Are you in pain and need an emergency dentist appointment?  Dental emergencies can be painful, stressful, and frightening. Take a deep breath and know that our team will help you every step of the way.

If you’re having a dental emergency or if you have any questions and want to speak to an emergency dentist, please contact us or give us a call and we will give you guidelines for your situation. Our team is here to help you and we want you to get the best treatment that you need as soon as possible.

If you have a dental emergency, are in need of an emergency dentist and are located on or near Waiheke Island, contact us now:

Click To Call Office   |  After Hours / EMERGENCIES

Do I need an Emergency Dentist?

A dental emergency is a problem involving your teeth, gums, or jaw that requires immediate attention or treatment. There are various types and levels of dental emergencies that can be:

  • Pain;
  • Swelling;
  • Bleeding;
  • Chipped or broken teeth
  • Loose tooth that may fall out;
  • Knocked-out tooth;
  • Difficulty chewing;
  • Lost filling or crown;
  • Jaw pain;
  • Chipped or broken teeth;
  • Broken orthodontics;
  • Abscess;
  • Bleeding and pain after a tooth extraction.

All of these are considered dental emergencies. Sometimes the cause is an accident or trauma, other times the symptoms may be subtle and increase over time.

emergency dentist

What Constitutes A Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies can be obvious, such as a broken tooth or pain or trauma. Other issues such as mild sensitivity or a loose crown probably aren’t emergencies, but they could be.

If you think you’re experiencing a dental emergency, do not hesitate to contact our office. Our team will take great care of you and provide treatment options.

Dental emergencies can and do happen, so don’t worry - and don't ignore these dental issues. Be sure to contact us right away to prevent any issue from escalating. We are here for you for any dental emergency and remember prevention is an important step to reduce the risk of dental emergencies. Your six-monthly check-ups and cleanings can help us detect any potential problems.

If you have a question about a possible dental emergency, such as a broken bridge, call our office and speak with our team. Then you’ll get the peace of mind of knowing the next step, whether it be immediate or the next available day. We understand dental emergencies can be scary, but remember - you're not alone!  Our team stands ready to help and provide calm, comfortable care.

How An Emergency Dentist Can Help

Dental emergencies can be stressful. It’s good to know that we are especially considerate of people calling in with pain or any cosmetic emergency. Many people feel stressed because they have put treatment off as long as they could, and now they can’t any longer. We understand so please don't be concerned.  We are not here to judge you.  Our priority is to help you relieve your pain and return you to comfort as soon as we can.

Click To Call Office   |  After Hours / EMERGENCIES

What Your Symptoms Could Mean?

Cold sensitivity generally means that something is irritating the nerve of the tooth. Often that means a cavity, but it could also mean that your teeth are exposed to acids. Most beverages, other than water, are acidic. Juices, bottled tea, and sodas are particularly sensitizing to teeth. Initially, the teeth become sweet or cold sensitive.  Later, cavities are likely to form.  Cold or sweet sensitivity is mostly reversible by treating the tooth decay and eliminating the sources of sugar and acid.

Hot and cold sensitivity may mean that the dental nerve isn’t healthy and that a root canal procedure is required. Please don’t be anxious about that phrase. A root canal is a very comfortable procedure. If you are nervous about this, please tell our staff and you may also wish to read about dental anxiety. They will answer your questions and reassure you. Hot sensitivity, throbbing, a sensation that goes back to the ear, and lasting pain that starts on its own are root canal symptoms that need treatment by an emergency dentist as soon as possible.

Facial swelling is an urgent problem, and you should have antibiotics right away. If the emergency dentist in our office is not available immediately, for any reason, it’s best to contact your physician or an urgent care centre. While a dental procedure may be needed, the antibiotics will control any infection.

What Can I Expect From My Emergency Visit?

Whether it’s a dental emergency or a simple exam and cleaning, for many people visiting the dentist can be a challenging experience. Our staff make sure our patients feel at ease in our surroundings and with our team. That is the case regardless of your need for visiting. We are dedicated to making every appointment comfortable for you.

When you call us with an emergency, you can expect us to get your problem fixed with the most comfort and least anxiety. We want you to know that we understand and relate to your anxiety (you may also wish to read about dental anxiety), and we don’t want you to leave your dental emergency untreated because of it. Don’t wait for more problems! Everyone on our team is committed to providing exceptional dental care in a comfortable environment.

Is A Cracked Tooth Considered A Dental Emergency?

You won’t always know if you’ve cracked a tooth or not. You may have bitten into something and think you might have cracked your tooth. This doesn’t necessarily make it an emergency. If you can clearly see the crack, however, then it probably is an emergency. If it is accompanied by sensitivity to hot and cold, it’s best to take care of it as soon as possible.

You may think you’ve cracked a tooth but cannot see visible evidence. In these cases, if your tooth sensitivity hasn’t changed, we can see you when our office is open during regular office hours. We can check the tooth for a crack then. If you’re unsure, give us a call and we’ll guide you to the best plan of action.

Should I Go To Hospital / Emergency Department With Dental Pain?

In some situations, immediate treatment from an emergency dentist is necessary. Hot sensitivity and throbbing are symptoms that need attention as soon as possible. Call our office, as we provide an on-call service for any dental emergency so that you’ll get the care you need whenever you need it.

Click To Call Office   |  After Hours / EMERGENCIES

Causes Of Facial Swelling

Facial swelling is sometimes a sign of a dental emergency. If you have any swelling from an issue with something like a broken tooth, the swelling will be localised in the cheek area near to the affected tooth. Generally speaking, short of an infection, which doesn't usually happen quickly - dental issues don’t often make your entire face swell.

Facial swelling can have many common causes: allergic reactions (e.g. Duck Feather pillows are a common cause), eye infections, medication side effects, sinusitis, thyroid imbalance, fluid retention, a broken nose, and some rarer conditions such as angioedema.  Really the only case where a dental issue would cause widespread facial swelling would be in the case of an abscess due to a tooth infection.  Prior to the swelling, this would likely produce serious pain and other symptoms and you'd usually not get this quickly.

Causes Of A Toothache

Toothaches occur when there is inflammation in the central portion of the tooth called the pulp. The pulp contains nerve endings that are very sensitive and respond with pain signals. Inflammation in the pulp can come from a cavity where decay has reached the enamel and dentin layers of the tooth and has entered the pulp. It can come from gum irritation in the area of the tooth. Trauma, such as a tooth fracture, can also lead to a toothache. In some cases, pain can radiate outward and into the teeth from issues with jaw alignment called temporomandibular joint disorder.

*If your emergency is a broken front tooth, bring the fragment or tooth with you to your emergency dentist appointment.