Emergency Dentist Cambridge

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

• Same-Day Appointment: We’ll see you as soon as we can whenever you’re in need of urgent dental care. Until you can get to our office, be sure to follow any tips our team gives you for keeping your pain under control and avoiding further damage.
• Emergency Exam: We’ll need to figure out what’s causing your emergency and how serious it is. As such, we’ll have to thoroughly examine your teeth, and it will often be necessary to take X-rays as well.
• Review Findings: Upon identifying the source of the problem, we can start exploring your treatment options. We will work with you to put together a plan that will help you find lasting relief.
• Get the Care You Need: Our team will carry out the steps of your emergency treatment plan (which could include root canal treatment, dental crown placement, tooth extraction, and other procedures depending on the circumstances) and help you regain a healthy grin.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

It’s vital to be able to recognize when a situation calls for an emergency dental appointment. If you check below, you’ll find examples of urgent dental health issues that our team can offer solutions for. Don’t be afraid to call us if you’re not sure whether a situation counts as an emergency; we’ll help you figure out what the right steps to take in your case are.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

While you will naturally want to know how much emergency dental care will cost as soon as possible, we can only provide an estimate after we have had the opportunity to take a look inside your mouth and identify the source of the problem as well as the extent of the damage. Rest assured that we will be transparent about the costs involved, and we will walk you through your financial options to ensure that you’re able to get the treatment you deserve without straining your bank account.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Unfortunately, serious dental injuries can happen in an instant. If you find yourself in this situation, don’t worry – you can count on our Cambridge emergency dentist. As your dental team, we’re also here to help keep your smile in tip-top shape throughout the years. With this in mind, keep reading to learn a few habits we recommend adopting in an effort to prevent dental emergencies.

Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year

Every six months, you should come to our office for a dental checkup and cleaning. This is crucial because these periodic visits ensure that tooth decay, gum disease, damaged restorations, and the like are caught as early as possible, preventing a serious dental injury in the process.

Note: If you’re prone to cavities or if we’re in the process of managing gum disease, then we may ask you to come in every three months instead. You also shouldn’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with us if you’re experiencing abnormal dental symptoms, like pain when biting down.

Commit to a Solid Oral Hygiene Regimen

A solid oral hygiene regimen is crucial when it comes to preventing common dental problems like tooth decay. So if you don’t already have a solid dental care routine in place, now is the time to make that a priority! That starts with using fluoridated toothpaste and a toothbrush to brush your teeth each morning and evening. Additionally, you should rinse with mouthwash and floss daily. That way, food particles, plaque, and other debris aren’t left to linger on your teeth.

Eat Plenty of Nutrient-Dense Foods

Nutrient-dense foods, like whole apples and raw carrots, benefit your oral and overall health. For that reason, we strongly recommend maintaining a well-balanced diet that’s packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. We also recommend keeping your consumption of added sugar to a minimum. After all, this sweetener is one of the leading causes of cavities!

Wear a Mouthguard During Sports

There’s a common misconception that you only need to wear a mouthguard during contact sports, like football. That’s not the case! In an effort to protect the teeth and gums from harm, patients who participate in non-contact sports like running, rollerblading, and track are also encouraged to wear one.

Tip: If you don’t have a mouthguard, reach out to us! We can have a custom one made, ensuring it fits perfectly while also protecting your teeth properly.

Quit Unhealthy Dental Habits

Do you bite your nails when you’re bored or nervous? Do you use your teeth to tear into plastic wrapping instead of grabbing the scissors? Do you bite on ice cubes while drinking water? If so, it’s time to stop! Although these habits may seem harmless, they can lead to a serious dental injury, like a chipped or fractured tooth.

Root Canal Treatment

Root canal treatment (RCT) is a procedure that saves your tooth by eliminating bacterial infection and preventing re-infection. We first create an access hole in the crown of the affected tooth.

Then we remove the infected pulp inside the canal and clean it with irrigation solutions and specialized tools. Once dry, we'll fill the canal with bacteria-fighting gutta-percha, then seal it with adhesive material. The final step involves fitting a dental crown after allowing it to heal. This procedure gives your new tooth a natural appearance and functionality.

You may need root canal treatment if you experience the following symptoms:

• Lingering tooth sensitivity to hot or cold food and drinks
• Inflamed, swollen, or bleeding gums
• Acute pain when you bite, chew, or put slight pressure on the affected tooth
• Chipped, cracked, or broken teeth
• Tooth discoloration
• Tooth mobility, which feels like your tooth is loose

Tooth Extractions

When necessary, we perform tooth extractions as a last resort. We may remove extensively damaged or impacted teeth. The treatment could also be needed after an accident. Before the procedure, our team conducts an overview of your medical history and current health. It's crucial to inform Dr. Todd if you have diabetes, liver disease, hypertension, heart problems, renal disease, or a compromised immune system. This information helps us take the utmost precautions while performing on our Cambridge dental emergency patients.