Dental Emergency FAQ

Seek emergency dental care if you experience:

• Dental pain or discomfort
• Pain when chewing
• Pain to hot and/or cold
• Abscesses or swelling
• Cracked, broken, or loose teeth
• Hole in your tooth
• Dark spots on teeth
• Bleeding inside the mouth
• Broken fillings, crowns, bridges, or dentures

To learn more, check out our blog post on the differences between urgent and non-urgent dental care.

Yes, we are accepting new patients! If you are new to our dental practice, we will treat your emergency but we’d also like to establish a long-term relationship to help you maintain oral health. Our mission is to positively impact the lives of our patients through oral health and wellness.

The most common services we offer for emergencies include root canals, tooth extractions, fillings, and dental crowns. But it’s important to understand that each patient is different.

All our dentists are active members of the American Dental Association, Michigan Dental Association, and the West Michigan District Dental Society. Our dentists also have hundreds of hours of continuing education to keep them up to date on the latest treatment procedures.

We submit to all insurances (with the exception of Medicaid) and help you maximize your benefits!

The sooner you seek emergency dentistry, the better. During your appointment, we’ll identify the source of your pain and discomfort. Once our dentists diagnose the issue, they’ll recommend treatment to restore oral health.

First, schedule an appointment with one of our emergency dentists. The dental pain won’t go away until we treat the root cause. In the meantime, many patients take over-the-counter pain relievers to help soothe a toothache. You may also apply a cold compress to your cheek to reduce any swelling.

No, we use local anesthetic and sedation to keep you comfortable during your procedure. Once we treat the source of your dental pain, you’ll start to notice relief after your appointment.

Bander Dental Group is accepting new patients! If you have a dental emergency, schedule an appointment with our office and we’ll determine an appropriate course of action.

A lost dental crown isn’t an emergency. But we will need to re-cement the dental crown within the next few days.

In the meantime, we recommend placing the crown back on your tooth with some temporary dental cement from your local pharmacy. Once your crown is in place, bite down onto a dry washcloth to apply even pressure. After a few minutes have passed, wipe away any extra adhesive.

For more details, check out our blog post on what to do if you lose your dental crown.

It’s normal to experience mild tooth sensitivity every once in a while. But you should schedule an appointment with our office if tooth sensitivity lasts more than a day or two. You may have sensitive teeth because your gums are receding from periodontitis, but you won’t know for sure until you see one of our dentists.

Floss between your teeth to gently remove the object. If this doesn’t work, call our office to schedule an appointment. Do NOT use anything sharp (like a knife) to dislodge the object. You could get seriously hurt!

A darkened tooth, along with intense dental pain, could indicate an abscess. Call our office right away to determine if you need an emergency root canal. During a root canal, we’ll remove any infected tooth pulp and seal the tooth with a dental crown.

Quick action can save a tooth! Follow our steps below.

1. Pick up the tooth by the top (crown). Do NOT touch the roots.
2. Place a towel in the sink so you can’t lose your tooth down the drain.
3. Gently rinse the tooth off. Do NOT scrub the tooth or remove any attached tissue.
4. If possible, gently place the tooth back in its socket. Hold the tooth in place and carefully bite down. If the tooth won’t go back in its socket, go to the next step.
5. Submerge the tooth in a container of milk.
6. Call our office for same-day emergency dentistry.

If you wait too long to follow these steps, we may not be able to re-implant the tooth in its socket.

If you have a minor chip in your tooth that doesn’t hurt, you may be able to wait a few days until seeing one of our dentists. But you should still call our office right away to get your appointment scheduled.

During your appointment, one of our dentists will most likely repair the tooth with cosmetic bonding.

A deep, painful crack in your tooth is a dental emergency. Call our office as soon as possible to see one of our 24/7 emergency dentists. A deep crack could mean that there’s damage you can’t see inside the tooth itself.

Follow our steps below until you’re able to see one of our dentists:

1. Gently rinse your mouth with warm water.
2. Apply a cold compress to your face to reduce any swelling.
3. Take acetaminophen (not aspirin) according to the directions on the box to relieve pain.

You may need a root canal if the pulp inside your tooth is infected. Otherwise, you may be able to get away with needing only a crown. We won’t be able to provide any specifics about your case until we examine the inside of your mouth and take X-rays.

First, you’ll need to gently rinse the inside of your mouth with warm water. If your tongue is bleeding, gently pull it forward and apply pressure on the injury with gauze. Your next step will be to call our office.

If you’re experiencing any pain, we recommend taking acetaminophen as directed on the box’s label. Do NOT take aspirin or ibuprofen as these are anticoagulants. Taking these medications will make you bleed more!

No, an abscess or infection won’t go away on its own. The longer you wait, the more likely the infection will spread to your jaw or other areas of the head and neck. Once this happens, you increase your risk of developing a life-threatening condition called sepsis. Our advice is to call our emergency dentists as soon as possible so they can safely drain the abscess and potentially perform a root canal.