San Antonio Dental Emergency

When you’re in pain due to a dental emergency, the most important thing is to stop the pain and get you comfortable—right away. At Oak Hills Endodontics, we save time in our schedule to accommodate emergencies. We will see you today during our regular business hours, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

What’s a Dental Emergency?

The most common dental emergency is a toothache brought on by infection. It can be very painful. It can hurt by itself or can be brought on by heat or cold. There might be swelling confined to your gum or involving the side of your face.

Tooth infection is ordinarily caused by tooth decay. When decay penetrates your tooth’s enamel and dentin, bacteria can eventually get into the pulp of your tooth—the living tissue inside your tooth. Infection causes swelling. The complication here is that, being inside your tooth, there is no room for it to swell, so instead it causes a painful toothache. In time, that tissue will die and it may seem that the infection has gone away. However, the infection will then leak into the bone, leading to an abscess. Treating dental infections promptly is important because they can spread, threatening your tooth, your jawbone, and even your life. Fortunately, tooth infections are easy to treat when handled promptly.

At your emergency dental appointment, we will treat the infection and immediately relieve your pain. We will then discuss full treatment, which will probably mean a root canal treatment. This will ensure that the infection doesn’t return. As endodontists, we are root canal specialists. We have completed years of training in treating problems inside the tooth, including pain and decay. Sometimes, a damaged tooth can be difficult to save. In those cases, an endodontist can make the difference.

If Your Tooth Is Knocked Out

If a tooth has been knocked out from a traumatic injury, it’s important to get to the dentist right away. Wrap the tooth in a moist (not dripping wet) towel and come in immediately. If you can get here within 20 or 30 minutes, we may be able to save the tooth.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, more than 5 million people in the U.S. suffer an avulsed tooth each year. Common causes are car accidents, sports injuries, and simple falls. If the avulsed tooth is returned to its socket promptly, the ligaments attached to the root will still be alive and may be able to reconnect with the bone. It will be important to bond some type of attachment to the adjacent teeth so it doesn’t move during healing. The nerve and blood supply to the inside of the tooth will be severed, so it will need a root canal treatment.

Anxiety at the Emergency Dentist

When you come to us in pain, we want you to feel good again. We never judge your dental situation, and we understand how anxious some people feel at the dentist. Dental anxiety is common.

What causes dental anxiety?

• Previous bad experiences
• Extra-sensitive teeth
• Fear of the novocain needle
• Difficulty getting numb

There are things we can do to reduce your dental anxiety. We always talk to you about your dental needs and options honestly and without judgment. We use numbing gel and good technique to deliver the novocain injection comfortably. However, for some patients that is not enough. If you are among the many Americans who need sedation to tolerate dental care, we also provide that.

Sedation for Dental Anxiety

Dental anxiety worsens pain, and pain causes anxiety. That’s why anxious patients often can’t get numb with novocain alone. The only way to get effective pain relief is to treat the anxiety as well. To do this, we use either nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation, depending on your needs and preferences. Nitrous oxide, sometimes called laughing gas, is a time-tested sedative has been used by dentists since the mid-1800s. Oral conscious sedation is provided with Halcion. It’s a small pill you will take before your appointment. The effects last about 2 to 4 hours.

Click here to read more about our sedation options.

If you’re having a dental emergency, please call us at 210-342-2444. We have time reserved in our schedule to see you and relieve your pain today during our regular business hours. While many of our patients are referred by their general dentist, no referral is necessary.