Chang Dental Group provides emergency dentistry for patients in Natick and throughout the MetroWest region of Massachusetts.
What Is Emergency Dentistry?
Emergency dentistry refers to the treatment of urgent dental situations. If you have pain or an injury that is not life threatening but is severe enough that it can’t wait until the next day, it would be considered a dental emergency.
Why Choose Chang Dental Group?
Expert Care - Excellent Results
With more than 20 years of experience in the field of dentistry, we’ve established a reputation for excellence, providing quality dental care for patients of all ages. We are among the top-rated dental practices in the area, with hundreds of positive reviews.
Our doctors are highly educated and skilled in dentistry and dental specialties, having earned degrees from top universities such as Harvard and Tufts. Many of our doctors were also former faculty of the aforementioned universities and continue teaching in their respective fields. As highly qualified doctors, we are able to provide an advanced level of care that can improve and maintain your dental health.
Dental Emergencies We Treat
We provide treatment for the following dental emergencies:
- Severe toothache and infection. Tooth pain can be excruciating. Severe tooth pain is typically caused by an infected tooth. If your pain can’t be managed with over-the-counter pain medication, call us right away. Your tooth may need emergency root canal treatment. A root canal involves removing the infected dental pulp from the inside of the tooth and replacing it with a filling material to prevent reinfection. We use a microscope for root canal procedures to ensure we clean out and fill every portion of the root canal to prevent the need for retreatment. In some cases, the tooth may not be able to be saved with a root canal and will need to be extracted.
- Broken tooth. A broken tooth needs to be addressed as soon as possible. If a significant amount of tooth material is broken off, the tooth may be painful and at risk of infection. In most cases, a broken tooth can be saved with a crown. The tooth may also need a root canal procedure before the crown is placed to ensure that there is no infection. If the damage to the tooth is too extensive, it may need to be extracted.
- Knocked out tooth. If a tooth gets knocked out, time is of the essence. You may only have about 30 minutes to get the tooth put back in place to save it. If you can, put the tooth back in the socket and bite down on some clean gauze or cloth. If you can’t put it back, place it in a cup of saliva or milk. Call us immediately either way so that we can provide the necessary treatment.
- Soft tissue injuries. A soft tissue injury may need to be addressed quickly depending on the severity. Biting through the lip or tongue, a cut or split lip, or any other severe injury to the mouth should be treated according to the urgency of the situation. Call us during or after business hours, and we will determine when to see you. If there is uncontrollable bleeding, proceed to an emergency department or urgent care facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should you put a knocked out baby tooth back in the socket?
If a baby tooth gets knocked out before it is naturally shed, don’t try to put it back in the socket. It could damage the permanent tooth underneath. Only place a permanent tooth back in the socket if it is accidentally knocked out.
What is the difference between a broken tooth and a chipped tooth?
A small chip off of a corner of a tooth is not as urgent as a tooth with a large portion broken off. One of the biggest factors in terms of urgency is pain. A chipped tooth may not be painful at all, which means it can probably wait until regular office hours. A tooth with a large portion broken off will most likely be painful and require urgent attention.
Is a toothache a true dental emergency?
A toothache can be very painful. It is most likely caused by infection inside of the tooth, causing severe inflammation. If the pain is severe enough that over-the-counter pain medication does not provide relief and you can’t sleep or concentrate, please give us a call. Prompt treatment could save your tooth.
When does a soft tissue injury need stitches?
Stitches are often used on soft tissue injuries to hold the tissue together and stop the bleeding. If the bleeding won’t stop or if the cut is deep, it may need to be stitched in order to heal more effectively.
Are You Dealing with a Dental Emergency?
In case of a dental emergency, call 508-653-0444 to reach our Natick office. If your emergency occurs after hours, please follow the instructions on the voicemail and someone will be in contact with you shortly. In case of a life threatening emergency, call 911 or proceed to the nearest hospital emergency department.