What Happens When You Have A Dental Emergency?

Health emergencies are one of the most serious situations you will face. The best solution when you are faced with situation like that is to visit the Emergency Room of the closest hospital. But what happens when you are faced with a tooth emergency? Dentists in Stamford CT that provide emergency services are your best option. For broken, chipped, painful teeth and other dental emergencies that need to be looked at as soon as possible, it’s advisable to have a dentist at hand who can help.

What is an emergency dentist?

Emergency dentists in Stamford CT are dentists that are available at any time of the day for any reason. Whether you’re experience immense toothache or a tooth has fallen out, an emergency dentist is prepared to deal with your situation in a short period of time. In many cases the dentist that will treat you in the case of an emergency is also your regular dentist. What truly makes them qualify as emergency dentists is their availability during a dental crisis.

When an emergency dentist is not needed

In most cases, what you may think are dental emergencies and need to be looked at right away, could also very well be false alarms. Time is precious for a dentist. If you see your dentist thinking something serious is happening with your teeth when it really isn’t, then the valuable time that your dentist is giving to another patient may have to be interrupted. More importantly, the services of an emergency dentist are expensive. If you haven’t booked an appointment within 24 hours of your dental emergency and you simply walk into the office without notification, then chances are that you’ll be charged a high fee for it.

Not all pains or breaks are emergency situations. Pains and aches can be looked at and treated within a 24-hour time period. In most cases, these are caused by an abscess or impaction. Breaks or teeth that have recently fallen out or chipped would have to be seen within an hour for them to be repaired. The latter is considered to be a greater emergency than the former.

There’s no specific guideline as to what qualifies as a dental emergency and needs the attention of dentists in Stamford CT who offer emergency services. In any case, whether it’s a toothache, abscess, loose cap, or a broken and chipped tooth, it’s best to contact your regular dentist; describe the pain to them and the area that it’s coming from. In most cases, your dentist will ask you to come in and have a look.

Different Types Of Primary Dental Care

When one speaks of primary dental care this typically refers to the regular, ongoing preventative care that the patient receives from his or her dentist. Every six months or so the patient will visit the dentist at which time the dentist will perform a thorough check-up, clean the teeth professionally and perform any treatments that are needed. This is where the concept of primary Stamford dental care comes from; it alludes to the fact that the patient’s regular dentist is the first point of contact for any dental services that might be needed, including referrals to specialists if necessary. The type or extent of primary dental care can vary from one patient to the next, it depends on any specific needs and the patients overall oral health.

The most common example of primary Stamford dental care is regular teeth cleaning and gum inspections, this is known as dental prophylaxis. The professional cleaning eliminates all the built up plaque that regular brushing and flossing cannot get to, regular cleaning helps in the prevention of cavities and gum disorders. At the same time as the cleaning takes place the dentist checks the condition of the teeth to ensure that there are no problems that need treatment. Preventative dental care is one of the major factors in maintaining healthy teeth and gums as it gives the dentist the opportunity to catch a problem when it is easily treated, otherwise a small problem can quickly become a large one.

There are certain dental services that are not considered as primary dental care; orthodontics is one of them. If the primary dentist noticed that the patient’s teeth need orthodontic care then the patient will be referred however this does not mean that the patient no longer visits the Stamford dental care office. The regular dentist will continue to be the primary care giver, even to the point of making sure that the patient’s teeth are not moving after orthodontic treatment. Other common primary care services are fluoride treatments, tooth whitening as well as other cosmetic procedures including veneers, tooth colored fillings and porcelain crowns.

An important service of primary Stamford dental care is the fact that the dentist can refer the patient to an oral surgeon or other specialist if this becomes necessary. The primary care dentist maintains the patient’s dental records and is in a position to determine what care is needed. If, for example, the patient needs wisdom tooth extraction the dentist can refer the patient to an oral surgeon for the procedure, the patient returns to the primary care dentist for continued dental care.