Emergency Dentist Springfield

Treating Dental Injuries Any Time of Day

Bearded man rubbing jaw in pain

Dr. Alkamary encourages patients to adopt good oral hygiene habits to minimize the risk of common oral health problems, like cavities and gum disease, as well as potential injuries. Unfortunately, not all dental damage is avoidable, which is why she offers emergency dentistry in Springfield. With same-day, after-hours, and weekend appointments available for patients in need, you can call and get help for your broken, chipped, cracked, or knocked-out tooth right away.

Why Choose Glamorous Smile Dental Spa for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day, After-Hours &
    Weekend Appointments Available
  • Dental Sedation Options to
    Calm Nerves & Promote Comfort
  • We Welcome Dental Insurance
    & Offer Flexible Financing

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Man sitting in chair rubbing jaw in pain

Whether your dental injury occurs during office hours, in the evening, or on a weekend day, you are instructed to first call our office for help. If it is a life-threatening situation, go to a local emergency room for immediate care. Otherwise, a member of our team will determine how severe your injury is and explain when you should come in for treatment. The following steps will then be taken:

  • When arriving at our dental office in Springfield, we will take X-rays of your mouth and start alleviating the pain you’re experiencing.
  • After crafting a treatment plan with the help of a visual examination and review of your diagnostic images, Dr. Alkamary will go over the details with you during the appointment.
  • If treatment can be provided the same day, she will make sure you leave with a fully restored smile. If multiple visits are required, she will explain the process so that you can resume life with a healthier, intact set of teeth.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Dr. Alkamary addresses all types of dental emergencies. While some require immediate care at a local ER (i.e., fractured jaw, severe bleeding, continuous swelling that inhibits breathing, etc.), most can be successfully treated in-house with the help of our qualified team. Feel free to click on the icons below to discover which problems we see most often and how you can manage your injury in the meantime.

Toothache

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? If you’re struggling with a toothache in Springfield, don’t take the “wait and see” approach. After all, your pain receptors are there to let you know when something is wrong! So, it’s important that you call our team at Glamorous Smile Dental Spa right away.

How You Should Handle a Toothache: To alleviate any discomfort you’re experiencing in the short term, we recommend using a cold compress, sticking to room-temperature water, and taking OTC pain medication as directed. It’s also a good idea to avoid acidic and sugary foods since they can exacerbate your symptoms.

How We Treat Toothaches: We offer several restorative treatments at our office, including tooth-colored fillings and crowns. Once we’ve completed a comprehensive oral exam and pinpointed the root of the problem, we can discuss your treatment options and help you decide which one is ideal for you.

Chipped Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? The urgency of the situation depends largely on the severity of the damage. If the chip is substantial enough that you’re experiencing considerable sensitivity, then you should call us right away to schedule an emergency visit.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth: It’s important to do what you can to prevent the tooth from breaking further, like eating only extremely soft foods. Covering the sharp edge with dental wax or sugar-free gum will also help protect your tongue, lips, and the insides of your cheeks from getting cut.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth: There are several ways we can restore the missing structure, including with cosmetic dental bonding or a custom veneer. Ultimately, the one we recommend for you will depend on the severity of the damage, your smile goals, and your budget.

