Whether you’re an avid outdoorsman or the proud parent of a gymnast, you know that dental emergencies can happen at any moment, causing pain, discomfort, and stress. While it would be ideal if dental issues only occurred during regular business hours, life is rarely that simple.
So what happens when you or your loved one experiences sudden dental pain, a knocked-out tooth, or another dental emergency outside of planned dental appointments? In these situations, you may need to make an emergency appointment.
At Molina Dentistry, we provide you and your family with prompt emergency dental care and relief during a crisis. As parents themselves, our husband and wife dentist team is well-acquainted with the occasional knocked-out tooth from dance or football practice. So if you or a loved one has a knocked-out tooth, severe tooth pain, or another dental issue, our team is ready to address all of your concerns. When it comes to dentistry, your family is our family.
Facing a dental emergency in the Fresno area? Contact our dental team for personalized, efficient care to get you on the road to recovery.
If you face a dental emergency, contact our dental team and we will help you on the road to recovery.
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When to Seek Emergency Dental Care
The last thing you want to worry about during an emergency is what constitutes an emergency. To help you feel prepared in case of a dental emergency in your family, here are some dental issues that should be considered a dental emergency:
- Severe tooth pain
- Knocked-out teeth
- Cracked or fractured teeth
- Compromised dental restoration
- Abscesses or swelling
- Emergency tooth extractions
This is not a comprehensive list, but it does include the most common reasons for needing immediate dental care.
If you think you may be experiencing a dental emergency but are not sure, don’t hesitate to call our office for guidance and instruction. You can also come into the office for treatment to help minimize your pain.
Should I Go to the Dentist or the Emergency Room?
A sudden toothache, cracked tooth, or any other dental emergency can be scary. You may wonder what to do: should you call the dentist or go to the emergency room?
The answer to this depends on a couple of different factors. If you suspect you have a broken jawbone or experience excessive bleeding, you should call 911 and seek immediate medical care.
For dental issues that require immediate care but aren’t as serious, it’s often better to see a dentist, as they have more specialized technology to treat your teeth. While a knocked-out tooth or toothache can be worrisome and painful, they don’t necessarily require a trip to the emergency room.
You can always call Molina Dentistry if you aren’t sure about your situation. If it’s after hours, and you are a current patient, you can reach our dentists through an emergency number. In the rare case that you can’t get in contact with us (or you are facing a true medical emergency), call an urgent care center or 911 depending on the severity of your situation.
When Extraction Is the Solution
In some dental emergencies, tooth extraction may be necessary to provide immediate relief. Depending on the emergency, extraction can also prevent further complications. Here are some dental situations where it may be necessary to have a tooth removed:
- Severe decay or infection: If your tooth is severely decayed or infected, an extraction can help prevent the spread of the infection to protect your surrounding teeth and tissues.
- Traumatic injury: When a tooth gets fractured or damaged due to trauma, you may need an extraction to protect your oral health and address the extent of the injury.
- Impacted wisdom teeth: Impacted wisdom teeth can cause significant pain, swelling, infection, and inflammation. To relieve discomfort and prevent complications, emergency extraction may be recommended.
- Orthodontic emergencies: If you have a severely misaligned tooth causing pain or damage, an extraction may be required.
If you experience any of the aforementioned dental issues, contact our dental team immediately to address these concerns.
The Emergency Tooth Extraction Process
If you have a dental emergency, contact our dental office immediately so we can give you instructions while you are on your way to our office. Though not every emergency is the same, the typical steps we take for an emergency tooth extraction are similar.
Assessment and Diagnosis
To know exactly what you need and how to alleviate your pain, our dental team will do an efficient assessment of your condition. Depending on your needs, imaging may be required to determine the next steps.
Anesthesia and Sedation
We will provide you with sedation options and local anesthesia to numb the affected area and ensure that your extraction is comfortable and painless.
Swift and Precise Extraction
Once you are ready, the dentist will perform the extraction with precise and accurate care to minimize discomfort. We use the latest techniques and dental instruments to carefully remove the affected tooth and give you immediate relief.
Post-Extraction Care
Once the extraction is completed, the dental team will give you instructions on how to care for the removal site, including proper oral hygiene practices, pain management methods, and even diet modifications to promote proper healing.
Follow-Up Care
After an extraction, you will typically have a follow-up appointment so the dentist can monitor your healing and address any concerns. Depending on the nature of your tooth removal, you may receive recommendations for your oral health in the long run, in addition to tooth replacement options.
Treating a Knocked-Out Tooth
If you have cracked or damaged teeth, a tooth extraction may be the best option to alleviate pain. But, what happens after an extraction? And what happens if you have a knocked-out tooth? In these cases, our skilled dentists will develop a personalized restorative dentistry plan to get your brilliant smile back.
At Molina Dentistry, we’re invested in your overall health, not just your dental health. That’s why we offer emergency dental services as well as restorative services to treat your immediate dental issues, prevent further damage, and restore the aesthetics and function of your smile.
When you’re missing one or more teeth, replacing them is important. Otherwise, your teeth could shift, leading to orthodontic problems. A missing tooth can also lead to jawbone density loss.
