What to expect at an emergency appointment with our dentist

If you wake up in the middle of the night with a toothache, chances are you are going to need to seek out emergency care.

And, if this is your first time doing so, you may feel slightly concerned about what this kind of appointment may entail. Is it similar to triage at an emergency room in a hospital? Or is it more like a standard dental appointment?

At Northern Beaches Dental, our dentist Mackay will always aim to resolve any emergency dental issue as soon as possible and to eradicate any dental discomfort you may be having calmly and professionally.

We know how distressing a dental emergency can be and so, we will always aim to provide a welcoming and non-judgemental approach to all of our emergency patients. In this brief guide, we discuss what you can expect when you come to our dentist Mackay for an emergency appointment. So, enjoy!

Assessment

First things first, when you come to see our emergency dentist Mackay, we will look in your mouth to ascertain the cause of the emergency.

Don’t worry; we will be gentle and if opening your mouth is difficult, we will aim to diagnose the issue with x-rays, which can be common if you have a dental infection that is near the back of the mouth and causing pressure.

The diagnostic process will be fast and we will discuss the next steps that we are going to take with you.

Pain relief

If you have come to see our emergency team first thing in the morning, chances are you are in a bit of discomfort.

So, if you are suffering, please tell us and we will provide a gentle injection of a local anaesthetic to resolve the underlying discomfort. This may also make the examination and treatment easier, so please tell us if you have been in discomfort.

Treatment

Now, on to treatment!

The majority of patients that we see in our emergency setting have a dental abscess, which is causing pressure and discomfort.

So, assuming you have an abscess, we will take x-rays, provide mediation, and will discuss the most suitable course of action. If you have another dental emergency, such as a lost filling, crown, or a crack in your tooth, we will aim to restore the lost restoratives and fit a composite filling or crown to fix the damaged tooth.

Medication

We briefly touched on this before and concerning dental abscesses, the most common medication we prescribe at the emergency appointment stage is antibiotics.

This will help to get the infection under control and will also help to reduce the swelling, before the next stage of treatment is due. It will also help to resolve discomfort too!

Follow-up

With some dental emergencies, you will need a follow-up appointment.

In the case of a dental infection, you will need to see our general team to discuss the next stage in the treatment, such as an extraction of the infected tooth or a root canal. This will prevent the infection from recurring and, in the case of the root canal, will ensure that the tooth remains in your mouth.

DISCLAIMER

All treatment carries risks. Individual consultation is required with one of our practitioners to ensure that the treatment is right for you.