Wilmington Emergency Dentist

Same-Day Care for Your Smile

Emergency Dentistry in Wilmington

what is a Dental Emergency?

As a general rule, a dental emergency is any issue that is causing you pain that you cannot treat on your own. If your condition meets these two criteria, it’s considered an emergency and you should schedule an emergency appointment right away. Dental emergencies include obvious oral injuries like a knocked-out (avulsed) tooth, an impacted tooth (one that has been driven back into its socket), or cracked/chipped teeth. However, pulled-out or damaged dental work and persistent toothaches are also dental emergencies. Still not sure if you’re experiencing an emergency? It’s better to be safe than sorry. Contact our dental office in Wilmington for your dental emergency.

What to Do in an Emergency

• Call our office to schedule an emergency appointment.
• Recover your tooth or missing dental work, if possible. Rinse it with warm water, then replace the tooth in the socket or put it in a container of cold milk. Don't touch the tooth root!
• Dental work that has fallen out should be placed in a plastic container or bag and brought to your appointment.
• Treat any bleeding with clean cotton balls or gauze. Most bleeding should subside in an hour or so.
• Over-the-counter pain medication like naproxen (Aleve) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help with pain and swelling. You can also use external ice packs to help mitigate swelling, pain, and discomfort.
• Once you’ve followed these steps, come into our office as soon as you can for your appointment and to get professional treatment.

What Should I Do About

A Severe Or Chronic Toothache?

If you are experiencing a severe or chronic toothache in Wilmington, you’re having a serious dental emergency, and you should get help from Dr. Ben Friberg at Thrive Family Dental right away.
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A chronic toothache usually indicates a tooth infection, or a severe cavity that may become infected in the near future. You will need to get a root canal, filling, or crown from Dr. Ben Friberg to restore your smile.
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So call us right away at (910) 240-4797, and schedule a same-day emergency appointment at our office. If you have time before your appointment, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help with discomfort, or use Orajel or a similar topical ointment to help with discomfort. Applying an ice pack to your cheek may also help with the pain.
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Once you come into our office, Dr. Friberg will determine the extent of the damage to your tooth, and will recommend a treatment that will restore your smile and provide you with relief from your pain and discomfort.

What Should I Do About

A Loose Or Knocked-Out Tooth?

If a traumatic dental injury causes a loose or knocked-out tooth, this is a very serious dental emergency. Your tooth needs to be replaced within 1-2 hours, and splinted into place to heal.
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First, recover your tooth if it has been knocked out. You can rinse it with warm water if necessary. Then, make sure you keep it moist by replacing it in the socket or putting it into a container of cold milk. Then, call us at (910) 240-4797 and tell us about your condition. Dr. Friberg will see you as soon as he possibly can. 
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Don’t waste time trying to treat your pain or discomfort on your own. Come to our office right away. Dr. Friberg will examine your tooth, clean and disinfect the area, and splint it into place so that it can heal. The sooner you get help, the more likely it is that your tooth can be saved.

What Should I Do About

Broken Or Lost Dental Work?

Lost or broken dental work is a serious dental emergency. Your dental work, such as a filling or a crown, is responsible for protecting delicate and vulnerable enamel. If your dental work is missing or loose, this material could be exposed to decay and damage, causing further complications. Contact us for an appointment right away. 
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If your dental work is loose, avoid loosening it any further. Don’t play with it or move it around. If you have some handy, you can use temporary dental cement to hold it in place until you see Dr. Friberg.
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If you’ve lost a filling, crown, or another piece of dental work, make sure you recover it and put it into a plastic bag. It may be possible to replace it instead of building a new dental prosthesis, so bring it in with you during your appointment and Dr. Friberg will examine it.