When a dental emergency strikes, you don’t typically have time to wait for a scheduled appointment. Intense pain or infection requires prompt treatment that only an emergency dentist can provide. While places like the emergency room may be equipped to handle other emergencies, an emergency dentist is the place to go with any urgent dental matters. With the right tools, technology, and experience, we provide fast pain relief and the right treatment to get your dental health back on track. Think you may be dealing with a dental emergency? Visit us in St. Apollonia Dental in Sterling Heights, MI!
When To Visit an Emergency Dentist
Sometimes, it’s clear you’re dealing with a dental emergency. Like if an adult tooth is knocked out, you likely know that prompt dental care is a necessary next step. But if you’re unsure whether your problem counts as an emergency, ask yourself whether it fits the parameters of most dental emergencies!
In most cases, a dental emergency will fall into one of three categories:
- Severe pain
- Long-lasting pain
- Time-sensitive issue
If your problem is causing severe or lasting pain, keeping you up at night, or preventing you from chewing, then you’re likely experiencing a dental emergency. Similarly, if you only have a limited amount of time to fix an issue (like a broken restoration right before a wedding), we count that as an emergency too!
The best way to know if you need to see an emergency dentist is to give us a call. No matter what your situation is, we’ll listen to your concerns over the phone and decide whether you need immediate treatment. If not, we’ll schedule an appointment at a later date to ensure your smile is taken care of.
Our Emergency Dentist Procedures
At St. Apollonia Dental, we understand the urgency that comes with dental pain. To accommodate patients in need, we do everything in our power to provide same-day emergency dentistry. When you call us with a dental emergency, we will try to fit you in during our business hours. If we truly can’t fit you in that day, we will schedule an appointment as soon as possible.
During your emergency visit, we may use any of the following treatments to provide immediate relief or a long-term improvement.
Root Canal Therapy
A root canal is the hollow structure inside the roots of your teeth. Inside root canals is dental pulp, or a collection of connective tissues, blood vessels, and nerves. When infected by bacteria, dental pulp causes toothaches that may be severe and long-lasting.
The best way to treat a root canal infection is to perform root canal therapy!
This procedure involves creating an opening in your tooth and using special dental tools to remove the infected pulp. By removing inflamed tissues and the nerve, we provide fast-acting pain relief while allowing you to keep the tooth. Once we remove the pulp, we will place a dental crown or filling to keep your tooth functional.
Gum Disease Treatment
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that affects your gum tissue. This inflammatory condition happens in stages, starting with gingivitis.
Gingivitis typically includes irritated gums that bleed when you brush your teeth. If left untreated, the condition will progress to periodontitis. Here, bacteria begin to spread below your gum line, affecting the bone that supports your teeth. Your gums may even pull away from your teeth, leaving periodontal pockets (or abscesses) where bacteria collect. Without treatment, periodontitis will worsen, having permanent effects on your gum and bone tissue.
However, these irreversible consequences only occur in later stages of periodontal disease. With prompt treatment, you can stop the spread of infection and even reverse the effects of gingivitis! Using deep cleanings, strict at-home care, and, if needed, surgical intervention, we will effectively improve your gum health.
Dental Crowns
When a tooth is too decayed for a dental filling, we will use a dental crown instead. These tooth-shaped caps cover your tooth on all sides, sitting directly over it to strengthen its structure.
Typically, when a tooth is decaying, we use a dental filling to seal off the vulnerable area. But if the infection grows too large or the tooth needs a root canal, we may use a dental crown instead to protect it from further damage.
To place dental crowns, we remove about 1.5 millimeters of enamel on all sides of your tooth. This preparation process leaves enough room for a dental crown to fit perfectly over your damaged tooth. Then we cement the crown in place to provide a sturdy, natural-looking cap over the tooth.
Tooth Extractions
If your tooth infection is too severe to save with root canal therapy, we may need to extract your tooth. Of course, we try to save natural teeth whenever possible. But some teeth cause more harm than good, and will need to be removed for the benefit of your smile.
At St. Apollonia Dental, we provide gentle extractions that remove problem teeth. Then, we offer a variety of options to replace your missing teeth and fill in the gaps in your smile.
Visit an Emergency Dentist in Sterling Heights, MI!
Dental emergencies need to be treated by an emergency dentist. In Sterling Heights, MI, we recommend that patients in need reach out to St. Apollonia Dental! We will get you into our office as soon as possible to provide fast-acting pain relief and necessary dental treatment.
To learn if you need an emergency appointment, call us today for urgent dental care.
