Emergency Dentist In Morgan Hill, CA

Most dental issues can be prevented with proper care including brushing and flossing twice daily and visiting the dentist every 6 months. However, the team at Your Dentistry of Morgan Hill understands that emergencies happen. That is why we offer emergency dental treatment when you need it.

In addition to emergency treatment, we offer a variety of other dental services including general and preventive care, cosmetic and restorative procedures, and more. We are a comprehensive clinic for all ages.

In this article, we’ll explain what you need to know about dental emergencies.

What is a dental emergency?

A dental emergency is a dental issue that requires immediate attention. It is important to note that while all dental issues do need to be treated, not all of them require emergency treatment. However, if you have uncontrollable pain, bleeding, and/or swelling, it should be treated with urgency.

Some of the most common dental emergencies we see at Your Dentistry of Morgan Hill include:

Toothache

If you have a toothache, the first thing you need to do is rinse your mouth with warm water. Remove any lodged food with dental floss and if you have swelling, use a cold compress outside of your mouth/cheek. Take an OTC pain reliever to help with pain and swelling.

A toothache that comes and goes is not necessarily an emergency. However, if the pain is severe and does not resolve with at-home treatment, you’ll need to get an emergency appointment.

Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Typically, wisdom tooth extraction is not an emergency- it is a procedure that can be scheduled ahead of time. However, if they are impacted, you may need emergency extraction. An impacted wisdom tooth is horizontally angled/aligned, which causes them to push on neighboring teeth, causing pain and/or shifting of the teeth.

If you do not have the issue addressed early, you may have long-term damage, such as misalignment, tooth damage, tooth decay, infection, gum disease, and/or cysts.

Bleeding Gums

Bleeding gums are common and not necessarily something to worry about. However, if the bleeding is uncontrollable and you have pain and/or swelling with it, you should treat it as an emergency. This may indicate severe gum disease or an injury that requires sutures.

Chipped or Broken Tooth

A chipped or broken tooth may not necessarily be a dental emergency unless it is painful or causes other issues. For example, if the tooth is cutting into the lips and gums, it should be treated right away. If left untreated, the damaged tooth could lead to problems with alignment and eventually lead to jaw problems. If the break is into the pulp of the tooth, bacteria can get into the tooth and ultimately lead to infection.

Dental Abscess

A dental abscess is a serious condition that requires emergency treatment. If left untreated, it can cause damage to surrounding teeth, gums, and jawbone. An abscess is characterized by a boil- or pimple-like bump near the tooth root. An abscess can lead to swelling of the face/jaw and may spread to other areas of your body.

It is critical that you visit the dentist as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can ease the symptoms of abscess by rinsing several times a day with a mild saltwater solution.

Emergency Root Canal

The primary goal of dental treatment is to preserve your natural teeth when possible. If a tooth is severely decayed, root canal treatment is often the first recommendation. This involves removing the infected pulp and disinfecting the inside of the tooth. A biocompatible material will be used to fill in the void and the tooth will be sealed with a dental filling or crown.

Emergency Extractions

If a tooth is badly infected and no other options are available, emergency extraction may be recommended. Extractions may be simple or surgical. In the case of a simple extraction, the tooth can simply be pulled from the socket. In the case of a surgical extraction, the tooth must be cut out. This is often necessary if a tooth is damaged or if it is severely decayed and pulling it could cause it to fall apart.

Broken Dentures

The reason you got dentures in the first place was to improve your ability to eat, speak, and smile with confidence. If your dentures or dental bridge breaks, this impacts those abilities and should be treated as an emergency. After all, you want to get back to being able to do those things as soon as possible.The best way to prevent dentures and bridges from breaking is to consider implant-supported restorations. These are permanently secured to the jaw so you don’t have to worry about dropping them when you take them out to clean. If you prefer a removable restoration, you’ll want to take precautions when removing them to prevent dropping and breaking them.

Emergency Pediatric Dentist

If your child has a dental emergency, it is important to seek immediate treatment. If left untreated, issues with baby teeth can lead to significant issues with permanent teeth. If the issue is with a permanent tooth, it can cause issues with neighboring teeth.

