Imagine that you wake up with a throbbing toothache or fall and break a tooth. Now think about the wave of emotions and discomfort you will feel after a dental emergency. Discomfort paired with fear can make these situations seem even more traumatizing. Fortunately, you can turn to Dr. Holloman for gentle and effective emergency dental care. Our practice provides same-day and next-day appointments for patients who have suffered from injuries related to an accident or debilitating pain from infected teeth.

Types of Dental Emergencies

​​​​​​​Dental emergencies can vary in nature. Some patients may require expedient professional care after developing a debilitating toothache or abscess while others may need treatment for broken teeth after facial trauma caused by an accidental fall, sports injury, or car wreck. The type of treatment administered and quickness with which a patient is seen depends on the unique circumstances of one’s dental emergency.

Common Treatments for Dental Emergencies

​​​​​​​If a patient has developed tooth pain due to an infected tooth or abscess, our staff will perform an examination to determine the extent of the problem. In many cases, antibiotics will be prescribed to control the infection and improve one’s symptoms. Once the infection is taken care of, patients might return to our office for endodontic therapy, restorations, or a tooth extraction.

When it comes to treating broken, chipped, or knocked out teeth, individual circumstances are also taken into account. Sometimes, broken pieces of teeth can be bonded back together or held in place by a permanent restoration. If the innermost part of a tooth is damaged, endodontic therapy might be necessary to prevent or treat infected root canals caused by a dental injury exposing the contents of the root canal to oral bacteria.

Tips for Responding to Dental Injuries

​​​​​​​Part of handling a dental emergency well is knowing how to respond. In the event of any type of dental emergency (unless ER treatment is necessary), you should call your dentist’s office as soon as possible. If the phone is not answered, be sure to leave a detailed message about the nature of your injury so that when we call back, we can be of assistance. We might be able to provide tips to improve your comfort level and odds of saving your tooth, depending on the nature of your emergency.

If you have a toothache, you can manage discomfort with over the counter medication like Ibuprofen until you are able to see us. Sometimes warm salt water rinses can improve uncomfortable sensations. When it comes to chipped or broken teeth, if you can gather the piece(s) of your tooth, do so and place them in Milk or Save-A-Tooth solution (available at large grocery stores and pharmacies) to keep its structures alive.

We encourage our patients to save our office number on their mobile phones to make calling us that much easier. It’s also a good idea to keep our business cards in your wallet, purse, or work desk.