Emergency Dentistry
Emergency Dentist in Winston-Salem, NC
Twin Oaks Dentistry provides emergency dental care for patients throughout Winston-Salem, NC, ready to see you quickly when a broken tooth, severe pain, or a dental injury cannot wait for a routine appointment. Dr. Baust and Dr. Joyce understand that a dental emergency rarely happens at a convenient time, and our team works to get you seen, diagnosed, and out of pain as quickly as possible.
What Counts as a Dental Emergency?
A dental emergency is any dental problem involving significant pain, bleeding, swelling, or a real risk of losing a tooth if it goes untreated. Situations that call for same-day care include:
- A tooth that has been knocked out or is hanging loose after an injury
- A cracked or broken tooth care situation where a fracture exposes the inner nerve
- Severe, throbbing tooth pain that will not go away
- A dental abscess or facial swelling near the jaw or gums
- Uncontrolled bleeding in the mouth following an injury
- A lost crown or filling that leaves a tooth exposed and painful
What Is Not Considered a Dental Emergency?
Not every dental issue needs same-day attention. A minor chip with no pain, mild sensitivity to hot or cold, a lost filling that is not causing discomfort, or a loose denture that is merely inconvenient can usually wait for a regular appointment as part of your routine general dentistry care. If you are ever unsure whether your situation qualifies as urgent dental care near me, call our office and describe your symptoms. Our team can help you decide whether you need to come in right away or schedule a routine visit.
How Quickly Can You Be Seen for an Emergency Appointment?
Twin Oaks Dentistry works to see emergency patients the same day whenever possible. During office hours, call us right away and we will fit you in as a same-day emergency dentist visit around our existing schedule. If your emergency happens outside business hours, call the office and leave a detailed message. Our team monitors these calls and returns them as soon as possible so we can guide you on next steps and get you on the schedule quickly.
What Should You Do if You Knock Out a Tooth?
Acting quickly gives a knocked-out tooth treatment the best chance of success. Here is what to do:
- Pick the tooth up by the crown (the chewing surface), never the root
- Rinse it gently with water if it is dirty, without scrubbing or removing any tissue
- Try to place it back in the socket if you can do so comfortably
- If it will not go back in, keep it moist in milk or a cup of your own saliva
- Call our office immediately and get to Twin Oaks Dentistry within 30 minutes if you can
How Can You Relieve Tooth Pain Before Your Appointment?
An over-the-counter pain reliever, taken as directed, along with a cold compress against the outside of the cheek, can help take the edge off a severe toothache while you wait to be seen. A gentle saltwater rinse can also ease irritation around the gums. Avoid placing aspirin or any medication directly against the gum tissue, since this can burn and damage the area rather than relieve pain. These steps are meant to help you get comfortable on the way to your visit, not to replace treatment for severe tooth pain relief.
What Happens During an Emergency Dental Visit?
An emergency visit starts with a focused exam and, in most cases, an X-ray so Dr. Baust or Dr. Joyce can see exactly what is happening beneath the surface. From there, they will walk you through what they found and the treatment options available, answering questions before any decisions are made.
Because our office offers same-day crowns and other efficient restorative options, many emergency situations, from a cracked tooth to a failed filling, can be diagnosed and treated in a single visit rather than requiring you to come back another day.
Should You Go to the Emergency Room or an Emergency Dentist?
Go to the emergency room for a broken or dislocated jaw, uncontrollable bleeding, or swelling severe enough to affect your breathing or swallowing, since these need immediate medical attention. For nearly everything else, including a knocked-out tooth, a severe toothache, an abscess, or a broken tooth, Twin Oaks Dentistry is the right call. Knowing where to go for a dental emergency can save valuable time, since hospital emergency rooms are generally not equipped to perform dental treatment and often refer patients back to a dentist once any medical risk is addressed.
What Are the Most Common Dental Emergencies?
In our experience, a handful of situations account for most of the emergency dentistry visits we see:
- Severe toothaches caused by untreated decay or infection reaching the nerve
- Broken or chipped teeth from a fall, sports injury, or biting something hard
- Lost crowns, fillings, or other restorations that leave a tooth sensitive or sharp
- Dental abscesses that cause facial swelling and a persistent, throbbing ache
- Emergency tooth extraction needs when a tooth is too damaged or infected to save
How Much Does Emergency Dental Care Cost?
The cost of an emergency visit depends entirely on what your tooth needs, since a simple exam and a same-day crown are priced very differently than an extraction or a more involved repair. Before we move forward with any treatment, our team walks you through what we recommend and what it will cost so there are no surprises. We also help patients understand what their dental insurance may cover for urgent care, and we discuss payment options for anyone who needs them. Our goal is always to give you a clear picture upfront, so you can make an informed decision about your treatment without feeling rushed during an already stressful moment.
What Should You Do About Severe Pain or Swelling?
Call Twin Oaks Dentistry right away and describe your symptoms in detail so our team can determine how quickly you need to be seen. Severe swelling that is spreading toward your eye or neck, or that is making it hard to breathe or swallow, needs emergency room care first. Everything short of that, including significant pain and localized swelling around a single tooth, is exactly the kind of same-day dental appointment our office is built to handle.
Why Choose Twin Oaks Dentistry for Emergency Dentistry
Dr. Edward Baust III and Dr. Chase Joyce, both members of the American Dental Association and the North Carolina Dental Society, bring a calm, attentive approach to a situation that is rarely calm for the patient walking through the door. Our contemporary office, with a complimentary coffee and drink bar and televisions in every treatment room, is designed to keep you comfortable even on a stressful day.
Same-day crowns and other efficient restorative options, part of our full range of services, mean many emergencies are fully resolved in one visit, and our friendly, attentive staff is committed to making sure you feel heard and cared for from the moment you call.
Call Twin Oaks Dentistry the Moment a Dental Emergency Strikes
Twin Oaks Dentistry is open and ready to help patients throughout Winston-Salem, NC who are dealing with a dental emergency right now. If you are in pain, dealing with a broken tooth, or unsure whether your situation needs same-day care, call our office and our team will help you the moment you reach out.
As your trusted emergency dentist Winston-Salem NC families rely on, Twin Oaks Dentistry is here for you and your smile when you need us most.