At Schumacher Dental, we understand that no emergency is convenient. That’s why we promise to be there for you in your most stressful dental moments. If you’re in the middle of an emergency, please call us to request an appointment. As an emergency dentist in Wakefield, we do our best to see the most urgent cases the same day we’re contacted.
Why Choose Schumacher Dental for Emergency Dental Care?
Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
Get Scheduled in the Evening and On Weekends
Fast Relief from Dental Pain with State-of-the-Art Tech
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
Get a same-day appointment: We understand that dental emergencies can be stressful to deal with, which is why we offer first-aid guidance when you call our office. The sooner we can get you scheduled, the better, which is why we’ll do our best to get you seen the same day you call.
Emergency exam: After you arrive, we will perform an emergency exam and determine if X-rays are necessary to confirm the extent, location, and severity of your dental emergency. We also don’t want our patients to have to suffer through oral pain, so we do our best to act efficiently and effectively to treat your immediate discomfort.
Review findings: When we are finished with your exam, we’ll go over our findings with you, then recommend the best treatment to address your symptoms. This plan is customized to your specific needs and will include estimated costs and an expected timeline. That way, you can make an informed decision on how you’d like to proceed.
Get the care you need: While we may recommend another service if needed to address your symptoms, the most common treatments we suggest to treat dental emergencies include dental fillings, crowns, root canal treatment, and tooth extractions.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Even if you aren’t sure if you’re experiencing a dental emergency, it’s best to give us a call so we can perform a more detailed exam and prevent your problem from getting worse. Of course, you can start managing your symptoms ahead of your future visit. If you have a dental dilemma on your hands, here are some tips to care for your mouth while you’re making your way to our office.
Is my toothache a dental emergency? Toothaches can be caused by a variety of issues, including something as non-severe as a lodged popcorn kernel or an issue as serious as a tooth infection. If you’re experiencing any of the following, you should make an emergency appointment right away:
Extreme pain that lasts more than a day
Sharp pain when biting down
A small pimple-like bump has developed near the gums
Signs of a serious infection (i.e., fever, swelling, fatigue)
A painful tooth that looks darker than the surrounding teeth
How you should handle a toothache: If you believe it could be food, try gently dislodging the debris with dental floss. If your pain persists, you can take over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen to make you more comfortable. Rinsing with warm salt water and using a cold compress can also help reduce swelling and discomfort.
How we treat toothaches: Once we’ve identified the underlying issue, we’ll recommend the best treatment option to get you out of pain. Some common services include fillings, dental crowns, antibiotics, prescription mouthwash, gum disease treatment, root canal therapy, and tooth extractions.
Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? Less severe dental damage, like a small chip, doesn’t require immediate attention, but it is important to address it in a timely fashion. For more serious trauma, contact our office to schedule an appointment. If left untreated, your tooth is vulnerable to further damage and infection.
How you should handle a chipped tooth: Retrieve any pieces of your tooth from the floor and place them in a clean container. Carefully rinse your mouth with warm water to wash away bacteria and any lingering pieces of your tooth. To help with any pain or swelling, you can apply a cold compress to your cheek.
How we treat chipped teeth: Typically, we’ll use composite resin (the same material we use for fillings) to repair the damaged area of your tooth. However, you can opt for a veneer if you’ve chipped a highly visible tooth and are concerned about aesthetics.
Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? Absolutely! Even a small crack can put your tooth at risk of further damage and infection. That’s why you should schedule an emergency appointment immediately after cracking a tooth, especially if you have pain or sensitivity.
How you should handle a cracked tooth: Carefully rinse your mouth to wash away any harmful bacteria. If needed, you can use a cold compress or take over-the-counter pain medication to ease your discomfort. While you wait for your appointment, avoid chewing or eating with the injured side of your mouth.
How we treat cracked teeth: In many cases, we’ll address a cracked tooth with a custom-made dental crown. However, we may be able to use composite resin if the damage is minor enough. But if the tooth is broken beyond repair, we may recommend extraction, and you’ll need to explore your tooth-replacement options.
Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? It’s common for teeth to feel sensitive to things that are particularly hot or cold. Sometimes, sensitivity is the result of thin enamel or a cavity, but this can also be a sign of other serious oral health issues, like an abscess or gum disease. If you notice distracting, lingering, or sharp tooth sensitivity, give us a call so we can take a look.
How you should handle sensitive teeth: Until you see us for your visit, avoid eating or drinking things that are particularly hot, cold, spicy, acidic, or sugary. Practice thorough oral hygiene and drink plenty of water. If needed, over-the-counter pain relievers can help manage discomfort.
How we treat tooth sensitivity: We will need to take a look at your smile to determine the cause and the best way to address it. We may recommend specialized dental products, prescription toothpaste, fluoride treatment, or a dental filling. Other treatments include gum disease therapy and root canal therapy.
Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? A knocked-out tooth is an urgent dental emergency that needs to be addressed immediately. Give us a call as soon as you can. For the best chance of saving your tooth, it’s important that you seek help from an emergency dentist within an hour of the injury.
How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: Start by locating your knocked-out tooth. Remember to only touch the crown when you’re picking it up. Avoid the root, and gently rinse your tooth with warm water, but don’t scrub off any remaining tissue. If you can, place your tooth back into the socket. If you cannot, keep it between your cheek and gums or place it in a container of milk or saliva. Your tooth needs to stay moist until you get to the practice, but don’t use water. This can damage the root surface cells of the tooth.
How we treat knocked-out teeth: If you are able to make it to the office promptly, we will do our best to reimplant the tooth. Your emergency dentist will do this by carefully positioning it back into the socket and splinting it to the neighboring teeth so it can begin the healing process. If your tooth cannot be saved, we can discuss tooth replacement options, like dental implants.
Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? Both fillings and crowns are long-lasting, but they eventually need to be replaced. If one of your restorations falls out, give us a call. Even if you don’t feel any pain, it still needs to be repaired quickly to prevent further decay or damage.
How you should handle a lost filling or crown: If you can, find the restoration and rinse it off. Try to put it back into its place, keep it in a small container, and bring it with you to your appointment. Until then, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth and drink plenty of water to keep the area clean.
How we treat lost fillings or crowns: If your crown or filling is still in good shape, we may be able to put it back into its place. However, we will also take the time to determine why the restoration came out in the first place. This way, we can take the proper steps to keep this from happening again. In other cases, we might have to replace your old filling or crown with a new one.
Is a broken denture a dental emergency? Damaged dentures can harm the gums, soft tissues, jaw, and remaining teeth. This issue should be treated as a dental emergency. Give us a call right away to schedule an emergency visit.
How to handle a broken denture: You shouldn’t continue to wear a denture that is broken. You don’t want to accidentally injure your smile or worsen the damage. Never try to repair a broken denture at home with super glue or other household items, as they aren’t biocompatible and can make you sick.
How we treat broken dentures: The treatment for your dentures will depend on how severe the damage is. Sometimes, we can use composite resin to fill in a small chip or crack. In other cases, the denture will have to be readjusted to fit properly. However, we may need to fit you for a new denture if yours is too damaged to be repaired. This is also a good opportunity to switch to another tooth replacement option, like dental implants.
Are loose permanent teeth a dental emergency? Teeth can become gradually loose over time or as a result of an injury. If your teeth are loose, then they are at risk of falling out, even if you aren’t experiencing any pain. This is an urgent dental emergency and should be brought to our attention as soon as possible.
How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: If your tooth has been dislodged or shoved out of place, refrain from touching it. Instead, give us a call right away. Avoid eating or chewing on that side of your mouth. Take over-the-counter pain relievers as directed and/or use a cold compress to manage discomfort until you can see us.
How we treat loose permanent teeth: We will do our best to save your loose tooth with a dental splint or another treatment. If we can’t, the tooth may need to be extracted. In this case, we can discuss tooth replacement options, like dental implants.
Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? The gums, lip, and tongue can be easy to accidentally injure. This is especially the case if you are involved in contact sports. This injury can usually be treated easily at home. However, if you are concerned or think that your teeth may have been damaged, give us a call so we can help.
How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: Injuries to soft tissues of the mouth tend to heal quickly, but there are still some steps you should take to keep the situation under control. After the injury occurs, clean the wound with a damp cloth or by rinsing your mouth with water. Apply pressure, and the bleeding should subside. Pain can be lessened with over-the-counter pain relievers and cold compresses.
How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: If needed, we can take steps to keep the area clean and stitch the wound shut. If you are unable to control bleeding after the injury, go to your local emergency room.
Is jaw pain a dental emergency? TMJ dysfunction can have a variety of symptoms, including intense head and neck pain as well as lockjaw. This condition occurs when the jaw joints are sustaining too much tension or force, therefore becoming strained. Routine jaw pain isn’t usually an urgent dental emergency, but you should still schedule an appointment with us when you can so we can keep the issue from becoming worse.
How you should handle jaw pain: An uneven bite, teeth grinding, impacted wisdom teeth, and TMJ dysfunction can all cause jaw pain. Until you see us for an appointment, avoid chewing too much and stick to a soft diet. Discomfort can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. If you think that you have dislocated or broken your jaw, head to your local ER.
How we treat jaw pain: The first thing that we will do is try to determine where the pain is originating from. After this, we will create a custom treatment plan to address the underlying issue. This could include wisdom tooth extractions, a custom nightguard for bruxism, or TMJ therapy.
If you have food or another object stuck between your teeth, it can cause a lot of discomfort. Fortunately, this can usually be resolved at home without going to the dental office. First, rinse your mouth with water to try to dislodge or soften the object. Next, try to carefully floss around the foreign body. Don’t use anything sharp, like a toothpick. You could accidentally hurt yourself or push the object in further. If you are still struggling, give us a call so we can help.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
No one ever expects a dental emergency to happen to them, but it’s a common situation. Don’t delay getting the care you need because you’re worried about a large bill. There’s not a flat fee for emergency services because every problem differs. Don’t worry, we strive to keep the cost of emergency dentistry in Wakefield affordable for all budgets.
Dental emergencies come in many forms, which means every patient’s needs are unique. We won’t use a cookie-cutter treatment plan to save your smile. Instead, your emergency dentist in Wakefield will examine your mouth to create a personalized strategy to rehabilitate your smile. Although all patients’ circumstances differ, common treatments include:
Tooth extraction
Dental crown
Root canal therapy
TMJ therapy
And more!
We will explain your options and their costs. You’ll know exactly what you’ll need to pay, so you won’t be surprised by any fees.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Most traditional dental insurance plans offer coverage for an emergency visit. Although your benefits may not pay the entire cost, you can use your annual allowance to offset certain steps in your treatment plan, like the consultation, imaging, or restorations. A member of our team will work on your behalf to maximize your dental benefits to lower the amount you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Besides using your dental insurance, we offer many solutions to provide cost-effective services, so nothing stands in your way of repairing your smile, including:
Traditional Payments: We accept all traditional payment methods, including cash, checks, and credit cards.
Third-Party Financing: You can make monthly installments to pay for your treatment using third-party financing.
We will discuss everything during your consultation to help you make the best decision for your smile and bank account.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
You can’t always stop a dental emergency from occurring, but you can take several steps to reduce the likelihood of one. Many people end up in a dental chair because of an untreated issue that has been brewing in their mouth, like a cavity. You can ensure there aren’t any concerns lingering in your mouth by visiting your dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. Every $1 spent on preventive dentistry can save up to $50 on emergency and restorative fees to invest in a healthy smile.
Dental emergencies can also occur without any warning or underlying problem, like from a fall or injury to the mouth. If you play sports, you have a heightened risk of a dental emergency if there’s trauma to your mouth. You can safeguard your smile with an athletic mouthguard. It provides your teeth, gums, jaw, and other oral structures with a layer of protection. Research shows it can also lessen your risk of concussion.