Expectations from Dental Visit

The primary purpose of an emergency dental visit is to get the pain and/or other symptoms under control. Once this is done, the dentist will examine your mouth to determine the cause of the problem. If necessary, x-rays may also be taken. The dentist will likely give you prescriptions for pain and/or an antibiotic to get rid of the infection.

Prevent Further Complications with Same-Day Care

Depending on the situation, treatment may be scheduled for a future date. On the other hand, if necessary, treatment may be done on the same day to prevent further complications. Some of the most common same-day treatments include:

Extractions
Most of the time, we will take steps to save the affected tooth. However, this isn’t always possible. If your tooth is severely decayed, infected, or causing alignment issues with neighboring teeth, extraction may be recommended.
Root Canals
If the tooth pulp is infected, root canal therapy may be recommended. This involves drilling a small hole in the tooth and removing the pulp. The tooth is then disinfected and filled with a biocompatible material and sealed. This gets rid of the infection while saving the structure of the natural tooth.
Dental Crowns
If you have a tooth that is cracked/broken, a dental crown may be recommended. A crown may also be used to protect a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy.
Dental Fillings
If your toothache is due to a cavity, you may need a dental filling. This procedure involves removing the decay and filling it with composite resin or other material.

Do You Have a Dental Emergency?

If you have a dental emergency, it’s important to seek immediate care. The team at Your Dentistry of Morgan Hill is here to help. We are located at 795 Cochrane Road in Morgan Hill. You can visit our website to schedule your appointment or you can call us at (408) 520-1782.
We have the experience and expertise to handle your dental emergencies and to prevent further complications with our top-quality care. We offer a variety of dental services including general and preventive care, cosmetic and restorative treatments, periodontal treatment, and more. We offer comprehensive care for patients of all ages. We look forward to working with you to preserve your smile for years to come.

Emergency Dentistry FAQs

The team at Your Dentistry of Morgan Hill takes the time to listen and explain procedures to our patients because we care. If you ever have questions or concerns, we are happy to discuss those with you. Below are some of the most common questions that we get when it comes to emergency dental treatment.

Why do you need an emergency dentist?

If you have intermittent mouth pain, you should seek dental treatment, but it may not necessarily be an emergency. On the other hand, if you have uncontrollable pain, swelling, and/or bleeding, you should see an emergency dentist. These symptoms could indicate a more serious condition.

When does tooth decay become an emergency?

When tooth decay first begins, it is not necessarily an emergency. However, if the decay advances and gets into the pulp, it becomes an emergency. In addition, if the pain is severe and accompanied by bleeding and/or swelling, it should be treated as an emergency.

What if a broken tooth won't stop bleeding?

If you have a broken tooth that won’t stop bleeding, it’s important to seek emergency dental treatment. This could indicate a more severe problem. You may need to have the affected tooth extracted and replaced with a dental implant or other tooth restoration.

How can I prevent dental emergencies?

There is no way to 100% prevent dental emergencies. However, you can reduce your risk of experiencing a dental emergency by practicing proper oral hygiene and visiting the dentist every 6 months for a comprehensive exam and cleaning. This will allow us to locate any issues that could potentially become an emergency in the future.

What do I do if my tooth pain is unbearable?

If you have severe tooth pain that is not resolved with at-home treatments, it’s important to seek emergency treatment. Severe pain could mean that you have a serious infection and, if left untreated, it could progress and move to other areas of your body.

We Look Forward to Meeting You!

We are just off 101 with ample parking in Madrone Plaza, Morgan Hill

Contact Us

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Opening Hours

Monday: 9am to 6pm
Tuesday-Friday: 8am to 5pm
Saturday: 8am to 4pm
Sunday: by Appointment

795 Cochrane Road, Suite 120, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

(408) 465-9016

info@yourdentistrymh.com

Our Location

Your Dentistry
Dental Practice of Dr. H Gondara
795 Cochrane Road, Suite 120, Morgan Hill, CA 95037

Phone: (408) 465-9016

Email: info@yourdentistrymh.com

Our Hours

Monday 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday – by Appointment