If you have a missing tooth, whether it was knocked out or extracted, talk with our dental team to plan your personalized restorative dentistry treatment.
At Molina Dentistry, we provide different options to replace a missing or knocked-out tooth:
- Dental crowns
- Dental bridgres
- Dental implants
Let’s review more about the advantages and processes of each of these restorative dentistry options.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are a tooth-shaped cap that sits atop the remaining tooth like a hat. Most dental crowns today are made of resin or porcelain so they can match the exact shade of your other teeth. During the dental crown process, some enamel is removed to ensure the new crown can bond into place.
Because a dental crown is placed over an existing tooth, the treatment can only be done if you still have part of the original tooth remaining. Though an extracted tooth cannot be repaired with a crown, cracked or similarly damaged teeth (depending on severity) can be restored through the dental crown procedure.
Dental Bridges
The idea of a dental bridge is just what it sounds like: it creates a “bridge” in your smile to restore the gap created by missing teeth. This treatment is a great option to replace one or more missing teeth in a row. Just like with a crown, the replacement teeth in a dental bridge are matched to the shade of your natural teeth to ensure a uniform smile.
There are two main parts of dental bridges: the abutments and the pontics. The abutments are the anchors that support the dental bridge. The abutments can either be remaining natural teeth or connector posts from dental implants. The pontics are the actual artificial teeth that bridge the gap from the missing tooth or teeth.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are another excellent option to restore missing teeth. With a dental implant, your missing tooth is replaced by a long-lasting artificial tooth system.
The dental implant has two main components: the post and the replacement tooth.
The implant post is made of titanium, and its role is to act like a tooth root. The titanium post is placed into your jawbone and given time to fuse with the natural bone. Once healed, it functions similarly to a tooth root and provides a strong foundation for a replacement tooth.
At this point, the replacement tooth, often in the form of a crown or bridge, is attached to the post. These two components working together function and appear nearly identical to your natural tooth. You won’t even be able to tell the difference!
Dental implants generally last up to 20 years or longer, making them an extremely durable option.
Bone Grafts
Bone grafts can be a crucial part of oral surgery for reinforcing jawbone strength, especially before dental implant placement. They involve adding bone-like material to areas of bone loss, promoting natural regeneration. This process ensures a solid foundation for implants, enhancing the success and longevity of your dental restoration.
Advantages of Emergency Dentistry and Restorative Dentistry Treatment
We’ve all pushed off a medical concern for one reason or another, but when it comes to dental emergencies, action is crucial. If these needs are ignored for too long, they can begin to impact your oral health as well as your overall health and well-being. Our emergency dental services help protect you from future issues like the following
- Further infection
- Tooth decay
- Tooth loss
- Dental pain
- Future dental work
- Future dental expenses
When you have a tooth that’s been knocked out or that needs to be extracted, there are many benefits to receiving a restorative dentistry treatment, such as a dental bridge or implant.
Here are just some of the benefits of restoring the gap in your smile:
Keep your teeth from shifting: If you are missing teeth, your other teeth will begin to shift into this open space. It’s vital to fill up this empty slot to keep your teeth from becoming misaligned or crooked.
Maintain your self-confidence: Missing or damaged teeth can make you feel self-conscious about how you look. With a replacement tooth that matches the rest of your smile, you won’t have to hide your pearly whites.
Prevent bone loss: The tooth roots place important pressure on the jawbone when you do daily things like bite and chew. This pressure is key for stimulating the jawbone. When a tooth is missing, it can cause the jaw bone to weaken and deteriorate. A replacement tooth keeps that from happening.
Ensure normal function: With a replacement tooth or teeth, you’ll still be able to chew, speak, eat, and smile as normal. With an emergency dental service to fix a missing or damaged tooth, you can get back to your life as soon as possible.
If you think you need an emergency restorative dentistry service, Molina Dentistry is here to assist you at our comfortable, modern office in Fresno. Reach out to our caring team today to learn more.
Why Choose Molina Dentistry
At Molina Dentistry, we understand that when your family faces a dental emergency, you need fast, precise, and personalized treatment. That’s why we offer emergency dentistry services and subsequent restorative treatments to all of our patients—after all, our dental family comes first.
Dental emergencies can be scary, but you can rest assured that we will provide you and your family with a relaxed and comfortable visit to ease your pain and anxiety. Led by a husband and wife team, our caring staff strives to provide compassionate, respectful, and personalized modern dental care for the entire family.
Alongside our emergency services, we provide general, cosmetic, and restorative dental services for the whole family in the Fresno area. At Molina Dentistry, we value precision and honesty. That’s why it’s important to us that all of our patients feel respected, informed, and educated throughout their dental journey.
If you need emergency dental services or any other dental assistance, reach out to Drs. Eddie and Patty Molina. With their commitment to integrity and excellence, you can breathe easy knowing your dental and general health are in good hands.
In Case of a Dental Emergency, Call Today
Dental emergencies are stressful. They can cause physical and emotional pain and require immediate care. So even if you don’t have an appointment, you can always call our dentist’s office to get assistance. We will get you in as quickly as we can or refer you to other emergency services.
Molina Dentistry is here to help you in case of a dental emergency. Contact us if you have any questions regarding what to do during a dental emergency.
