurrent decay, you’ll likely need a new crown.

Tooth infection: When decay passes through the enamel and into the tooth’s pulp, it can cause an infection that results in a severe toothache.

Gum infection: Periodontal disease is a gum infection. Left untreated, it can result in gum tenderness or even a gum infection with an abscess. You might experience what seems to be a toothache, which can make it difficult for you to determine whether a tooth or your gums are causing the symptoms.

Emergency Dentistry: Services Provided by Your Tampa Dentist

When you schedule an appointment with your Tampa emergency dentist, they’ll start by taking some x-rays and doing an oral examination. From there, they’ll be able to diagnose the problem and recommend a course of action.

To help you get out of pain as quickly as possible, your dentist may schedule palliative treatment, like a temporary filling or crown. If needed, they might start a root canal to clean out the infected tissue. And if you indeed have an infection, they’ll also prescribe antibiotics.

After your palliative treatment, you can schedule an appointment for your permanent filling, crown, or root canal. Your Tampa emergency dentist might also make other recommendations to help prevent future emergencies, such as fabricating a custom night guard or a sports guard.

Your Tampa Dentist Is Here to Help

Some people think they should wait until they’re in excruciating pain before contacting their dentist. Or that they must wait until business hours to schedule an appointment.

Your Tampa dentist is here for you and wants to see you as soon as possible. When you visit your dentist, they’ll be able to get out of pain and do what they can to restore or save your damaged tooth.

You don’t need to wait until you experience intense pain. If you are experiencing any oral or facial discomfort, please don’t hesitate to let us know. When we can diagnose and treat an issue early, we have a better chance of protecting your teeth and preventing dental pain.

Are you experiencing dental pain? If so, please contact our emergency dentists right away. We’ll help you get out of pain fast!

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