Don’t place your smile at risk of irreversible damage because you’re concerned about a bill. Contact our office today to restore your smile for affordable rates.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
It’s impossible to completely avoid experiencing a dental emergency, but there are certain preventive measures that you can take to reduce your risk. Instead of dealing with a surprise visit to your emergency dentist in Wakefield, you’ll want to take note of the following steps below to prevent a dental emergency from occurring. Doing so will not only help you avoid unnecessary stress and discomfort, but money on future dental treatments.
By visiting our office every six months for a comprehensive dental checkup, you can receive a detailed cleaning of your teeth and remove any harmful plaque and tartar that could trigger a dental emergency in the long term. Our office can also confirm that no underlying problems are present, including tooth decay and gum disease, both of which can be easily missed until they’ve already started causing problems.
Keep Up With Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Keep up with your at-home hygiene routine to prevent the buildup of plaque and the development of tartar, a calcified form of plaque that can only be removed in a dental office. Brushing should be performed twice a day with fluoridated toothpaste, which is designed to fight cavity-causing bacteria. Flossing should be completed once a day to remove food debris and plaque from the sides of teeth. An oral rinse can make your oral hygiene even more comprehensive, but should not be used to replace brushing or flossing entirely.
Stick to a Healthy and Balanced Diet
The foods you eat can also have an impact on your risk of experiencing dental emergencies. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential to ensuring your teeth and gums are getting the vitamins and nutrients they need to stay healthy. Furthermore, you should go out of your way to avoid very hard or chewy foods that can cause teeth to chip or crack, including hard candies. Cut back on sugars and starches in your diet when possible as well as these ingredients are what oral bacteria love to consume most.
Wear a Mouthguard When Playing Sports
Wearing a protective mouthguard can have a major impact when playing any contact sports or participating in activities that could cause dental damage. This includes sports like football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. If you enjoy wrestling, boxing, or practicing karate as well, you should be wearing protective gear to prevent accidentally chipping or cracking your tooth. Those who have a teeth-grinding habit while sleeping can benefit from wearing a nightguard. This can reduce the risk of eroding, chipping, or cracking teeth as a result of unconscious teeth grinding or clenching.
Use Tools to Perform Tasks, Not Teeth
Don’t use your teeth to open packages or bottles. Instead, use the right tool for the job to prevent accidental damage. Avoid chewing on inedible items like ice cubes, pens, pencils, and fingernails, as these can also damage teeth and restorations quite easily. Find a healthier way to channel stress that doesn’t include these habits, such as going for a walk, drinking water, chewing gum, or using a stress ball.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Should I visit the emergency room for a dental emergency?
In most cases, the doctors at the emergency room won’t be able to replant a dislodged tooth or heal broken teeth. They can prescribe antibiotics or pain medication for toothaches, but they won’t be able to address the root of the problem. Only a dentist can provide you with the comprehensive dental care you need.
However, certain issues require immediate medical attention. These include a fractured or dislocated jaw, profuse bleeding, a deep facial cut, and difficulty breathing or swallowing. For these problems, head to the emergency room first. Call us after you’re released to find out whether you need further dental treatment.
How can I be prepared for a future dental emergency?
Creating a dental emergency kit ahead of time can help ease your pain between the time the emergency occurs and the time you reach our office. It’s a good idea to keep one of these kits in places like your car, your bathroom, or even your desk at work. Be sure to include the following items:
A piece of paper with our contact information
Latex-free gloves
A bottle of ibuprofen or acetaminophen
Orajel
Small container with a secure lid
Saline rinse solution
Individually wrapped gauze pads
My child knocked out a baby tooth. Do they need emergency dental treatment?
If your child lost a baby tooth because of an injury, try to remain calm. There’s no need to panic, but you should bring them to our office as soon as you can. Depending on your child’s age and the location of that tooth in their mouth, we may need to perform X-rays to make sure the underlying permanent tooth wasn’t damaged. With older children, it may not be a problem, but with younger children, we might need to put a space maintainer in that gap to prevent their surrounding teeth from drifting and impacting the growth of the adult tooth.
