Emergency Dentistry – Chevy Chase, MD

Expert Care for Hurting Smiles

Woman in pain before emergency dentistry

Maybe you bit down too hard on some crunchy food, or maybe an excruciating toothache is keeping you up at night. Whatever the case may be, you need professional attention right away. You might be tempted to make a beeline for the nearest ER, but they won’t have the specialized training to successfully treat dental problems. When a dental emergency strikes, get the expert care you need by calling Avant Dentistry. Dr. Annie Yu will get to the bottom of the issue and make sure your smile looks and feels better in no time with emergency dentistry in Chevy Chase, MD!

Why Choose Avant Dentistry for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Experienced Dentist Committed to Continuing Education
  • Most Dental Treatments Performed Under One Roof
  • Warm, Inviting Dental Office

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Man in pain during emergency dentistry treatment

If you or a loved one is experiencing an urgent dental problem, do your best to stay calm. Take a few deep breaths, and then call our dental office. You can then expect us to alleviate the situation by:

  • Scheduling your appointment – After asking about your symptoms over the phone, we’ll determine how quickly you need to come in. We can also provide first aid tips to help you manage your symptoms until then.
  • Conducting an emergency exam – As soon as you reach our dental office, Dr. Yu will thoroughly examine your teeth, gums, jaw, muscles, and joints to pinpoint the source of your discomfort.
  • Sharing our findings – Dr. Yu will show you the photographs she has taken of your mouth. From there, she can recommend a course of treatment, but you will be just as involved in the decision as she is.
  • Caring for your smile – Once you and Dr. Yu have reached an agreement in terms of how to proceed with treatment, she’ll get started on healing your smile.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

It’s not uncommon for patients to take a “wait and see” approach when faced with a dental issue. Unfortunately, teeth can’t repair themselves, so even if the problem seems small now, ignoring it will likely lead to more serious damage down the road. Here are some examples of dental emergencies that we see often; call us if you find yourself with one of them!

Animated tooth with lightning representing toothache

Toothaches

Animated chipped tooth

Chipped
Tooth

Animated cracked tooth

Cracked
Tooth

Animated sun and snowflake connected to represent heat and cold sensitivity

Sensitivity to
Hot & Cold

Animated tooth surrounded by emphasis lines representing knocked out tooth

Knocked-Out
Tooth

Animated tooth with a lost filling

Lost Filling
or Crown

Animated denture with a crack

Broken
Denture

Animated tooth crooked in gum tissue

Loose
Tooth

Animated mouth with a soft tissue injury

Gums, Lip or
Tongue Injury

Animated clenched teeth

Jaw Pain or
Clenching

Animated smile with something stuck between teeth

Something Stuck
Between Teeth

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

Dental team member and patient learning to understand the cost of dental emergencies

All dental emergencies are different, making it impossible to give a cost estimate until Dr. Yu has had the chance to evaluate your specific situation. However, one thing that all dental emergencies have in common is the fact that putting off treatment will only make them worse over time. Basically, the longer you wait to seek care, the more likely you are to need expensive procedures than you would have if you’d called our dental office as soon as you noticed a problem.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Dental patient brushing teeth to preventive dental emergencies
  • Brush and floss daily to keep your teeth strong and free of infection and decay.
  • Visit Avant Dentistry at least twice a year so that Dr. Yu can catch minor issues before they spiral into full-blown emergencies.
  • Always wear a nightguard if you grind your teeth and a mouthguard whenever you play sports.
  • Don’t use your teeth to open packaging/bottles, eat ice, chew on pen caps, or anything other than eating food.
More to Explore

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Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Toothaches are typically caused by problems such as decay and dental damage. Here are some signs that your toothache in Chevy Chase requires urgent care:

  • The pain lasts more than 24 hours
  • You feel a sharp discomfort when biting down
  • You experience sensitivity that lasts more than 30 seconds
  • You notice a small bump on the gums
  • The painful tooth appears darker than the surrounding teeth
  • You experience swelling, fever, or fatigue as a result of infection

How You Should Handle a Toothache: To make sure your toothache isn’t a result of something lodged between the teeth, try gently flossing around the affected tooth. If this doesn’t help your discomfort, you can take an over-the-counter pain medication as directed on the packaging and rinse your mouth with lukewarm salt water to help with any inflammation and clean the area. If you notice swelling, you can place a cold compress on the area for 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, for up to an hour at a time.

