Emergency dental treatment may be necessary if you suffer from an intense toothache, a tooth has been chipped, knocked out, broken (especially at the gum line) or exposed a nerve. The need for emergency dental treatment will vary, depending on your situation. But even if you believe it is not too bad and urgent dental treatment is not needed, things could worsen if your dental problem is left untreated.
Emergency Dental Treatment for Children
When a child knocks a tooth out or suffers severe dental pain, they require urgent dental care so it’s best for everyone concerned to remain calm and rational. At the same time, you need to decide where to get emergency dental treatment. This means both the child and the parent or parents need to relax, which will help the child, mainly while emergency dental treatment is carried out at a dental clinic such as Signature Smile in Sydney.
How Do You Get Emergency Dental Treatment?
If you have a dental treatment emergency, many dentists in New South Wales operate after hours for treatment that is needed urgently. Some dental clinics provide an extended service on weekdays and are open at weekends. If you locate a dentist’s surgery that advertises emergency dental treatment or an emergency dental appointment, they could also answer the phone and try to triage. For optimal oral health, it’s always best not to delay dental treatment.
When to Seek Dental Emergency Treatment
If emergency treatment is needed for a child or adult, the sooner dental care by credentialled dental personnel is accessed, the better, especially if a tooth has been knocked out or the tooth or gum is infected. Emergency dentistry is usually needed as fast as possible for severe injuries to the mouth and teeth.
Emergency Dental Treatment During COVID-19
While many people are acting as if the Covid-19 Pandemic is over and the virus is no longer a risk, the truth is it’s not over by a long shot. According to the NSW Health website, updated on October 25, 2022, there is still a focus on “providing a safe health service for patients, their families and carers, and staff, while providing kind and compassionate care.”
This means emergency dental treatment during COVID-19 still includes precautionary measures, including screening questions, staff wearing PPE and being fully vaccinated or having at least two vaccinations. The Health Department developed COVID-19 guidelines for dental surgeries to assist practitioners in providing a safe environment for their staff and patients. If you have a cold or flu symptoms, please let the receptionist know before you arrive.
Reasons For Emergency Dental Treatment
The reasons for emergency dental treatment include the following:
Knocked-out tooth:
This is a good reason for emergency dental treatment since time is critical in saving the tooth.
Fractured, cracked, broken or chipped teeth:
The urgency would depend on the severity of the damage, and only a dentist can decide.
A severe toothache:
If the person’s face is swollen and their tooth is causing excruciating pain, it may need emergency dental treatment.
Lost, chipped or broken crown or filling:
Cavities can develop beneath crowns or fillings, causing them to fall out or expose a nerve. The tooth will require a new crown or filling, so the sooner you receive emergency dental treatment, the better.
Do Hospitals Treat Dental Emergencies?
Yes, NSW hospitals treat dental emergencies, as do the state-funded free dental clinics. Still, the conditions that are considered a dental emergency treated in a free clinic are as follows:
- Recent dental trauma or injury.
- Bleeding from the mouth that is uncontrollable.
- Facial swelling caused by a tooth infection.
Toothache in this situation isn’t considered a dental emergency. You are advised to seek treatment at the closest Hospital Emergency Department or hospital setting for a dental emergency after hours or on weekends.
Emergency Dental Treatment Cost
The Australian Government provides emergency dental services to the public to relieve patients’ dental pain. There is no emergency dental treatment cost for this service to those eligible. If you have a pensioner health care, a veteran’s affairs or other concession card and you’re searching online for “emergency dental treatment near me”, you may be put on a waitlist, depending on the severity of your case.
Emergency Dental Treatment at Private Practices
At private dental practices, a dental emergency treatment cost will differ depending on the damage or condition caused by your dental emergency. For example, a dental emergency treatment cost for a chipped tooth can range from $250 and $350. Emergency dental treatment involving a root canal can cost up to $1100, and an emergency tooth extraction can be between $200 and $600.
Why Choose Signature Smile?
At Signature Smile, we can help you with emergency dental treatment at the Randwick surgery from 8.30 am until 5.30 pm on weekdays and some Saturdays up until midday. The Sans Souci practice operates on those days from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm hours on weekdays but is closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and weekends.
If you’re searching for an “emergency dental treatment centre near me”, or you need urgent dental treatment or dental care, we treat patients from Sans Souci, Randwick, Bronte, Coogee, Clovelly, Kingsford, Matraville, Kensington, Ramsgate, and Brighton-Le-Sands. Contact us today at 02 9398 9398.
