Emergency Dentist – Waverly, OH

Putting a Quick Stop to Dental Pain

Man and woman smiling on couch after seeing emergency dentist in Waverly

Nobody ever plans on having a dental emergency, but unfortunately broken teeth and severe toothaches are much more common than you might like to believe. If any of these issues occur, the best thing to do is to contact Corcoran Privitera Family Dental as soon as possible. As an emergency dentist in Waverly, we can make arrangements to see you on the same day as your call so that you aren’t left waiting for dental treatment that could relieve your pain and save your smile.

Why Choose Corcoran Privitera Family Dental for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments
  • Patients of All Ages Welcomed
  • Comprehensive In-House Dental Care

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Smiling woman talking to her emergency dentist in Waverly

When you call to schedule an emergency dental visit, we’ll give you instructions for handling your symptoms until you can get to our office. Once you arrive, we’ll perform a quick examination and capture X-rays as needed.  Once we know the source of the problem, we’ll go over your treatment options with you and give you relevant information about the cost and the expected timeline. Once you and your dentist have agreed on a treatment plan, we’ll get started on restoring your oral health right away!

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies can take many different forms. Waiting too long to treat them will only lead to worse problems and increase the chances of needing costly, invasive care. If you notice any of the following symptoms, you should call our dental office immediately so that you can get the help you need as soon as possible.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

Dental team member explaining dental emergency cost to a patient

The amount you pay for emergency dental care varies depending on how serious the issue is. Sometimes you just might need a small filling, and in other cases, you might need to have the tooth removed and replaced altogether. Once we’ve put a stop to your pain, we will discuss your treatment options with you to help you decide which is the best choice for you and your budget. Our practice accepts most dental insurance plans, and we’ll make sure you’re up to date on what benefits are available.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Woman smiling while flossing her teeth

If you want to avoid dental emergencies in Peebles altogether, one of the best things you can do is maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing twice a day. Preventive dentistry visits are also key for protecting your mouth from problems like tooth decay and gum disease. Dental injuries can strike when you least expect it, but you can reduce your risk by dropping bad habits like chewing ice and by wearing a mouthguard when playing sports that involve a lot of contact.

Tooth Extractions

Dental forceps holding an extracted tooth

While permanent teeth are meant to stay in your mouth for the rest of your life, they may need to be extracted for a few reasons, such as:

  • Being badly infected to the point that root canal treatment is no longer an option.
  • Severe tooth decay or damage that can’t be repaired.
  • Teeth crowded so closely that orthodontic treatment can’t be performed.

In short, tooth extractions are only recommended if there’s absolutely no other option for protecting your oral health. We have a few different ways to replace your missing tooth, so you won’t have to worry about being stuck with a gap in your smile.

Wisdom Tooth Extractions

Dental X ray with impacted wisdom tooth highlighted red

The wisdom teeth usually start to erupt during late adolescence or early childhood. When there’s not enough room for them in the mouth, they may grow in at the wrong angle, or they might not break through the gums at all. As a result, they can become painfully impacted, and they might start to damage your other teeth. If you start showing any symptoms of problematic wisdom teeth, you should have them removed before any permanent damage is done to your mouth.

Learn More About Wisdom Tooth Extractions

Root Canal Treatment

Models of damaged teeth that need root canal treatment

When the pulp (the inner portion of the tooth that houses all of its nerves and blood vessels) becomes infected, the only way to stop the pain and protect the rest of your mouth is to remove it altogether. This is done via root canal treatment, which, despite its reputation, is no more uncomfortable than having a filling placed. In many cases, root canal treatment is your only option for stopping your tooth pain without needing to have the tooth entirely removed.

Learn More About Root Canal Treatment

Dental Emergency FAQs

Will a Throbbing Tooth Go Away?

In most instances, a throbbing tooth or toothache will not go away by itself. It could also be occurring due to a wide range of oral health complications, some of which you won’t be able to see on your own without help. That’s why you’ll want to schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible so that they can determine what the problem is and how to address it. A throbbing tooth can sometimes be an indication of an infection while some toothaches can be due to pain surrounding the tooth but not within it, such as gum disease. In either case, you’ll want to get treatment early on to regain a healthy and comfortable smile.

Should You Put a Knocked-Out Tooth in Water?

Clean water can be helpful to rinse off a knocked-out tooth, but you should never store or keep it in water. While it can wash away debris, it can also potentially damage the root surface cells of your tooth. This can end up significantly reducing your chances of placing it back in its socket and having it heal properly. To avoid this, it is better to insert your tooth back in its socket to keep it moist until you’re able to visit your dentist for emergency dental care. If this isn’t possible or you’re finding this difficult to do, you can alternatively store it in a small, sealable container of milk or saline solution for up to an hour to keep it viable.