How We Treat Toothaches: The treatment for your toothache will depend on the severity of the decay, dental damage, or infection causing it. After we’ve examined your mouth, we may recommend a root canal, dental crown, or tooth-colored filling to address your discomfort.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Root Canals

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Chipped Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency?  Depending on whether a large portion of the tooth is missing or the damage is minor, you may not need to be treated right away. However, addressing your chipped tooth in Chevy Chase is necessary to minimize your risk of infection down the road and reduce any sensitivity as a result of the damage.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth: If you’re able to locate the missing portion of your tooth, pick them up, rinse them off, and store them in a container to bring to your appointment. Rinse your mouth with lukewarm saltwater to clear away any bacteria or debris from the area and avoid chewing anything on the side of your mouth with the chipped tooth. If the edge of the tooth is sharp, please a piece of sugarless gum or dental wax over the area to keep it from scraping the inside of your lips or cheeks.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth: In most situations, we’ll likely recommend repairing your tooth with cosmetic bonding or veneers, based on your preference. These are both designed to blend in with surrounding teeth so onlookers won’t be able to tell which of your teeth have been damaged in the past.

Learn More About Cosmetic Bonding

Learn More About Dental Veneers

Cracked Tooth

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? A cracked tooth in Chevy Chase is a dental emergency regardless of the extent of the damage because it can put your tooth at risk of infection. Cracks aren’t always easy to see, so it’s important to recognize if you’re experiencing other signs of dental damage, like excessive sensitivity after facial trauma.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth: Gently rinse your mouth with lukewarm saltwater to sanitize the area and wash away any debris. Applying a cold compress to the outside of your mouth in 10-minute increments can help bring down swelling as well as numb the area. Avoid eating or chewing on anything until you arrive to our office if possible.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth: Upon examining your affected tooth, your emergency dentist in Chevy Chase will most likely recommend a dental crown to support and protect it. However, if the damage has resulted in infection, you may also require a root canal.

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Learn More About Root Canals

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? Yes, sensitive teeth are a dental emergency because many issues can cause this type of problem.  

How you should handle very sensitive teeth: While waiting for your appointment, our team at Avant Dentistry suggests that you avoid eating or drinking anything hot or cold and instead, drink lukewarm water if necessary. You’ll want to stay away from anything hard or crunchy, and you’ll want to stay away from harmful habits that can apply additional pressure onto your sensitive teeth.

How we treat very sensitive teeth: When dealing with sensitive teeth, we’ll need to survey the severity and determine the underlying cause. Whether it is caused by a cavity, aggressive brushing, excess teeth whitening, cracked tooth, gum disease, or a serious abscess. The types of treatments we may recommend as a result include tooth-colored fillings, fluoride treatment, periodontal therapy, root canal therapy, or tooth extraction.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Fluoride Treatments

Learn More About Periodontal Therapy

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is my knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? Yes, a lost tooth is a dental emergency, and you should expect to call our office right away to schedule an appointment if dealing with a knocked-out tooth.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: The first thing you should do is retrieve the tooth and gently hold it by the crown before rinsing off any dirt or debris. You can then attempt to reinsert it into the socket, gently biting down to hold it in place. If this doesn’t work, place the tooth in a container or milk to keep it moist until you reach our dental office.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: You will likely have the tooth reattached or replaced. If the tooth is still viable and capable of being reintegrated with the bone tissues, we will use a splint to hold the tooth in its location until it is fully reintegrated. Otherwise, we’ll need to discuss possible tooth replacement options such as dental bridges or dental implants.

