Emergency Dentistry – Boston, MA
Get the Care You Need Immediately
You can’t plan for a dental emergency, as it can happen at any time. You can only make sure that you’re prepared for the worst-case scenario, and one of the most important preparations you can make is having an emergency dentist that you can call immediately. At Turning Leaf Dental, we can provide same-day appointments for patients with toothaches, damaged teeth, and other urgent dental problems. Thanks to our advanced technology, skilled dental team, and variety of treatments, we can quickly get to the bottom of your dental pain to find a solution with emergency dentistry in Boston, MA.
Why Choose Turning Leaf Dental
for Emergency Dentistry?
- Accessible Street-Level City Dental Office
- Open Every Saturday and Early Mornings
- Wide Range of Advanced Dental Procedures
Common Dental Emergencies
What does the term dental emergency mean to you? Does it involve a sudden blow to the mouth, or is it a result of poor oral hygiene? The truth is that there are many different kinds of emergencies, and you’ll want to be familiar with some of the more common ones so that you can act quickly and appropriately when the time comes. In addition to the tips listed below, we can give you additional advice when you call us for your emergency appointment.
Toothaches
See if you can narrow down the cause of the toothache before you make an appointment. Sometimes the pain can be resolved by flossing around the hurting tooth and removing anything stuck there. For pain that doesn’t go away, make an emergency appointment and control the discomfort with a bag of ice or over-the-counter medication like ibuprofen in the meantime.
Chipped/ Broken Tooth
After recovering as much of the broken off portion of the tooth as possible, check to see if there’s any bleeding. Apply pressure to the wound with gauze until the bleeding stops. If the tooth breaks in a way that leaves it sharp or jagged, place some dental wax over it for protection.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Make every effort to get to our dental office in less than an hour. To preserve the tooth for as long as possible, first pick it up by the crown and gently rinse off any dirt. Then see if you can put it back in its socket; otherwise, store it in a container of milk or saltwater to keep it moist.
Lost Filling/ Crown
Bring the restoration with you to your emergency appointment to see if it can be salvaged. If a crown isn’t broken, you can use it to protect your tooth until your appointment. Keep your mouth shut as much as possible so that the crown stays in place. If you need to eat, avoid using the exposed tooth to chew.
Head/ Neck/ Jaw Pain
Take ibuprofen or another type of pain medication as needed. Be very gentle with your jaw; until you have been diagnosed with a TMJ disorder, you do not want to risk anything that might cause further strain, such as chewing hard candy or habitually resting your head on your hand.
Preventing Dental Emergencies
Tooth decay, infections, and similar dental emergencies can potentially be avoided if you’re diligent about brushing and flossing on a regular basis. We also advise you to come in for a checkup every six months so that we can perform preventive maintenance.
While you can’t really predict when an accident is going to happen, you can make an effort to protect your teeth by not biting down on hard objects and not opening packages with your teeth. You can also get a mouthguard to use whenever you play sports of any kind.
Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
There’s no set cost for treating dental emergencies; you’ll be given an estimate based on what kind of treatments that we determine are needed for your oral health. If you’re concerned about the costs, remember that the treatment for your dental emergency could be less expensive if you act quickly instead of putting it off. A small cavity can be fixed with a filling, but if it’s allowed to develop, it may eventually require root canal therapy or even an extraction. The costs involved will be explained to you before treatment begins.
Root Canals
An infected tooth tends to cause a lot of pain, and it can eventually lead to life-threatening problems if the infection spreads beyond the roots. Root canal therapy makes it possible to stop the infection without losing the tooth; all we need to do is numb the mouth, make an opening in the enamel, and take out the diseased tissue before thoroughly cleaning the inner chamber. Don’t be afraid if you’re told you need root canal therapy. Despite the procedure’s reputation, it actually helps stop dental pain instead of causing it.
Tooth Extractions
We don’t take the decision to remove a tooth lightly. While we do have plenty of options for filling in any gaps in your smile, it’s always better to save the natural tooth when the option is available. Extractions are reserved for situations where there’s no other choice, such as a tooth that can’t be repaired with a crown or an infection that has already done too much damage for root canal therapy to stop. After the extraction process (which we’ll make sure is completed with as little discomfort as possible), we will discuss your options for replacing the tooth.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Experiencing a dental emergency can come with a lot of unknowns and questions. At Turning Leaf Dental, we want to answer most of these questions for you. We invite you to read our responses to ones that many patients have asked us in the past. If you have others we haven’t explained here, or if you have a dental emergency that requires immediate attention, please contact our Boston office. We’ll provide the guidance and treatment you need as quickly as possible.
When Would I Need to Go to the Emergency Room?
In the strong majority of cases, the best place for you to go for a dental emergency is our office. The emergency room will likely not have the training or equipment to treat these kinds of problems. However, if you have oral bleeding that persists after 10 minutes, or if you break facial bones, then you should head to the emergency room. These are more serious injuries that require medical attention first. Afterward, we can deal with any remaining dental issues.
How Can I Sleep with a Toothache?
As much as possible, we try to treat emergency patients on the same day as their call. But what if your toothache shows up after our office hours? Tooth pain can be overwhelming, and if you need to make it through the night before coming in, you could be up instead of getting rest you need. Luckily, there are some ways to ease your discomfort. Make sure you take an over-the-counter pain reliever and rinse your mouth with warm saltwater before going to bed. You can also put a cold compress on your face to numb the area. These should help you get at least a little sleep.
What Could Happen If I Wait for Emergency Treatment?
Especially if you have financial concerns, the idea of postponing treatment may seem like a smart choice at first glance. However, in most cases, the longer you wait to address a dental problem, the worse it becomes. As previously stated, a small cavity that could be resolved with a filling today is not going away on its own. It will continue to expand, possibly necessitating a crown, root canal, or even extraction later on. Likewise, a small crack or chip could cause more damage with time and cost more to fix the longer you wait.
Is a Dental Emergency Expensive?
It depends on what issue you have and how severe the case is. Again, the sooner you treat a dental issue, the less it is likely to cost. We are proud to accept most PPO dental insurance plans, which should help with some of the costs of treatment, but keep in mind that you may still be responsible for paying about half of the price out-of-pocket. If you need additional flexibility, we can help you apply for financing, dividing the total into monthly payments.