This has never happened before. When you wake up, your loved one with special needs has a tooth throbbing in pain, and they need to see an emergency dentist immediately! But they’ve only ever had a routine checkup and cleaning or previously scheduled care. You may not know what to expect during this type of urgent appointment. After you give their dentist’s office a call and tell them about your loved one’s situation and accommodation needs, they arrange for you to come in as soon as possible, but what will an emergency visit look like? It may give you peace of mind to know the dentist will likely follow these three steps during the appointment.
Step #1: Pain Relief
Although the mouth is just a small part of the body, dental pain can be overwhelming and debilitating. As a result, when a patient experiences it, the dentist’s first action is to alleviate that pain. In some cases, the dentist can also administer sedation to help calm the patient and keep them comfortable and still throughout the appointment. This may be especially important if your loved one has special needs. Once the anesthetic and sedation have taken effect with some relief, the dentist will then focus on discovering and addressing the cause.
If your loved one is not in unbearable pain, the dentist may wait to give an anesthetic. Gauging their discomfort may help the dentist identify the problem tooth and its source more efficiently. However, if there’s severe pain, the dentist will first help your loved one feel more comfortable by numbing their mouth.
Step #2: Diagnosis
Before anything can be done, the dentist must understand what is causing trouble. In addition to a visual inspection of the teeth and gums, the dentist will likely take X-rays, which will allow them to examine your loved one’s tooth roots and other oral structures that are underneath the surface.
If, for example, the patient has a deep cavity, X-rays can reveal just how far into the tooth the decay has reached. From these diagnostic measures, the dentist will discuss the issue with you and your loved one and then recommend the procedure(s) that will correct it.
Step #3: Treatment
Once the underlying cause has been found and the solution decided, the dentist can then carry out the necessary treatment, whether it’s root canal therapy, tooth extraction, or something else. If they haven’t already, the dentist will give anesthesia or sedative and perform the necessary work to eliminate pain and restore teeth. Keep in mind that treatment may extend into multiple visits, especially to get custom restorations, depending on the severity of the damage.
In the end, the dentist can walk you and your disabled loved one through whatever steps are necessary to treat the dental emergency and get their smile back on the right track. If you ever have questions or need special accommodation, don’t hesitate to ask them or their support team. They only want to get rid of pain and help your loved one smile with confidence again.
About the Practice
At Disability Dental Services, our compassionate, experienced team takes emergency care for special needs patients to the next level. We have the expertise to offer more than your typical sedation. Dr. Ford and others on our team are certified in anesthesiology, which means we have the capability of putting a patient fully to sleep during the appointment if necessary. We do our best to see patients on the same day as the call, so don’t hesitate to reach out to us online or call 972-296-0101 for an emergency appointment.