Learn More About Dental Bridges

Learn More About Dental Implants

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? If you lose a dental filling or crown, do not be alarmed. These situations are not typically viewed as dental emergencies, but you will need to see an emergency dentist within a few days of the incident.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: At home, you’ll need to avoid chewing on that side of your mouth and be careful while cleaning your teeth. You can also try to reattach your lost crown using dental cement, but if you are unsuccessful, that is okay. Just bring it with you to your appointment.

How we treat a lost filling or crown: If your lost crown or filling can be reattached, we will do so, as this will help you save lots of money in the long run. However, if you don’t have the restoration or it is too badly damaged, the only solution is to then have a new tooth-colored filling put into place or have a metal-free dental crown created. We’ll discuss the cost with you during your appointment.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Metal-Free Dental Crowns

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? While broken or damaged dentures aren’t technically a dental emergency, you’ll want to get your restorations repaired or replaced as soon as possible. Wearing them in that condition can harm your gums, mouth, jaw, and other remaining teeth. That’s why you’ll want to notify your dentist right away for help.

How to handle a broken denture: Do not place the broken dentures back in your mouth. The last thing you’d want is to accidentally injure other parts of your mouth. You should also never try fixing them on your own with products like superglue, as these are hazardous if ingested.

How we treat broken dentures:Our team will assess your dentures for the severity of the damage. We can try fixing them with composite resin if they’re only chipped or mildly cracked. If we can’t repair or readjust them, then we’ll need to discuss your other options, like dental implants or implant dentures

Learn More About Dental Implants Learn More About Dentures

Loose Permanent Tooth

Are loose permanent teeth a dental emergency? A loose tooth is at risk of falling out entirely, so you’ll want to notify your emergency dentist right away for help. While there may not be any discomfort, you wouldn’t want to face the complications of needing to replace a permanent tooth.

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth:Notify our team immediately for help. Try not to touch or move the tooth with your fingers or tongue, and avoid chewing anything hard or sticky that might dislodge it. Don’t brush or floss at this time and be extremely gentle when rinsing your mouth with water.

How we treat loose permanent teeth:Our team will try to splint your loose tooth to an adjacent and stable one to allow it to heal. We’ll also investigate the root of the problem and address them accordingly. If it was due to gingivitis, then we can provide gum disease treatment. If we can’t save your tooth, then we may need to remove it and discuss your tooth-replacement options, such as dental implants.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions Learn More About Dental Implants Learn More About Gum Disease

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? While an abrasion to your lips, tongue, or mouth can be unsettling, they can typically be addressed with at-home remedies. However, if you suspect your gums and teeth have been injured, then you’ll want to visit our emergency dentist for help.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue:Clean the area with water to remove any debris, food particles, and bacteria. Then use a clean washcloth or gauze pad to apply pressure to the spot to control the bleeding.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: If we need to, our team can help suture the wound and clean the area. But if you aren’t able to stop the bleeding within 10 minutes, then you should head straight to your local ER first.

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? Although jaw pain isn’t usually a dental emergency, it can disturb your daily life and/or result in oral health problems later on. For this reason, you should visit your emergency dentist when you can so they can help alleviate your discomfort.

How you should handle jaw pain: Until you arrive at your appointment, take over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce discomfort. However, if you think you’ve dislocated or broken your jaw, then you’ll need to head to your local ER right away for help. Our team can evaluate your smile afterward.

How we treat jaw pain: If the issue is due to teeth grinding or clenching, then we can offer custom nightguards to reduce jaw pain. We can also provide TMJ therapy to fix the problem. Our team will discuss our findings and review your treatment options so you know which services to choose from.

Learn More About Nightguards for Bruxism Learn More About TMJ Therapy

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

This problem can typically be resolved with at-home remedies. You can simply rinse your mouth to help soften or dislodge the stuck object. Try flossing to get the debris out from between your teeth. Do NOT use sharp objects like toothpicks, tweezers, or forks to help, as these can cause harm to your oral tissues and worsen the situation. If you aren’t able to successfully remove the object, then you can visit us for help.