Emergency Dentist – Novi, MI

Restore Your Pain-Free Smile Today

It’s no secret that dental emergencies can result in quite a bit of stress. However, the entire process is significantly less stressful when you have a talented, experienced, and trusted dental team in your corner. If you live in or around Novi, then JMG Dentistry is here for you. We offer a wide range of preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental services at our conveniently located office, ensuring that we can restore your pain-free, healthy, and beautiful smile in no time. If you need to schedule a same-day appointment, get in touch with our team right away. Otherwise, you can read on to learn more about dental emergencies.

Why Choose JMG Dentistry for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day Appointments Available
  • Skilled Dentist with 25+ Years of Experience
  • Top-Rated Dental Team in Novi

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Closeup of concerned woman with toothache talking to dentist

Here’s a quick overview of how we’ll restore your pain-free smile:

  • Schedule a same-day appointment: Over the phone, we will learn about your specific dental injury, schedule a time for you to come in for treatment with our dedicated Novi emergency dentist, Justin Geller, and provide you with instructions on what to do until you arrive.
  • Conduct an emergency exam: Once you arrive at our office, we’ll alleviate any pain you’re feeling, take X-rays, and look at your teeth and gums to determine the extent/source of the problem.
  • Share findings: Before we begin your treatment, we will review our findings as well as which treatment options we recommend. After coming to a decision together, we will provide you with an estimate of the price and review the financial solutions available to you.
  • Provide the care you need: Now, we will intervene with the necessary treatment to restore the look, health, and function of your smile.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Almost immediately after sustaining a dental injury, your mind is flooded with questions. Should I schedule a same-day appointment with my dentist? Should I go to the ER? What should I do until then? The good news is that our team at JMG Dentistry does our best to always be there for our patients when they need us most. In addition to giving us a call, you can learn more about the most common dental emergencies (and how to handle them) right here.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

Smiling dental assistant handing patient forms

If you’re interested in learning more about the cost of dental emergencies in Novi, we highly recommend getting in touch with our team. That way, we can take into account important factors (like the type of dental injury you’ve sustained, how severe it is, and what the best treatment is) and provide you with an accurate estimate. Don’t worry – we don’t want you to be surprised with a large bill at the end of your appointment either. That’s why we do our best to be transparent about the price and offer multiple financial solutions, including dental insurance and flexible financing.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Closeup of woman smiling while brushing her teeth in bathroom

It’s true; there’s no way to completely eliminate your risk of sustaining a dental emergency. There are, however, several proactive measures you can take to protect your smile from harm. That starts with implementing a solid oral hygiene routine at home and extends to wearing a mouthguard when you play sports and avoiding unhealthy dental habits, like smoking. We also recommend visiting us every six months for a checkup and cleaning. That way, we can catch damaged restorations, cracked teeth, and other serious problems before they require same-day treatment.

Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Toothaches can stem from various causes, often due to decay. If you're wondering whether it's a dental emergency, consider these factors:

  • Severe or prolonged pain that lasts more than a day.
  • Sharp pain while biting
  • Extended tooth sensitivity that lasts more than 30 seconds
  • Gum swelling or bump near the affected tooth.
  • Tooth discoloration
  • Signs of infection, such as swelling, fever, or fatigue.

Should you notice any of these signs, give us a call right away for assistance.

How You Should Handle a Toothache: First, ensure food debris isn't causing the discomfort. If not, consider using an over-the-counter pain reliever. Rinsing with salt water can help reduce inflammation and eliminate harmful bacteria. Additionally, applying a cold compress can alleviate swelling and numb the area.

How We Treat Toothaches: When it comes to treatment, various issues may be causing the toothache, from cavities to infections or gum disease. After an evaluation, we'll determine the best approach, which may involve procedures like fillings, dental crowns, nightguards, or, in severe cases, extractions.

Root Canal Therapy

Chipped Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? While it's not an immediate emergency, it's important to address it soon. Leaving a chipped tooth untreated can lead to further damage and potential infection.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth: If you find any larger pieces, store them in a clean container to bring to your appointment. Rinse your mouth with water to remove bacteria and any remaining bits of tooth. Avoid using the injured tooth for biting or chewing. If necessary, cover sharp edges with sugarless gum or dental wax to protect soft tissues.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth: Typically, we use a custom-shaded composite resin (the same as for fillings) to restore the damaged area, ensuring both strength and appearance. If aesthetics are a concern, especially for a highly visible tooth, a veneer might be a consideration.

