Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies can happen unexpectedly and at almost any time.
While certain situations, such as a knocked-out tooth or significant dental trauma, are easy to recognize as emergencies, other problems may be more difficult to assess. An unexplained or intermittent toothache, for example, may not always require immediate emergency treatment, but it should not be ignored. Tooth pain can be a sign of an underlying dental problem that should be evaluated as soon as possible.
If you experience a toothache, dental injury, or another unexpected oral health concern, contact Heritage Dentistry and describe your symptoms to our knowledgeable team. We can help you determine the appropriate next steps and whether prompt or emergency dental care may be necessary. When urgent treatment is needed, our team will work to have you seen as quickly as possible.
As a Greenville native and fourth-generation dentist, Dr. Preston Hamrick is proud to serve his community by building lasting relationships with his patients and taking the time to understand their individual needs and goals.
Read on to learn more about emergency dental care, or contact Heritage Dentistry at 864.292.5125 if you are experiencing a dental emergency. We also encourage you to save our number in your phone under “Emergency Dentist.” We hope you never need it, but having the number readily available can make things easier when an unexpected dental problem occurs.
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(864) 292-5125
Common Dental Emergency Issues
Even patients who take excellent care of their teeth can still develop serious cavities or have a break or deep crack develop in their teeth. When this happens, the body will typically alert you that something is wrong in the form of pain or extreme sensitivity. Many times, this pain can be managed using home remedies, such as over-the-counter NSAID painkillers, such as Tylenol or Advil, or ice therapy on the area of discomfort. Eugenol is also a popular source of toothache relief, which can be found in most drug stores. If you are able to manage your discomfort until you can be seen by Dr. Hamrick during normal business hours, this will ensure that you do not have to pay added costs of emergency services and do not have to interrupt your daily routine. However, if the pain in your tooth continues to worsen and/or becomes unbearable, so much so that you are not able to sleep or maintain your normal daily routines, contact our office, whatever the time of day, and we will provide you with care as soon as possible to treat your tooth.
How to Handle Blunt Trauma
If you are in a serious accident or experience severe blunt trauma that has resulted in a bleeding wound to the mouth or face, it is important to seek medical attention immediately from your nearest urgent care facility or emergency room. Once your immediate health care issues have been stabilized by a doctor, we are happy to help address any of your dental needs that have developed as a result of this incident.
Knocked-Out Tooth or Damaged Dental Work
One of the most common types of dental emergencies people encounter is a tooth that has been knocked out. If this happens to you, contact our office as soon as possible. If this happens after our normal business hours, leave a message with our service and we will be alerted that you will be arriving.
It is important that you bring your tooth with you to our office (if possible). It is very important that you are careful in how you handle the tooth and that you do not try to clean it. If possible, place the tooth in a small container of saliva or milk and place a wet cloth in the socket to gently bite down on. If you receive care quickly enough and do not damage the integrity of the tooth, it may be possible to replace the knocked-out tooth in the socket, provided you do not detach any of the connective tissues. If your tooth is not able to be reattached, a follow-up appointment will be scheduled to discuss other tooth replacement options.
Though less painful and jarring than the loss of a tooth, having a filling, bridge, or crown become dislodged can be a cause of concern. Although it is important to have these issues addressed as soon as possible, in general these instances do not necessitate emergency care, provided you are not experiencing severe pain in addition to their becoming dislodged. All the same, it is important to schedule an appointment as soon as possible so we can replace or repair your dental work.
Cost of Emergency Care
The cost of emergency care will depend on the type of procedure that is performed. For patients with dental insurance, the total out-of-pocket costs will depend on whether the procedure is covered under your plan and, if so, how much is covered. Our staff is happy to review your coverage and ensure you maximize your benefits and have minimal out-of-pocket expenses.
If you are a patient at our practice and do not have dental insurance, consider joining our membership club. Because we value your loyalty, we have launched this club to help save you money on treatment and simplify payments for preventative care. We offer three levels of membership: child, adult, and perio membership. Professional dental cleanings, doctor exams, necessary X-rays, and a 5% discount on all other treatment (some exclusions apply) are included in all membership packages.
You can sign up today and start saving money on treatment online or call us at (864) 292-5125.
For your convenience, we accept all forms of credit and debit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.
Fall in Love with Your Smile Again
At Heritage Dentistry in Greenville, South Carolina, we are committed to providing exceptional, relationship-based dental care tailored to your individual needs. With a comprehensive range of treatment options, our goal is to help you maintain optimal oral health while giving you a smile you can feel confident about.
To schedule an emergency treatment or learn more about our dental services, contact our Greenville dental team today at (684) 292-5125.