Emergency Dentistry

If we know one thing for certain, it is that dental emergencies are a fact of life. Anyone can break a tooth or lose a crown or filling on a crusty piece of bread or develop a toothache that needs prompt attention.

When you have a dental emergency in Moorhead, call Dr. Andrew Atchison and the team at Northland Dental. We always leave time open in our schedule to see patients who can’t wait for dental care. Call us at (218) 236-7076, and we will see you as soon as possible.

What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?

We get this question a lot, but we don’t want you to wait and wonder if you have an urgent problem; always call us first, even if you aren’t sure it’s an emergency situation! Our experienced dental team will ask about your symptoms and help you book an appointment depending on your needs.

Here’s a list of common emergency procedures we perform at our Moorhead dental office:

  • Relieve toothaches 
  • Replace lost crowns and fillings
  • Repair broken or cracked teeth
  • Root canals for infected or abscessed teeth
  • Treat dental trauma

There are definitely degrees of dental emergencies, however. A lost tooth crown may wait a day or two for treatment, but jaw swelling or an excruciating toothache requires immediate attention.

Jaw Pain and Swelling

Any jaw pain or swelling indicates that you may have a tooth infection or dental abscess. An abscess is the result of a bacterial infection and will not go away on its own. Treating the tooth promptly with an emergency root canal is vital to prevent it from spreading to other parts of your body.

Tooth Pain

All toothaches indicate that something serious is happening with your oral health. Excruciating tooth pain is often a symptom of a deep cavity or an infection has reached the tooth’s nerve. 

To relieve your pain and save the tooth, Dr. Atchison may recommend a filling or a root canal, depending on how extensive the problem is. Prompt treatment often makes the difference between saving the tooth and removing it with an emergency tooth extraction. 

Dental Trauma

Dental trauma involves an injury that involves the teeth, gums, soft tissue, or bone that holds your teeth in place. These injuries include a broken tooth, tooth jammed into the socket, knocked loose, or knocked out completely. 

All require prompt action and immediate treatment.  In the case of a knocked-out tooth, we have a window of about an hour in which we might successfully re-implant it.

Call Us with Your Dental Emergency in Moorhead, MN

If you live in Moorhead or surrounding areas including Fargo and Dilworth and have a dental emergency on your hands, you shouldn’t have to wait for prompt treatment. Since we leave extra time in our schedule, we can usually see you the same day to provide the emergency dental care you need.