If you have a serious problem with your teeth outside of office hours or you suffer an injury that requires immediate attention, you need to seek the services of an emergency dentist. It is imperative that you know when a situation requires emergency treatment or not. Some dentists lack on-call services, but you can still avoid a visit to the hospital simply by seeking a clinic in Sault Ste Marie who does handle emergencies, such as Cho Family Dentistry.

What Constitutes as a Dental Emergency?

Before calling a dentist, you need to know what situations require urgent care. This tends to depend more on the severity than type of injury. Cracked and broken teeth caused by impact or biting hard food require medical attention if the damage is extensive. You should always see an emergency dentist if a large piece of your tooth breaks off, you suffer nerve damage, or you knock a tooth out completely.

Dental emergencies also include severe toothaches and other types of intense pain. When accompanied by a fever, this may suggest you have an abscess. If you have suffered a blow to the face, it could even be a sign of a fractured jaw. If you are ever unsure whether you have an emergency, it is best to call your dentist and describe the symptoms rather than risk waiting.

What Can Wait Until Morning?

If you slightly chip a tooth or suffer a minor fracture outside of office hours, it is better to wait until the next day. Once the clinic reopens, you can contact your dentist to book an appointment as soon as possible to restore your smile. Damage to a front tooth will impact your appearance, but if it is only cosmetic it will have no impact on your health and is therefore not an emergency.