Emergency Dentistry FAQs

Xpress Dental: Your Qualified Emergency Dentist

Emergency dental procedures are never fun, but when they are needed, you’ll be glad to have a dentist who can perform the procedure. Xpress Dental is the emergency dentist McAllen, TX trusts to remedy persistent toothaches, knocked-out teeth, abscesses, chipped and cracked teeth, and much more. When a regular appointment isn’t soon enough, you can turn to us for a prompt and effective emergency dentistry solution. Our emergency dental clinic serves primarily adult patients in McAllen, as well as those who live in the surrounding area. Don’t wait to resolve agonizing tooth pain, and don’t delay if a molar was knocked out. We can help. We’ve compiled a list of some of our most frequently asked questions about dental emergencies.

What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?

So you’ve experienced an accident where your teeth were impacted. Understanding what to do and when to do it is crucial to ensuring our emergency dentists can help you. Follow these steps, and you’ll be okay:

1. Decide who to call: Don’t panic! You don’t need to call 911 unless serious illness or life-threatening injury is involved. One exception to this would be a broken or fractured jaw, which an ER doctor would need to address.
2. Assess the situation: It helps to be able to give our emergency dentist an exact account of your injury and all the symptoms. Use a mirror to observe your teeth. Is it merely chipped? Are you in mild discomfort? If so, make a regular appointment with us and take ibuprofen as an emergency dental appointment isn’t needed. However, did a piece of the tooth break from the rest of the tooth? Are you bleeding significantly? Is the pain severe? In those cases, you need immediate treatment.
3. Control the situation: If you are bleeding profusely, it is critical to keep the bleeding to a minimum. Use clean gauze, cloth, or a handkerchief and bite down to apply pressure. You can take Tylenol or ibuprofen for the pain.
4. Give us a call: Even if the injury occurred after-hours, you can leave a message with our office. We can get you in to see us for your injury. We use digital x-rays to get a clear picture of the damage.
5. Visit the Emergency Room: If you absolutely must, you can visit the ER. While we can fit you into our schedule hours, we do understand some patients need immediate care. Hospitals have dentists on call.

What Do I Do If I Have a Chipped or Cracked Tooth?

Chipped and cracked teeth aren’t always an emergency, even if they hurt. In many cases, an emergency room visit isn’t necessary. If you chip or crack one or more of your teeth, the first step is to evaluate the situation closely. Take a look at your teeth in the mirror. If considerable blood loss accompanies the injury, then it constitutes an emergency. If you’re not bleeding, you should still take note of the condition of your teeth. Also, we understand the pain associated with even a minor tooth injury. We suggest ibuprofen or Tylenol until we can get you in to see us. Both over-the-counter pain relievers are effective at reducing chipped and cracked tooth-related pain.

What Does a Toothache Mean and How Do I Stop It?

Your teeth shouldn’t hurt, so a toothache is always a symptom of a more significant condition. Some are emergencies, and some of them aren’t. For instance, you might require a root canal. We can schedule your procedure during regular business hours. However, there is a difference between discomfort and severe pain. If you’re experiencing mild pain but can carry on with your daily activities, then schedule a regular appointment with Xpress Dental. Acute pain is typified by constant and intense throbbing or sharp, stabbing pain. As for at-home care, keep up a regimen of over-the-counter painkillers if the pain is mild. Give us a call if it is severe.

What Should I Do for a Knocked-Out Tooth?

Just as with other dental emergencies, don’t panic. Our emergency dentist advises you to place the knocked-out tooth back in its socket or submerge it in milk until you can see us. Do not touch the tooth by the root portion, as doing so could lead to infection. Parents of children whose baby teeth were knocked out should bring their child in to see us right away. The same is true for their permanent teeth. McAllen, TX parents shouldn’t wait for emergency dentistry.

What if My Child Needs Emergency Dental Care?

To receive optimal emergency dental care for your little ones, Dr. Tan at Xpress Dental recommends reaching out to an emergency pediatric dentist as their specialization makes them the best choice for your children.

Contact Our Experienced Dental Professionals Today

Xpress Dental’s emergency dental clinic has you covered, regardless of your emergency. We make sure to set aside an hour of our time each day for emergency appointments. This way, our McAllen, TX patients can be sure to receive emergency dentistry for knocked-out teeth, chipped and cracked teeth, severe toothaches, and other emergencies. We have years of experience providing dental services from everything from such as crowns and bridges to tooth extraction, so we know how to resolve the problem quickly. To learn more about Xpress Dental or to schedule an emergency appointment, contact us today.