Sometimes life throws you lemons, and sometimes those lemons are in the form of emergency dental situations. When this occurs, it’s in one’s interest to address these issues as quickly as possible, as neglecting them can lead to long-term health consequences. Below, we cover key questions to ask when scheduling emergency dental appointments.
Prior to receiving any kind of dental work, you’ll have to schedule an appointment. You can make your operation go smoother if you ask the right questions during this appointment.
Questions to Ask When Scheduling Emergency Dental Appointments
If you’re experiencing an emergency dental situation and need to schedule an appointment, here are some of the right questions to ask to make your procedure as smooth as possible.
What Types of Symptoms Are You Experiencing?
Accurately describing the exact set of painful symptoms you are experiencing can help your dentist hone in on the exact nature of the emergency. Make sure to record what you are experiencing to the most accurate level possible. In some cases, patients might believe they’re in a dental emergency when they’re actually not. This can easily be determined if your dentist has a good look at the situation.
Is the Pain Constant? Are You Sensitive to Heat and Cold?
These two questions can help to determine whether or not you’re experiencing an endodontic problem. If it is, you may be referred to the endodontist over a general dentist. Endodontists are a type of specialized dentist that works with tooth pain, disease, and infection.
How Long Has This Tooth Been Bothering You?
This question will likely prompt the clinical team to look at the patient’s chart and X-rays prior to seeing the patient. This can help them determine if there is any relevant dental history to stay apprised of in their contemporary operation.
Do You Have a Crown, and What Is Its Status?
This question helps the dentist know whether or not the operation will involve re-cementing a new crown. This can help gauge the amount of time to schedule for your appointment. In addition, it will prompt them to examine your insurance options, as crown replacement is costly. This will ultimately save you time when you head in for treatment.
Did You Have a Root Canal on This Tooth?
If the tooth in question is causing your pain and it formerly had a root canal, it may not be restorable. This may result in the patient needing to have the tooth extracted. This will ultimately influence the amount of time you need to schedule for an appointment.
The Nature of The Issue
Determining whether your dental emergency is from neglect and decay or from accidents and trauma can inform your dentist on how to prepare for your procedure.
When dental decay reaches a certain stage, the teeth’s enamel and other protective layers begin to retreat, exposing the teeth’s sensitive interior layers and causing pain and discomfort.
In severe situations, the tooth may deteriorate to the point where it starts to rot and exposes the delicate nerves beneath, which may result in excruciating pain as well as a variety of other problems. These kinds of circumstances can occasionally be emergencies requiring a quick extraction.
One the other hand, traumatic accidents often eject teeth from the mouth in forceful, harmful ways. These types of accidents can impact the teeth in more unpredictable ways than tooth decay. Many times, these situations will require replacement dentures and other types of synthetic teeth in order to replace entire teeth or sets of teeth.
Finding the Right Dentist
Emergency dental circumstances require the same level of caution and precision as medical crises. To make sure you get the finest care possible, you must find a dentist who can handle issues like these.
Generally speaking, the following characteristics can assist you in choosing the best dentist for your needs:
- Seek out a reputable one.
- Locate one that is reachable in an emergency
- Locate one that suits your budget.
- Locate a dentist with the right infrastructure and tools.
You can make sure you get the best care possible by keeping an eye out for these characteristics. Calling ahead with the right set of questions can also help you play an active role in your own recovery.
Mission Viejo’s Top Dentist
Mission Viejo Dental is one of the best dentists you can ask for in terms of dealing with emergency dental situations. If you’re a client in California who’s worried that they might be undergoing some type of situation that requires the services of an emergency dentist, feel free to give our office a call to receive the essential treatment necessary.