Veneers

Cracked Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Absolutely. Even a small crack in the enamel can lead to infection and more serious damage. It's crucial to seek prompt attention if you suspect a cracked tooth, as cracks might not always be immediately visible. If you experience dental pain or sensitivity following any facial impact, there could be hidden damage.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth: Regularly rinsing your mouth with water helps keep the area free of bacteria. If needed, you can apply a cold compress or take over-the-counter pain relievers as directed. Refrain from chewing on the affected side, and if there's sensitivity, you can use dental wax or sugarless gum for temporary relief.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth: Typically, a custom-made dental crown is the solution for cracked teeth. For minor damage, we may use the same tooth-colored material as dental fillings. However, if the tooth is severely fractured or broken beyond repair, extraction may be necessary. In such cases, we'll discuss replacement options, such as dental implants.

Dental Crowns

Very Sensitive Teeth  

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Do you feel a surge of discomfort when you drink a warm cup of coffee, eat ice cream, or brush your teeth? If so, you should contact us so we can make sure tooth decay, gum disease, or another serious oral health issue isn’t the source.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth Try taking a few proactive measures, like switching to a desensitizing toothpaste and avoiding hot and cold foods and drinks. If the sensitivity persists, then you can take an OTC pain reliever for short-term relief.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth Before intervening with any treatment, we need to determine what’s causing your sensitivity. Oftentimes, it’s tooth decay, which we can fix with a tooth-colored filling or dental crown.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

Knocked-Out Tooth  

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Definitely! In fact, while some dental injuries can wait a day or two for treatment, a knocked-out tooth needs to be treated within 60 minutes in order for our Novi emergency dentist to have the best chance of saving it. So, it’s important that you call us right away.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth First, you need to find the tooth (if you can). From there, place it carefully in a container filled with milk; this will help preserve the root. You also have the option of inserting the tooth back in its socket, but only if it slides back into place without any force.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth First and foremost, we will try to save your tooth. If that’s not possible for any reason, like you weren’t able to find your tooth, then we will need to explore your other treatment options, like a dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Lost Filling or Crown  

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? It is! To restore the look, health, and function of your smile, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our Novi dental team right away.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown In addition to storing your restoration in a small, clean container, we recommend sticking to soft foods and rinsing with lukewarm water periodically. Of course, reaching out to us to get an appointment on the calendar is also a top priority.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns Most often, lost fillings are simply replaced with a new one. With dental crowns, we have two options: re-cementing your previous one back in place or having a new one made.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Although it may not seem like it, a broken denture is a dental emergency. After all, you can’t chew properly or enunciate clearly until it’s fixed, and the soft tissue in your mouth can get seriously injured if you wear a damaged restoration.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture After calling our Novi dental team to get an appointment on the calendar, place your dentures (or the pieces of your dentures) in a clean container for safekeeping. Use your backup pair in the meantime. If you don’t have one, stick to soft foods.

How We Treat Broken Dentures If the damage is minor, then there’s a chance that we can fix your dentures at our office. Of course, more extensive damage requires your dentures to be replaced.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Not only is a loose permanent tooth a dental emergency, but it’s a dental emergency that warrants a same-day visit to our office!

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth There are a few things you shouldn’t do, like wiggling the tooth with your finger or chewing on that side of your mouth. Instead, rinse periodically with clean, room-temperature water and take OTC pain medication as directed to alleviate discomfort.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth If we can save your tooth with a dental splint, then we will. If saving your tooth isn’t an option, then we will need to extract it and discuss your tooth-replacement options.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Oftentimes, soft tissue injuries can be handled at home and don’t require a visit to our Novi dental office.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue First, go to the nearest sink and rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean, lukewarm water. Then, use a mirror to find the cut and apply pressure to the area with a damp washcloth (or gauze, if you have it).

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue Although soft tissue injuries don’t usually warrant a trip to our office, you should head to the ER if the bleeding persists for more than 10 minutes.

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Not usually. With that said, you should give us a call if your jaw pain persists for more than 24 hours so we can determine the root of the problem.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain You can use a cold compress, stick to soft foods, and take OTC pain medication in the short-term. For long-term relief, however, you need to come in for an appointment.

How We Treat Jaw Pain Sometimes, the root of the problem is TMJ dysfunction. Other times, it’s an impacted wisdom tooth or chronic teeth grinding. Ultimately, how we intervene will depend on what we find during your exam.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TMJ TREATMENT

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Do you have something stuck between your teeth? If so, dissolve some salt in warm water and swish the mixture around your mouth for 30 seconds at a time. Then, use a string of floss to gently clean between your teeth. Do NOT use a toothpick, tweezers, or any other sharp objects if this doesn’t work. Instead, call us to schedule an appointment.