How To Know When You Need An Emergency Dental Appointment

Any type of dental pain or concern can feel like an emergency because it can be very uncomfortable. This is why your dentist may offer emergency dental care for those times when you need it. At Ambiance Dental, we leave time in our schedules so that any dental emergency can be addressed within 24 hours of receiving your request.

So you know that emergency dental care is available in downtown Calgary, but how do you know what is considered an emergency? 

Here are some situations when we would suggest contacting us for an emergency dental appointment.

  1. Broken Tooth – If your tooth chips or cracks, you’ll want to see a dentist right away. Chips and cracks can expose nerves that can cause a lot of pain. You also want to try to stabilize the tooth to reduce further damage and to smooth off sharp edges so you do not injure yourself.
  1. Severe Toothache – If a toothache cannot be dulled with home remedies, you’ll need to see a dentist ASAP. They can diagnose the cause of the pain, prescribe antibiotics or pain medication and suggestion which treatment plan will address the cause of the issue.
  1. Lost Filling or Crown – If a dental filling or crown becomes loose or falls out, you’ll want to see a dentist as soon as possible. When a dental filling becomes loose, there is a high likelihood of additional decay existing underneath. The open area is also at higher risk of developing decay so having it assessed, cleaned and refilled right away is important. 
  1. Pain In Your Mouth, Face or Neck – Any significant pain in your mouth, face, jaw or neck should be assessed right away since there may be an underlying issue that requires treatment. Your dentist will discuss the pain with you and offer treatment to help.
  1. Swelling or Infection –  If your gums, mouth, face or neck are showing signs of swelling and/or infection, it should be treated immediately. Swelling indicates there is something that needs to be treated and infections can progress quickly. Contact us to book an appointment as soon as possible.
  1. Significant Bleeding – If you are experiencing significant bleeding in your mouth, it needs to be stopped and the cause treated urgently. 
  1. Other Concerns – This list offers some examples of common reasons we see patients for dental emergencies but there are other concerns that could come up that require an immediate visit. 

When in doubt, please give us a call. Our team can assess your concern and let you know if you need to be seen for emergency treatment. We will always attempt to make time for any patient who has a dental concern as soon as we possibly can. The team at Ambiance Dental are partners on your overall health care team. We are here for you when you need us!

What Happens During An Emergency Dental Appointment?

During an emergency dental appointment, a dentist will assess the concern you are having. They will determine the cause of the concern and work to stop or minimize the issue as much as possible. This may mean stopping bleeding, dulling sharp edges or providing a prescription. 

We will take x-rays, check the condition of your teeth, smooth off sharp edges on broken teeth, prescribe medication and/or refer you to a specialist. Simple treatment will be provided (when possible) to make you more comfortable and to stabilize the situation, then you can re-book for follow up treatment. The purpose of your emergency dental visit will be to relieve the discomfort, diagnose the problem and advise you of your options for resolving it.

Once your emergency dental visit is complete, we will book you in for a follow up appointment to correct the issue or send an assessment to a specialist. In many cases, you may need an extraction, repair, dental crown, root canal or dental implant. These procedures cannot be done during an emergency visit due to the time and planning required. They will sometimes require diagnostics beyond what we can do at the time as well so those may need to be scheduled for a future date. Rest assured though, we will suggest a follow up plan to get you feeling great again and will work to implement it for you as soon as possible. Any steps we can take in your emergency appointment to move the process along will be taken to the best of our ability and resources at the time.

To book an appointment with our emergency dental care clinic in Calgary, please contact us directly at (403)261-7661.

Please Note: If you have experienced a major dental injury, are bleeding profusely or are in significant pain, please visit your nearest Urgent Care facility or hospital right away. Do not wait for a dental appointment.