Canal Side Family Dental is a 42 North Dental Care, PLLC practice and is owned and operated by dentists Dr. Samuel Shames, DDM. and Dr. Ronald Weissman, DDM. Gentle Dental is supported by 42 North Dental, LLC, a dental support organization that provides non-clinical administrative and business support services to the practice. 42 North Dental, LLC does not own or operate the dental practice or employ dentists to provide dental services. Find more information about 42 North Dental, LLC and the dental practices it supports at 42northdental.com.
An urgent and painful oral health problem can arise at any time. If you are in such a situation, you should certainly call your dentist to request an appointment. But what can you expect to happen during your emergency dental exam? This blog post provides a basic preview of what you may experience.
Booking Your Appointment
Dental offices are often very busy. They usually try to accommodate urgent patients as quickly as possible. If you are in severe pain, it is likely that you will be able to secure a same-day appointment. However, if your problem is slightly less urgent, you may be asked to visit at a more convenient time, which may be in a few days. Your dental team can give you tips to manage your pain prior to your appointment.
Examination
After you check in for your appointment, you will be escorted to an exam area. A member of the dental team will make notes about your symptoms and probably take a set of X-rays. Then, the dentist will review the images and perform a visual examination of your mouth. They may diagnose you with an infection, a cavity, a broken tooth, or any number of other problems that might cause a dental emergency.
Pain Relief and Treatment
One of the goals of emergency dentistry is to help patients get out of pain as quickly as possible. To that end, your dental team will likely administer some local anesthesia to numb the part of your mouth that is in pain. Once you are more comfortable, your dentist can begin treatment.
Depending on the situation, your dentist might place a filling, perform root canal therapy, provide a temporary restoration, or provide other services that can protect your tooth from additional harm. If a tooth got knocked out or is extremely loose, they might be able to splint it back into place.
Follow-Up Care
Often, complete care for dental emergencies cannot take place in a single appointment. For example, it usually requires at least two appointments to design and place a dental crown. If your care team recommends that you attend additional appointments to make sure your oral health issue is completely resolved, you should certainly comply! They want your oral health to be as good as possible for as long as possible.
An emergency dental exam can help you get back on track toward a healthy smile! Do not hesitate to request an urgent appointment if you are in pain.
Meet the Practice
The team at Canal Side Family Dental is proud to provide compassionate, high-quality care for our community. We try to see emergency patients on a same-day basis whenever possible. If you are experiencing oral pain or have other urgent concerns, you are welcome to call us right away! To learn more about how we may be able to serve you, contact our Buzzards Bay office at 508-375-3149.