What is a dental emergency?

Dental emergencies, according to the ADA, “Are potentially life-threatening and require immediate treatment to stop ongoing tissue bleeding [or to] alleviate severe pain or infection.”

If you require immediate dental treatment to stop bleeding, alleviate pain, or prevent tooth loss, this is generally considered an emergency. Dental situations that are not considered dental emergencies might include a chipped tooth or a lost crown or filling – unless you’re experiencing severe pain.

Examples of urgent dental care treatments, which should be treated as minimally invasively as possible, include:

-Severe dental pain from inflammation.
-Uncontrolled bleeding from dental extraction
-Broken or fractured teeth resulting in pain or causing soft tissue trauma
-Molar pain
–Jaw injuries
-Bacterial infection resulting in localised pain and swelling.
-Surgical dry socket dressing changes.
-Dental trauma with avulsion/ luxation.
-Dental treatment cementation if the temporary restoration is lost, broken or causing gingival irritation.