Emergency Dental Care
We will remain open to treat dental emergencies during the COVID-19 shutdown. If you are in need of urgent dental care please contact us.
No matter how conscientious you are with your oral health care, dental emergencies can still occur. They may begin as a mild throbbing tooth pain that never goes away, getting worse as the hours tick by.
If you have ever had a dental emergency, you'll remember how painful and distressing they can be. Unfortunately, it seems that they most often happen after the regular office hours of your local dentist.
The health and comfort of our Dillon, CO patients is vital to us. From a loose or missing filling to a knocked-out tooth, we can address many different types of emergencies. We resolve all unexpected situations with equal urgency and care. We try to see our patients as soon as we can.
At Summit Dental Group, we start by cultivating long-term patient relationships built on trust and honesty; we want our patients to turn to us for even minor dental abnormalities. Our entire dental staff is available for any of your needs. Your dental emergency is our priority, and we work hard to provide pain relief and treatment.
The last thing you want to do during a painful or stressful emergency is to start shopping around for a dentist. In situations like this, it's crucial to be surrounded by familiar, professional, and kind faces. If you are a new patient, we will treat you like an old friend. Your level of care does not hinge on staying with us, although we hope you do.
- Am I Experiencing a Tooth Emergency?
- How to Handle a Dental Emergency
- Dental Procedures That Treat Emergencies
- Avoiding Future Dental Emergencies
- Contact Our Office for Dental Emergency Treatment in Summit County
Signs of a Dental Emergency
Not all dental problems mean you have an emergency, but you are experiencing pain and are unsure, it's a good idea to give our office a call. There's no such thing as being too safe, and if there is an issue, we will be able to identify and treat it quickly. Dental emergencies come in different flavors; not all of them are painful or stressful—but they should all be healed and treated immediately to avoid long term dental health issues.
We commonly see toothaches at our dental office. Toothaches start like a slow throbbing that eventually grows into an intolerable pain. In many cases, there is a dental infection that could be affecting the root of the tooth in question. You may need an emergency root canal to relieve you of your pain. Toothaches can also point towards an abscess, injury, or lost or broken dental filling or crown. Dr. Hilton or Dr. Marcincin can determine the source of your pain and help treat it.
If you have lost your dental crown or filling, you have the option to wait for the next available appointment to see us as long as you are not experiencing pain. The choice is up to you; we are always available to see you if you feel uncomfortable or stressed.
Some dental emergencies need to be treated immediately due to a hard hit to the jaw, most likely from an accident, injury, or sports. We advise patients to come to see us directly to ensure no teeth are broken or knocked out. The sooner we can see your injury, the better our chances are of saving your tooth.
If you aren't sure if you are going through a dental emergency, let us know. Give our dental staff a call at Summit Dental Group so we can help determine if you need to see us immediately or if you can wait.
How to Handle a Dental Emergency
Dental emergencies can be frightening and often painful. But knowing what to do until you arrive at our Dillon, CO dental office can make the difference between losing a tooth or saving it.
Note: If you have had trauma to your jaw or head, or are experiencing severe bleeding, go directly to an emergency room.
Broken Tooth: Use warm water to rinse your mouth and clean the area. Use cold compresses on and off the area every 20 minutes to help reduce swelling.
Lost Dental Filling or Crown: A lost crown or filling may not require immediate attention, but we do need to replace the crown as soon as possible to prevent damage to the weakened tooth. We may need to replace a lost filling will need to be replaced with a new one.
Knocked-Out Tooth: The first step is to contact us right away. Handle the tooth by the crown only, and rinse it if it's dirty. Be careful not to touch the root and to handle it gently. The safest place for the tooth is in your mouth, so try to place it back in the socket gently. Never try to force it, especially if you feel pain or discomfort.
Otherwise, keep the root moist by placing the tooth in a cup of water, milk, or saliva so it doesn't dry out before you can see us. Keeping it away from bacteria and dirt until Dr. Marcincin or Dr. Hilton could mean the difference in saving your tooth.
Searing Tooth Pain: Any pain in your tooth indicates a problem, but we need to address severe pain immediately to provide relief and see what's happening with the tooth. If you have a bump on your gumline, it may be a sign of an abscess that may need root canal treatment. Placing an ice pack for 20 minutes at a time will help with pain and inflammation until we can see you.
Treatment Options for Dental Emergencies
Depending on the nature of your dental emergency, we may use one or a combination of different dental treatments to keep your teeth and gums healthy and strong:
- Repair or replace dental
- Repair dentures or bridges
- Dental extraction
- Root canal treatment
- Tooth-colored filling
After our initial assessment, your emergency dentist in Dillon can suggest one or multiple procedures to relieve your pain, fix the issue, and beautify your smile.
Avoiding Future Dental Emergencies
No matter what your dental emergency is and how it started, the last thing you want is to feel judged or scolded. At Summit Dental Group, we treat patients with the respect they give us.
We always recommend preventive dental care like good oral at-home care like brushing and flossing, along with regular dental cleanings and exams. Most dental emergencies start small and can be treated immediately when caught in time.
During your visits with us, Dr. Hilton or Dr. Marcincin will spot potential dental issues, screen for cancer, gum disease, infection, and loose dental prosthetics. We check your teeth and gums to make sure they are in good shape.
