emergency dentists - north shore suburbs and west auckland

Emergency Dentist on the North Shore

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Miniature figurines on a pink background showcasing general dentistry.

If it hurts, it's an emergency!

If you’re unsure if a dental problem is an emergency, consider this hint: if it hurts, it’s a dental emergency! 

Keep this in mind: even if your injury seems small, it can still affect the living tissues inside the teeth. Quick dental treatment improves the odds of saving injured or damaged teeth, and, consequently, damaged nerves or blood vessels. 

If you ignore dental pain or dental injury, you’re taking a chance because there is also a risk of getting an infection, which can become life-threatening.

Trauma and Sport Injuries

If your tooth is displaced by trauma or knocked out of the socket, call us as soon as possible for appropriate dental treatment. Any dental injury is distressing, especially when a permanent tooth is knocked out, but there is a chance to save it with immediate dental care. 

There are times when a tooth can be re-implanted and saved if done promptly. Teeth that are reinserted into their socket within twenty minutes have the best chance of surviving, so call our dental clinic as soon as humanely possible after injury.  

A few helpful tips to know while waiting for dental care (especially while getting on your way to us!):

  • If the tooth is out of the socket, make sure to handle the tooth only by its crown, not by its root.
  • If you are unsure about reimplanting the tooth, clean the tooth under running water and place it in milk. Do not store the tooth in water.
  • Cold packs are helpful, or even ice cubes placed either inside the mouth or above your injured tooth. These can reduce pain and swelling before the patient reaches our dental clinic.
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If you play sports, you are more likely to sustain damage to the teeth when not wearing a protective mouthguard. A fractured tooth’s cost may be greater than the cost of a dentist-diagnosed and designed professionally-made mouthguard. You can get one of these ordered at our dental clinic.

A group of children are smiling despite trauma.
A tooth-wielding toy golfer on a green background.

Abscessed Teeth

Pain when you bite or chew, especially if it is accompanied by a foul odour and a bad taste, can be a sign of an abscess that needs immediate treatment.

An abscessed tooth will cause an unrelenting and spontaneous pain that may last anywhere from 30 seconds to hours at a time. Triggers can be irritants, food, heat or cold. It may be accompanied by swelling, and you may experience discomfort when swallowing.

If this is your case, this could be considered a dental emergency, and you will need to visit one of our skilled dentists as soon as possible. In the worst-case scenario, the tooth may require root canal therapy or may need to be extracted during dental treatment. 

We will give you all your options once we can have the tooth examined at the dental clinic, including antibiotics, should they be required.

In any case, getting you out of pain and comfortable is our immediate goal.

Infections

Infections that cause swelling of the face or fever must be addressed quickly by a dentist and may not wait until business hours begin. We offer advice 24 hours a day (public holidays inclusive) through our after-hours service so that you can get the dental care you need in the case of a dental emergency. 

In the case of an impacted tooth, dental abscess or trauma, then the inflammation is your body’s response to the injury or infection. As a result, you may experience pain, swelling, redness, warmth, or loss of function of the affected area or tooth. If you are suffering from any of these types of infections, you need to be treated with careful dental care and should respond to antibiotic therapy.

In the event that the pain is unbearable and occurs in the middle of the night, contact our after-hours service for advice. Available 24 hours a day, even on public holidays. 

If you have any form of swelling, contact us straight away.

greenhithe dental
A group of tooth figurines on a stretcher in an emergency dentistry setting.

Broken or Lost Tooth / Crown / Veneer

Consider it a dental emergency if you have a lost filling or crown! Even if you don’t have any symptoms, the tooth has lost its support and could easily become weaker. Pieces could break off or crumble, and you would need more extensive dental treatment.

If you see your dentist right away, there’s a good chance he or she will be able to repair the damage with minimal dental treatment. Many times we can re-cement the crown without having to make a new one.

Remember, put your crown or veneer in a safe place and avoid things that make the tooth hurt. You may find that the uncovered tooth is irritating to your tongue, and therefore, we suggest you call us as soon as possible for re-cementation or place a temporary crown.

Broken Dentures or Partials

Teeth, as well as the clasps or the plastic base, can sometimes break or be separated from dentures or partials.

Most of these issues can be remedied through our laboratory, Epsom Dental Lab, during regular business hours, within 24 hours to 48 hours. 

For any dental emergency, contact us to assist you as soon as possible.

Greenhithe Dental

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