What To Expect During An Emergency Dental Appointment
Sometimes dental emergencies can’t wait. Feeling dental pain and realising a visit to the dentist is necessary, may be first time you have experienced an emergency dental appointment. This can be a stressful experience for all involved. But knowing what to expect at your visit can alleviate some worry.
We are open and available for emergency dental treatment for you and your family. If you are experiencing dental pain and need an appointment, please call your local clinic or book on our online forms.
nib Dental remains committed to caring for the health and well-being of our patients in our local communities. We have had to make some changes as a result of the impact of COVID-19. On advice from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), we are deferring non-essential dental treatment at this time. But nib Dental remains available for emergency care.
What is nib Dental doing to ensure patients and staff are safe during Covid-19?
We have introduced additional measures at this time. Patients are being asked to report and not attend nib Dental if they have any of the following symptoms;
- Fever
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath
We have implemented additional cleaning and hygiene protocols:
- Frequently touched surfaces including our waiting areas, reception desk and door handles are being thoroughly disinfected multiple times a day
- We have removed any toys, magazines and other unnecessary items from our waiting rooms
- Social distancing within our waiting and reception areas has been introduced and hand sanitiser is available to all patients upon arrival
When you visit nib Dental, you can have peace of mind knowing that significant health precautions are being taken to ensure your safety.
I am in pain, is this a dental emergency?
If you are experiencing dental pain, or any structural damage to your teeth, you should see your dentist sooner rather than later. Examples of issues that may require an emergency dental appointment include:
- Pain in your teeth or gums
- Tooth infections or abscesses
- A chipped or broken tooth
- A tooth being knocked out
- Denture repairs
- Lost crowns or fillings
- Sports injuries
While you organise your appointment with us you can follow some basic care for your dental emergency.
What Should I Do When I Need To Make An Emergency Appointment?
Firstly, contact your local nib Dental Care Centre. During this call you will be asked a series of questions to determine what type of appointment suits your needs. These questions could include how severe your pain, illness, or injuries are. Once you have answered these screening questions it will be determined if you require an urgent same day emergency dental appointment or if we are able to schedule your emergency dental treatment for a later date.
What Happens When I Arrive At The Emergency Dental Appointment?
When you arrive at your emergency appointment you will need with speak to reception who will ask the same screening questions that you were asked previously over the phone. Our staff ask these screening questions a second time to assist determining if there have been any significant changes to your circumstances.
What Should I Expect During An Emergency Dental Appointment?
The primary aim of an emergency dental appointment is to reduce or remove any discomfort you may be experiencing. During the appointment it is our priority to find the cause of pain, rather than focusing on routine dental procedures so you may find that subsequent appointment may be scheduled to follow up on your emergency procedure as well as further additional routine procedures.
What Can I Do To Prevent Dental Emergencies?
Lowering your risk of requiring emergency dental work doesn’t guarantee that it won’t happen to you. By their very nature dental emergencies are unpredictable and can happen at any time. However, to mitigate the risk, here are some basic steps to keep your teeth in top shape:
- Avoid using your teeth as tools to open packages, lids, sticky tape etc
- Wear a mouthguard where there’s a risk of dental trauma
- Minimise chewing hard foods such as lollies, ice, popcorn kernels etc
- Cut back on sugary foods and drinks to avoid cavities
The cost of your emergency dental appointment will vary depending upon your individual dental needs. Your dentist will discuss the expected costs with you at the time of your appointment.
If you or a family member are in dental pain or in need of an emergency dentist, contact your local nib Dental Care Centre for an urgent care appointment.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risk. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