Do you have a chipped tooth that is sharp and can easily cut your tongue or lips? Did your small tooth throb grow into a painful situation that requires immediate toothache treatment?
If you are experiencing a dental emergency, do not hesitate to contact our dental office immediately. The quicker we can diagnose and treat a dental emergency, the more likely we are to save teeth. Everyone on our dental staff are highly-skilled and experienced in handling emergencies, let us help you by treating your pain and giving you the prompt attention you deserve.
Frequently Asked Questions
We're Here For You
At Summit Dental Group we believe that you should have access to dental care when you need it most. We are happy to accept emergency patients – in fact, we will see you as quickly as possible even if you are not a regular patient.
Whether it’s you or your kids, dental emergencies always seem to happen at the most inconvenient times, and usually when your dentist’s office is closed. While the pain of a dental emergency can cause its own stress, enduring the discomfort until your dentist opens the next day makes it seem so much worse.
We understand the need to have dental emergencies treated as quickly as possible. This is important for protecting your oral health as well as your peace of mind. A dental emergency may be as simple as a broken crown or as complicated as a knocked-out tooth, and in either case it’s important to seek treatment as quickly as possible.
Contact Us If You Have An Emergency
If you have a dental emergency, you are always welcome to call our office at 970-468-2471. Depending on the type of emergency, we will see you right away or make an appointment for you the next day.
Dental emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re having some sort of dental problem, you may be hesitant about contacting our office, but we can assure you that any concern you have is important to us. We offer emergency treatment, and you should never hesitate to contact us if you’re experiencing any type of problem with your teeth.
What is Considered an Emergency?
The problems that are usually considered an emergency are those that need immediate treatment to save your tooth and/or relieve pain. This would include a root canal infection that causes severe pain. Another serious emergency is having a broken tooth. Both require prompt attention, because in many cases we can save the tooth if we see you as soon as possible.
Losing a filling or dental crown is not usually a situation that requires treatment immediately, unless you are in pain. The important thing to remember if this happens is to clean the affected tooth gently and put the crown in a safe place. Do not try to reinsert a dental filling – if it has fallen out, there is an underlying cause that needs to be addressed before we can make a new one.
Contact Our Office in Dillon, CO:
If you have questions about what constitutes a dental emergency or how to handle a dental emergency, call our office and our compassionate team can provide you with information.
We're Here For You
At Summit Dental Group, we are dental professionals who are committed to providing everyone with the dental care they need when they need it. If you are in pain or have a traumatic dental injury like a knocked-out tooth, we will be happy to make arrangements to see you, even if you are not a regular patient.
In the case of an emergency, we know that there is nothing worse than the helpless feeling of not being able to get the dental care you need right away. We’ve all been in your place at one point or another, and we don’t want you to suffer a moment longer than necessary.
Please note that if your emergency involves trauma to your face, head, or neck, you should call 911 or get to an emergency room as quickly as possible.
The Effect of Missing Teeth
The biggest concern associated with missing teeth is tooth alignment problems. One or more missing teeth allow surrounding teeth to shift into the empty space, creating a domino effect that results in alignment issues and difficulties with your dental bite.
These problems can potentially lead to premature wear, teeth grinding, and chipped or fractured teeth. Replacing missing teeth is also important because all your teeth are designed to work together to allow you to chew and speak properly. Missing teeth look unattractive the loss of even one tooth can make these basic functions difficult.
Tooth Replacement Options
Tooth replacement options like dental bridges and dental implants are effective because they not only prevent teeth from shifting, but they also restore functionality, allowing you to chew and speak normally. In addition, they provide a cosmetic solution by filling the gaps left by missing teeth.
It is important for you to have teeth that allow you to speak and chew normally, but missing teeth also detract from your self-confidence. If you have questions about the solution that is best for you, please contact us, we will be more than happy to answer your questions and discuss your options.
There are several factors that we need to take into account when deciding the best approach for repairing teeth that were broken in an accident. Primarily, treatment depends on the extent of the damage and severity of the break.
Repairing A Broken Tooth
A full exam and assessment in our office is the first step. During this exam we will evaluate the damage to your teeth, as well as checking the overall state of your oral health.
Porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and bonding could all be appropriate methods for repairing your teeth and restoring their functionality. However, if your teeth are broken beneath the gumline, the only option available to us may be extraction of the tooth.
In this case we can recommend a dental bridge to conceal the empty space, or a dental implant, which is the preferred tooth replacement method. A dental implant is not just a cosmetic fix – it actually replaces the tooth root. This restores the tooth to full function and improves your oral health.
We Work With You
Drs. Mitchell and Schneider are sensitive to the fact that either of these options requires careful thought and consideration on your part. We will never push any dental treatment, and we will work with you to assess your oral health needs as well as any financial considerations that may be a determining factor.
Please give us a call and we will be happy to arrange a consultation to discuss your needs.
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Steven Mitchell DDS
Dr. Mitchell attended Florida State University and The University of Notre Dame for his undergraduate education and obtained his dental training at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and the University of Memphis. He also has extensive postgraduate education, specifically selecting courses focusing on oral surgery and dental implants. His most recent training in full-mouth rehabilitation allows him to provide smile makeovers to his patients for confident, healthy, beautiful smiles. His commitment to lifelong education means he is constantly evaluating emerging dental methods and technologies in order to provide ...