What is a dental emergency?

If you are wondering if your dental concern is worth calling the office about, the short answer is YES. We encourage you to communicate early with Dr. Ferguson or Dr. Cocchia who will be able to help you determine if your concern requires a visit to the office or emergency dental treatment.

Dental concerns are rarely severe or life threatening. Situations that are a true health emergency require immediate treatment in an hospital emergency room. These include:

• Uncontrolled bleeding
• Severe infection and swelling that make it difficult to breath or swallow
• Trauma involving facial bones that compromise the ability to breath

Urgent dental care focuses on the management of conditions that require attention to relieve pain and/or risk of infection. These dental concerns should be treated as minimally invasively as possible. Emergency dental treatment is available at Ferguson Dental Associates. Please contact us including after hours and weekends by calling the office if you are experiencing any of the following:

• Dental Pain
• Wisdom tooth pain and/or gum infection
• Dry sockets
• Abscess, or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling
• Tooth fracture resulting in pain or causing soft tissue trauma
• Dental trauma resulting in a loose or knocked out tooth
• Broken crown or bridge
• Abnormal tissue or lesion in the mouth requiring an evaluation or biopsy

Other urgent emergency dental procedures:

• Extensive dental caries or defective restorations causing pain
• Suture removal
• Denture adjustments or repairs when function is impeded, related to pain, or medical conditions
• Root canal treatment for patients experiencing pain
• Snipping or adjustment of an orthodontic wire or appliances creating pain or discomfort
• Dental treatment that is required prior to critical medical procedures

If you need to schedule routine or non-urgent dental procedures, please call the office or use our online booking for cleanings and hygiene appointments that is now available – just click on the button at the bottom of the page!

Non urgent dental concerns include but are not limited to:

• Initial or periodic oral examinations and recall visits, including routine radiographs
• Routine dental cleaning and preventive therapies
• Orthodontic procedures other than those to address acute issues (e.g. pain, infection, trauma) or other issues critically necessary to prevent harm to the patient
• Extraction of asymptomatic teeth
• Restorative dentistry including treatment of asymptomatic cavities
• Aesthetic dental procedures