Emergency Dentist Tampa
Same-Day Treatment for Sudden Dental Injuries
Cracked or broken teeth, jaw pain, a knocked-out tooth, damaged dentures, a lost dental crown, and even serious infections are all examples of dental emergencies commonly seen and treated by our team at Advanced Dental Associates of South Tampa. As a skilled emergency dentist in Tampa, Dr. Patrino offers same-day appointments for those experiencing a dental injury and will quickly relieve pain while working toward a solution to repair a damaged smile. If you are dealing with an unexpected oral crisis and need timely help, call our office to schedule an appointment right away.
Why Choose Advanced Dental Associates of South Tampa for Emergency Dentistry?
-
Patients Can Receive Same-Day Dental Emergency Appointments
-
Sedation Dentistry Available to Calm Anxious Patients
-
We Welcome Your PPO Dental Insurance Plans
How We Handle Dental Emergencies
The first step to handling a dental emergency requires that you call our office to speak to a member of our team. We’ll need to know about the situation and its severity before scheduling an appointment for you to come in and get the help you need. Once in our office, we’ll escort you to a treatment room and take the necessary images of your mouth before Dr. Patrino arrives to review your case.
After a visual examination, we’ll quickly address your existing pain before discussing a proposed treatment plan to address the problem. If possible, we’ll administer the appropriate services on the same day; however, if more extensive care is required, we may have you return at a later time.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Are you unsure if what you’re dealing with is a true dental emergency? You may not know if seeing your dentist is necessary, but it’s always better to err on the side of caution when dealing with dental damage or infection. Below are the most common injuries we treat in-house.
Chipped Tooth
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? A chipped tooth does warrant a call to our office, but it
doesn’t always warrant same-day care. Over the phone, a helpful member of our team will learn more about your
dental injury, including how significant the damage is, and determine if an emergency visit is necessary.
How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth If you have any pieces of your tooth, place them in a clean
container and bring them with you to your appointment. It’s also a good idea to rinse your mouth periodically
with clean, room-temperature water and to put some sugar-free gum over the sharp edge of your tooth to protect your
tongue, lips, and the soft tissue in your mouth.
How We Treat Chipped Teeth Cosmetic dental bonding is a great option for patients with minor chips,
but what if the damage is more substantial? In that case, we can restore the missing structure with a custom veneer
or a metal-free restoration, depending on the type of tooth that was damaged.
Cracked Tooth
Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, especially if you can see the damage. Even if you
can’t, don’t wait to call us. The sooner you do, the sooner we can restore the look, health, and
function of your tooth.
How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth It goes without saying that you shouldn’t chew on that
side of your mouth, especially crunchy, spicy, acidic, and sugary foods. Instead, focus on doing what you can to
protect your tooth from breaking further and alleviate any pain you’re experiencing.
How We Treat Cracked Teeth Fortunately, cracked teeth can often be saved. If the damage is so severe
that’s not an option, then our emergency dentist in Tampa will extract it instead. Then, we will help you
decide which tooth-replacement option is best for you, like a dental bridge or a dental implant.
LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH EXTRACTIONS
LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL BRIDGES
LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS
Very Sensitive Teeth
Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency?
Tooth sensitivity can occur when the layers of your tooth underneath the enamel or the roots of your tooth become exposed. It can be caused by many things, including over-aggressive toothbrushing, tooth whitening products, a highly acidic diet, or even bruxism (teeth grinding). Tooth sensitivity counts as a dental emergency if the sensitivity or pain is severe, long lasting, or only impacts one or two teeth, as this could indicate a cracked tooth or filling, deep cavity, or abscess or infection.
How you should handle sensitive teeth:
The first thing you should do if you are experiencing tooth sensitivity is call Advanced Dental Associates of South Tampa. We can determine if you can treat your sensitivity at home with lifestyle changes, or if you should come in for an emergency appointment. In the meantime, drink plenty of lukewarm water to keep your mouth clean, and avoid eating or drinking anything too spicy, sweet, or acidic. You can also take over-the-counter pain reliever as instructed by your dentist.
How we treat tooth sensitivity:
How we treat your tooth sensitivity will depend on the root cause. If it is due to weakened eroded enamel, you may need to switch to a desensitizing toothpaste, prescription mouthwash, or topical fluoride treatment. If it is due to gum disease or a tooth infection, you may need to take antibiotics, receive a gum graft, gum disease treatment, or a root canal.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency?
Yes, a knocked-out tooth is considered a dental emergency. Although there are no guarantees, it may be possible that your dentist can save a fallen tooth, but to do so you must act as quickly as possible.
How you should handle a knocked-out tooth:
If you have lost a tooth, never store it in water, as this can damage it. Instead, place the tooth in either a container of milk, saline solution, your own saliva, or an ADA approved tooth preservation kit which are available at many pharmacies. You can also hold it in your mouth between your gums and your cheek.
How we treat knocked-out teeth:
In some cases, if your tooth is still alive and has not suffered too much damage, we may be able to reimplant it, and it may be possible to reintegrate back into place over time. However, if it cannot be saved, your dentist can discuss replacement options such as dental bridges or dental implants with you.
Lost Filling or Crown
Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency?
Although they are durable and long-lasting, dental restorations unfortunately do not last forever. This means that older ones can sometimes break or fall off. While this is not usually an urgent emergency, even if it doesn't hurt, your tooth is now vulnerable to infection, so it’s important to call us as soon as possible.
How you should handle a lost filling or crown:
Should you lose a filling or crown, please reach out to us as soon as possible, and do not attempt to reattach it yourself! You may be able to cement it temporarily in place with dental adhesive available at your pharmacy; however, please be aware that this is not a permanent solution and should not be used as such.
How we treat lost fillings or crowns:
If your dental restoration is still mostly intact, we may be able to recement it into place. However, please be aware that if it is too damaged or weak, or if you cannot locate it, we may need to replace it.
Broken Denture
Loose Permanent Tooth
Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue
Jaw Pain
Something Stuck Between the Teeth
