Emergency Dentist — Mansfield, TX
Smile-Saving Care When You Need It Most
Even if you take every safety precaution, a dental emergency can happen out of the blue. You may think a hospital emergency room is well-equipped to provide urgent care for you and your loved ones, but that’s not always the case. They usually don’t have a licensed dental professional on staff, which means they won’t be able to effectively handle your situation. But don’t worry! Dr. Sandi Hamm is ready to identify the source of the problem, administer proper treatment, and get you out of pain. To learn more about our smile-saving emergency dentistry in Mansfield, continue reading or give our office a call today!
Why Choose Sandi Hamm, DDS for Emergency Dental Care?
- Same-Day Appointments Available
- Gentle, Caring, and Expert Dentistry
- Calming Dental Sedation
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
- Call our office. Time is of the essence in any emergency, which means you need to contact us right away for assistance. We’ll pencil you in for an appointment at your earliest convenience depending on your situation. Over the phone, we’ll provide you with first-aid instructions to help you manage your situation in the meantime.
- See Dr. Hamm for an emergency exam. When you get to our office, we’ll conduct a detailed emergency exam to identify the cause of your problem. Based on our findings, we’ll create a custom treatment plan to get your smile back on the right track.
- Get the care you need. Our team might be able to temporarily address your emergency during your appointment. However, you may have to return for additional treatments like fillings, crowns, root canal therapy, or gum disease treatment.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Most dental emergencies are the result of an infection or physical trauma of some kind. For instance, you may be dealing with a severe toothache or have sustained an oral injury while playing sports. Whatever the case is, Dr. Hamm and the rest of the team are ready to help! Until your appointment, feel free to review the tips below for handling some of the most common emergencies we see.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
No two dental emergencies are the same. Because every case is unique, it’s impossible to provide an accurate cost estimate until you come in for an exam. During your appointment, we’ll carefully evaluate your situation to determine the best treatment method. Our team will thoroughly explain the pricing information and your financing options so you know exactly what to expect every step of the way!
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies can happen quite suddenly and can be both stressful and painful. While they aren’t always avoidable, there are many steps you can take to prevent them from happening. To learn a few best practices you can implement into your routine to help, read on!
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Wondering how visiting your dentist regularly can help prevent dental emergencies in Mansfield? It’s simple really; the biannual checkups give them a chance to catch tooth decay, gum disease, and other serious oral health issues in the early stages. Otherwise, they would be left alone to progress, increasing your chances of sustaining a sudden chip, crack, or fracture.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Keeping your teeth and gums happy and healthy requires a solid at-home oral hygiene regimen. That starts with brushing each morning and evening and extends to flossing and rinsing with mouthwash daily. It’s also a good idea to incorporate other oral hygiene best practices, like using a soft-bristled toothbrush and replacing it every three or four months.
Stick to a Nutritious Diet
Maintaining your oral health involves more than just brushing and flossing; it also includes being mindful of what you eat! While sugary foods and beverages are delicious, they often contain little-to-no nutritional value. Therefore, it’s a good idea to focus on adding nutrient-dense foods to your diet, like healthy fats, fresh fruits, and cooked vegetables. Bonus tip: opt for water over soda, wine, and fruit juices. It has zero sugar, it won’t result in dental discoloration, and it will help rinse away food particles from your teeth throughout the day.
Wear a Mouthguard
Are you active in sports? Then it’s important that you wear a mouthguard during practices and games. That way, your teeth are protected from rogue footballs, elbows, etc. Note: a mouthguard can also be helpful in preventing premature wear and tear from chronic teeth grinding!
Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth
Have you ever used your teeth to open a bag or take a bottle cap off? Unfortunately, all it takes is one time for your teeth to give, turning an otherwise pleasant day into a stressful (and potentially painful) trip to your emergency dentist’s office. That’s why we encourage our patients in Mansfield to avoid all unhealthy dental habits, from using your teeth as tools and smoking to biting your nails.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Dealing with a dental emergency can be alarming, especially if you’re unsure of what to do. The good news is that Dr. Sandi Hamm, who is an emergency dentist, is here to put your mind at ease. Although panicking is normal when a sudden injury occurs, it is not helpful and can lead to worsening symptoms. Instead, before an accident occurs, review the following questions asked by our patients and call us to learn what you should do when faced with a dental emergency of your own.
Should I visit the emergency room first for dental emergencies?
Only in certain situations should you plan to visit an emergency room first before going to your local dentist’s office. If you are bleeding excessively, experiencing increased swelling, or have a fractured jaw, do not wait to see Dr. Hamm. Instead, get to your local ER for immediate medical attention.
Otherwise, call our office to schedule an appointment. Most of the injuries you are likely to experience can be treated by our dental team. If you go to an emergency room first, you will not only wait countless hours for help, but you’ll be unlikely to receive the complete care you need or deserve.
Do chipped teeth heal?
Once you lose tooth enamel, it cannot grow back, so no, a chipped tooth cannot heal on its own. It is essential that when faced with a chipped tooth you see a professional sooner rather than later, as more damage can occur. Depending on the severity of the chip, you may be able to fix the problem with cosmetic bonding, which requires the use of composite resin. It is applied directly to the tooth enamel and sculpted into place to hide the chip.
If the damage is more severe, though, you will need to talk to Dr. Hamm about more extensive treatment like a dental crown or dental veneers.
Can I fix dentures that are broken in half?
You should not try to fix your dentures if they are broken in half. This can cause more damage to your teeth and soft oral tissues. Instead, do not continue to wear your prosthetics. Keep them out of your mouth until you can get in to see Dr. Hamm. It is during this visit that we will determine if you should receive a new denture or if you would like to transition to another tooth replacement solution.
If you try to use super glue to fix your dentures, the toxic solution can be harmful to your health simply because it is dangerous to ingest. Not to mention, it will not work when exposed to damp areas.
Is my tooth pain from an infection?
Why your tooth is experiencing pain cannot be determined until you get in to see your emergency dentist. This will likely require digital imaging and diagnostics to be able to identify the underlying cause of your discomfort. If damage or decay has reached the innermost layer of your tooth – the pulp – then it is likely that you have a serious infection that requires a root canal.
If we cannot address the problem with this type of invasive procedure, the only viable method of care is to perform a tooth extraction. This will only be recommended, however, if other methods prove unsuccessful.