Should I Worry About a Chipped Tooth If It Doesn’t Hurt?

Even if your mildly chipped tooth does not hurt, it’s always best to schedule an appointment with your dentist just in case. Though there might not be much or any pain, there could be a chance that the inner layer of your tooth has been exposed and is susceptible to bacteria and infection. The only way to know for sure is by seeing your dentist for an examination. That said, if necessary, you can likely wait a day or two before getting treatment. Regardless, be sure to schedule a visit with your dentist, as a chipped tooth can still become further damaged if left unchecked.

Can the Emergency Room Remove a Tooth?

While going to your local emergency room to get a tooth extraction might seem convenient, you should only undergo this procedure from a licensed dentist. The treatment would otherwise be illegal if performed by someone who is not properly trained or did not receive the education for it, even if they work in a hospital. The most an ER will be able to provide is antibiotics and pain medications to help stabilize your condition until you’re able to visit your dentist. You might not even require a tooth extraction and can receive root canals to preserve your tooth instead. Of course, this can only be determined once you visit your dentist for help.

More to Explore

I Need a Checkup & Cleaning I Need a Dentist for My Child I Have a Cavity or Broken Tooth I am Missing One or More Teeth I Want to Improve My Smile I Want a Straighter Smile I am Scared of the Dentist View Our Services

Toothaches  

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Toothaches should never be ignored, and there are even some cases where same-day treatment is necessary. We strongly recommend calling our Waverly dental team ASAP if you’ve been experiencing pain for more than 24 hours or you’re struggling with other abnormal dental symptoms, like dark discoloration around the tooth in question.

How You Should Handle a Toothache From home, there are a few things you can do, starting with reaching out to schedule an appointment. You should also rinse with warm saltwater periodically to help keep your mouth clean and prevent an infection. It’s also helpful to avoid crunchy, acidic, and sugary foods since they can exacerbate your discomfort.

How We Treat Toothaches First, we need to pinpoint what’s causing your toothache. If it’s tooth decay, then a tooth-colored filling or dental crown may be recommended. If it’s due to an infection that’s penetrated to the inner layers of your teeth, then root canal treatment may be necessary.

Chipped Teeth  

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Sometimes, yes! Naturally, if you’re in pain or the chip is substantial, you should call us right away. However, if it’s minor and you aren’t experiencing any discomfort, then you should be okay waiting a day or two to come in for treatment.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth Handling a chipped tooth is relatively straightforward. After rinsing your mouth thoroughly with clean, lukewarm water, use some dental wax (or a piece of sugar-free gum) to cover the sharp edge. This will help prevent dental sensitivity as well as soft tissue injuries.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth As you may have guessed, there is more than one way to fix a chipped tooth! Depending on the size of the chip, the location of your tooth, and your budget, we will recommend a metal-free restoration, direct bonding, or veneers.

Cracked Tooth  

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Absolutely! Even if the crack is small and isn’t causing you any pain, you should schedule an appointment with our Waverly emergency dentist ASAP. That way, they can restore your tooth before an infection develops or, perhaps worse, the crack becomes larger.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth To prevent additional damage, take proactive measures to protect your tooth, like not chewing on that side of your mouth. As we mentioned, an infection developing is also a risk, so make sure to rinse periodically with clean, room-temperature water as well.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Since saving your natural teeth is always priority number one, we will first assess the damage and see if we can use a dental crown to address it. If that’s not possible, don’t worry – there are other ways we can restore your smile, like gently extracting the cracked tooth before replacing it with a dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Although dental sensitivity doesn’t automatically warrant a same-day visit with our Waverly emergency dentist, you should call us once the sensation lasts for more than 24 hours. That way, we can conduct an exam and determine if we need to intervene with restorative care.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth After scheduling your appointment with us, we recommend taking proactive measures to prevent additional sensitivity, like using a desensitizing toothpaste and avoiding extremely hot and cold beverages.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth How we treat very sensitive teeth depends on your specific dental needs. If your teeth are healthy, then switching to a desensitizing toothpaste may be all that’s needed. If your teeth aren’t healthy, then we’ll need to intervene with a dental filling, crown, or root canal treatment.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes. In fact, it’s one of the most serious dental emergencies because the chances of us being able to save your tooth lessens with each passing minute. So, it’s of the utmost importance that you call our Waverly dental team ASAP to inform us of your situation.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth A knocked-out adult tooth can be placed back in its socket, but only if it’s clean and slides back in without any force. You can also preserve the root by submerging the tooth in a clean container filled with milk.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth Fortunately, we can often save knocked-out teeth. If that’s not possible for one reason or another, like you weren’t able to find the tooth, don’t worry – that’s where dental bridges and implants come in. With these tooth-replacement services, we can fill the new gap in your smile in a lifelike, durable, and long-lasting way.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Yes, both a lost filling and a lost dental crown warrant an immediate call to our office. Once we have a better understanding of your situation, we will provide you with instructions on what to do and schedule a time for you to come in for treatment.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown First, don’t chew on that side of your mouth or touch your tooth with your tongue or hands. Instead, rinse your mouth frequently with clean water to prevent bacteria buildup and store your restoration in a small, clean container.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns Our Waverly emergency dentist can easily replace your old restoration with a new, secure one. There are also some cases where we can re-cement your previous restoration back in place, like if your dental crown is still in good shape.

