Same-day emergency dental
Our priority is your care. Present to the nearest Accident and Emergency Department (Emergency Department) or call 000 immediately.
If you have severe facial swelling affecting your breathing or swallowing, significant uncontrolled bleeding, a serious injury, or another potentially life-threatening emergency, please do not wait for dental advice.
Whatever the case, it’s best if a professional can assess, diagnose, and treat your teeth as soon as possible for your oral health.
What is a dental emergency?
Emergency dental care is available for when you need to see a dentist urgently. Usually, an emergency involves any kind of pain or discomfort that can’t be treated with a simple over-the-counter painkiller, or any kind of tooth breakage.
By arranging an emergency appointment, your dentist will be able to assess the problem and offer an immediate solution that improves the pain and ensures the damage is minimised or even reversed.
However, not all emergencies of the mouth are suited to the skills of your dentist. You may need to go to the emergency department at your local hospital. If you are unsure if your issue is an emergency, please call the practice to discuss.
What services does emergency dental cover?
What services does emergency dental cover?
An emergency dentist can help with a variety of dental emergencies, this could be for:
A chipped or broken tooth
A persistent or very painful toothache
A lost filling
A loose or knocked-out adult tooth
Emergency tooth extraction
Broken braces
All of these issues are emergencies because they require immediate attention. For example:
Chipped or broken tooth/fillingIf your filling falls out, your tooth may be exposed to bacteria that could lead to an infection, and your tooth could be weakened, which could lead to a break or chip.
Detached or broken braces retainersIf you have braces and they break, this can result in a wire or piece of bracket poking your mouth or gums, which can be very uncomfortable, so it’s best to have it fixed as soon as possible.
Toothache or sore gumIf you have a very painful toothache, it could be that there is an infection inside the tooth that requires antibiotics or other treatment to stop it from spreading or causing damage.
What to expect from an emergency dental appointment
An emergency dental appointment will vary depending on your emergency, but here’s a general idea of what to expect:
1. At your emergency appointment the dentist will check the affected area.
2. The dentist may take an X-ray.
3. If you need a filling or tooth removal the dentist administers a local anaesthetic to numb the affected area.
4. The dentist may only be able to offer a temporary solution and need you to re attend for further diagnosis and treatment.
5. If you have a swollen gum or infected tooth your dentist may need to prescribe antibiotics which will help with the pain too.
6. The team care and you are welcome to contact us with any questions.
The advantages of emergency dental treatment
Emergency dental services are beneficial for several reasons:
Pain reduction and management
An emergency dentist can help to diagnose the cause of pain and help to treat it right away
Damage minimisation
Immediate attention can help to minimise any damage to the tooth, gums, and your oral health
Avoid higher costs and more treatments later
In some cases, immediate attention can help you avoid more treatments and higher costs down the track.
We place a high importance on dental emergencies as dental pain can be distressing.
Our team will endeavour to provide you with a same-day appointment and prioritise your care. If you are experiencing a dental emergency, please contact us as early as possible for us to try and get you seen on the same day.
Weekend and Public Holiday Dental Emergencies
Weekend and Public Holiday Dental Emergencies
We understand that dental emergencies can be worrying and uncomfortable, especially when they happen outside our normal opening hours. We value our patients provide a telephone service to help you access the appropriate emergency dental advice.
Please telephone the practice number 4772 4944 (The practice telephone message will provide instructions on how to obtain emergency dental advice and assistance) The practice answer phone will provide a mobile number to:
SMS your full name to the mobile number provided by the practice answering service so the team can identify you and respond appropriately.
Let us know the name of the dentist you usually see, if applicable. This can help the team understand your existing care and provide more relevant advice.
Briefly explain the dental issue you’re experiencing, including any pain, swelling or damage, so the team can assess the urgency and advise you on the next steps.
Examples of dental emergencies may include
Severe onset of dental pain keeping you up at night
Facial or dental swelling
Dental trauma or injury following an accident or sports injury
Uncontrolled bleeding following dental treatment
A knocked-out or significantly damaged tooth (for knocked out teeth, please place in milk and contact us immediately - DO NOT WASH/RINSE or store in cold water)
A filling or crown that has fallen out or broken can leave the tooth exposed, sensitive or painful and needs prompt dental attention. Please place crowns/bridges in a plastic bag and bring them to your appointment.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cost of emergency dental services can vary greatly, depending on the issue. It truly depends on the extent of the damage, the time it takes to fix it, the tools and materials used, whether you require anaesthesia or not, and other factors.
Generally speaking, Medicare does not cover emergency dental treatments. However, some private health insurance providers do offer some coverage for emergency dental services. For example, a provider might give you a rebate of 60% of the cost of care, or cover 100% of the cost but only up to a certain amount per calendar year.
Some insurance providers will also have preferred providers for dental services, which is fine for standard dental care, but can be more difficult to ascertain which dental clinics are ‘preferred’ when you are having an emergency.
It’s best to fully read and understand your health insurance clauses when it comes to emergency dental care well before you need to use them.
Any issue regarding your teeth or gums that requires immediate attention can be considered a dental emergency. This includes anything that’s persistently painful, anything that bleeds without stopping, or any problem that exposes the soft inside of the tooth.
This could be:
- A broken, chipped, or cracked tooth
- A loose adult tooth
- A knocked-out tooth
- Broken braces that cause injury
- A persistent, painful toothache
Yes, if your toothache is getting in the way of you eating, drinking, or enjoying life, you should have it checked as soon as possible. It could be due to an infection or nerve damage, and your dentist will be able to inspect the site, make a diagnosis, and help treat the cause of the pain.
Generally, no. If you need a tooth pulled you are best to go to your local dentist. In some cases, an emergency room may have a consulting dentist on site who could help if necessary, but you are likely still better to visit your nearest emergency dentist.