Cracked Tooth

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, so it’s important that you schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist in Springfield, Dr. Alkamary, ASAP.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth: There are a few steps we recommend taking, starting with calling us to schedule an emergency exam. It’s also important to rinse with clean, room-temperature water periodically, to not chew on that side of your mouth, and to avoid crunchy and sticky foods entirely.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth: First, we need to examine the tooth to determine if it can be saved. If the damage is so severe that our only choice is to extract it, don’t worry – we will replace it with a custom dental bridge or implant so you don’t have a compromised smile or bite moving forward.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH EXTRACTIONS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Not always, no. With that said, you should give us a call, especially if the symptoms are new or are progressively getting worse. That way, we can complete an exam and determine if an untreated oral health problem is to blame.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth: There are a few steps we recommend taking, starting with scheduling an appointment with us. Until your visit, try using a desensitizing toothpaste, avoiding spicy and acidic foods, and, if needed, taking OTC pain medication as directed.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth: Before we can share our recommendations, we need to complete a comprehensive oral exam. Once we’ve pinpointed the root of the problem, we can discuss your treatment options, share how we recommend proceeding, and answer any questions you have.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes! So, if you lose a tooth in Springfield, it’s important that you act fast. Call us ASAP so we can schedule an emergency appointment and walk you through what to do to save your tooth.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth: Scheduling an emergency visit within the hour is an important first step. It’s also crucial to locate the tooth, pick it up by the crown, and place it back in its socket. If it doesn’t slide back into position easily, don’t force it. Instead, put it in a clean container filled with milk or saline solution.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth: Ideally, Dr. Alkamary will be able to save your tooth. However, that isn’t always possible. For example, if the tooth was lost or damaged in transport, then she will need to replace it with a custom dental bridge or implant instead.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? While your tooth isn’t in immediate danger, it is vulnerable without the restoration securely in place. So, if you can, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our emergency dentist in Springfield the same day.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown: There are a few things you should NOT do, like chewing on that side of your mouth. Instead, you should stick to extremely soft foods, opt for room-temperature water, and place your restoration in a small, clean container for safekeeping.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns: Once you arrive at our office, Dr. Alkamary will take a look at your tooth and your restoration. Then, she will discuss your treatment options and her recommendation regarding the best way to proceed. For example, if you have your dental crown and it’s in good condition, then she may suggest recementing it back in place instead of having a new one made.

Broken Dentures

Is a Broken Denture a Dental Emergency?: A broken denture in Springfield is not a problem that you can afford to ignore for too long. Wearing a broken denture can end up causing serious problems for your gums, your soft oral tissues, and any teeth you still have. Please let us know right away if your dentures have been damaged.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture: Attempting to repair a denture on your own could end up making the existing problem worse. The best thing to do is to keep the prosthesis in a safe place until our team is able to see you.

How We Treat Broken Dentures: We’ll take a look at your dentures and evaluate the extent of the damage. In some cases, it may be possible to repair the prosthesis. However, if the damage is particularly severe, replacing the denture altogether may be the only option. This can potentially be a good chance to upgrade to implant dentures.

Learn More About Dental Implants

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency?: Your permanent teeth are meant to last the rest of your life. If one of them comes loose, it should always be treated as an emergency situation. A tooth might come loose as a consequence of an untreated oral health problem, but it can also be the result of physical trauma.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth: Once you’ve scheduled your appointment with our team, you should take steps to protect your loose tooth. That means staying away from any foods that are particularly hard or sticky. Additionally, you shouldn’t try to brush or floss the affected tooth; to keep the area around it clean, simply rinse with warm salt water. 

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth: Once we’ve identified the underlying cause of your loose tooth, we’ll take whatever steps we can to try and save it. In some situations, we may not have any choice but to remove the tooth; if that happens, we’ll make sure you’re aware of your options for filling in the gap.

Learn More About Dental Implants

Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment 

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency?: Sometimes an injury involving your mouth can cause your gums, lips, or tongue to bleed. If this happens to you, call us immediately; depending on the situation, we may be able to help.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: Cuts inside the mouth can potentially lead to an infection. As such, it’s important to rinse the injured area with water to get rid of any debris. You can put a stop to bleeding by gently applying a piece of gauze or a clean washcloth to the cut.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: If the injury is relatively minor, our team may be able to stitch it closed. But if you’re experiencing a more severe injury (such as one that won’t stop bleeding even after you put pressure on it), you should head to the nearest emergency room for care.

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency?: Jaw pain is not always a dental emergency, but it can have a negative impact on your quality of life. Furthermore, it’s not uncommon for jaw pain to be a sign of a larger oral health issue. We recommend that you call us if you’re suffering from jaw pain that doesn’t seem to go away.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: Jaw pain can often be managed with over-the-counter pain medication or an ice pack. We can give more specific tips over the phone when you call our office to schedule an appointment.

How We Treat Jaw Pain: Once we’ve figured out what’s causing your jaw pain, we can help you figure out the best way to alleviate it. This may involve personalized TMJ treatment or wisdom tooth extraction.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Oftentimes, when something gets trapped between your teeth, there’s a good chance that you can resolve the issue on your own. Flossing and rinsing with water can be good options for removing any debris that has gotten caught in your smile. (Do not use a toothpick or another sharp object; it could end up injuring your gums on accident.)

If you find that you’re unable to remove the object in question on your own, or if you’re experiencing a lot of pain, you can call our dental team. We can gently remove the foreign material from your smile before it can lead to further issues.