Broken Denture

  • Is a broken denture a dental emergency? Continuing to wear a broken denture could injure your gums, other oral tissue, jaw, and any existing natural teeth. At the same time, you likely rely on your denture for daily living, so we definitely consider this a dental emergency.
  • How to handle a broken denture: Never try to fix a broken denture yourself! Superglue and other home remedies aren’t good for your oral health, and could cause more problems. Give us a call instead, and we’ll do our best to see you as soon as possible.
  • How we treat broken dentures: We might be able to simply restore your denture by molding over the damage with composite resin. In other cases, the denture needs minor fit adjustments. If the break is severe, however, we may need to replace your denture entirely.

Learn More About Dentures

Learn More About Dental Implants

Loose Permanent Tooth

  • Are loose permanent teeth a dental emergency? Loose teeth can be a result of physical injury or gum disease, both of which require urgent treatment. Even if you’re not experiencing any pain, prolonging a dental emergency visit puts your tooth at greater risk for falling out.
  • How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: Avoid touching or putting pressure on your loose tooth. You don’t want to accidentally wiggle it free by prodding it or biting into food. We recommend carefully rinsing your mouth with warm water to keep the area clean, but don’t brush or floss near your loose tooth until you visit us for evaluation and treatment.
  • How we treat loose permanent teeth: If possible, we’ll save your tooth with an appropriate dental restoration. Tooth extraction is a last resort option, but sometimes it’s the best way to preserve your oral health. Either way, we’ll be sure to treat the root problem, and can discuss replacement options like dental implants if necessary.

Learn More About Dental Implants

Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue  

  • Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? Cuts and scrapes in the oral region can be distressing, especially if they bleed. We recommend giving us a call and describing the situation in as much detail as possible. Most of these types of injuries can be treated by a dentist, but depending on the situation, we might refer you to a different specialist.
  • How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: In the meantime, you can rinse out any blood or debris with warm water. Gently press a soft cloth or gauze to the area to staunch the flow, and if necessary, apply a cold compress to reduce swelling or numb discomfort.
  • How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: We can stitch relatively shallow cuts and check your mouth and teeth for further damage. However, if the bleeding hasn’t stopped after 10 minutes, it’s time to go the ER.

Jaw Pain

  • Is jaw pain a dental emergency? Aches or pains in your jaw could indicate a variety of complications, making it worth getting looked at. If the problem is impacted wisdom teeth, for example, it’s best to remove them as soon as possible to avoid infection.
  • How you should handle jaw pain: If your jaw hurts due to an injury like a break, fracture, or dislocation, visit the ER. Otherwise, we can give you over-the-phone instructions specific to your symptoms. While you wait for your dental emergency appointment, you can take over-the-counter pain relievers as necessary to ease your discomfort.
  • How we treat jaw pain: First we’ll examine your mouth to pinpoint the root cause of your jaw pain. Treatment will vary depending on your situation, but if the problem is a troublesome tooth or dental infection, you can be sure we’ll work to help you take care of it.

Learn More About Root Canal Treatment

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Having something stuck between your teeth might seem like a common problem, but it can turn into a dental emergency if flossing, rinsing, and brushing doesn’t do the trick. Generally, it’s not good to have something wedged between your teeth for extended periods of time! Refrain from using tweezers, toothpicks, or other pointy objects that could slip in your grasp and cut your gums. Instead, give us a call and let us gently tease the object out with our special tools.

Learn More About Dental Checkups And Cleanings