Waiting weeks with a toothache
When a tooth is throbbing, “our next opening is in three weeks” is about the worst thing you can hear. Pain like that doesn’t wait politely, and neither does the infection that’s often behind it.
Emergencies are fitted into the same day here whenever the schedule allows. The earlier in the day you reach the office, the easier that is. Monday through Thursday, the office opens at 8 a.m. If today is already full, you’ll get a set time on the next open day instead.
Ending up in the ER for a toothache
Plenty of people with a dental emergency end up in a hospital emergency room, wait for hours, and leave with antibiotics, pain medicine and the same broken tooth. An ER usually has no dentist on hand to actually fix it.
Root canals, extractions and infection treatment are all done in this office. So a same-day visit usually ends with the tooth treated, not with a prescription and a referral to someone else.
Not sure if it counts as an emergency
It’s an emergency if you have severe or throbbing pain, swelling in your gum or face, a tooth that’s broken or knocked out, or bleeding that won’t stop after an extraction. A lost crown or filling that’s causing pain counts too.
Some problems need a hospital instead. If you have swelling that’s spreading toward your eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, a high fever, or an injury to your jaw, go to a hospital emergency room right away. Those can turn serious quickly and need more than a dental chair. The closest 24-hour emergency room is Summa Health’s Wadsworth-Rittman Emergency Department on Wadsworth Road, and for anything life-threatening, call 911.
Embarrassed it got this bad
Many emergencies come from a tooth that’s been quietly getting worse for months or years, and that can bring a wave of shame on top of the pain. You won’t be lectured here about how long it’s been.
The focus is getting you out of pain. If you’re frightened, nitrous, oral or IV sedation are available, and Dr. Khalil holds a conscious sedation license, which few general dentists in Ohio have. You can also agree on a hand signal that stops the work whenever you raise it.
Frequently asked questions
What time should I reach the office for a same-day visit?
As early as you can. The office opens at 8 a.m., Monday through Thursday, and same-day openings are much easier to fit in the earlier in the day you ask.
What can I do for the pain before my appointment?
An over-the-counter pain reliever, taken as the label directs, and a cold compress on your cheek can help. Avoid chewing on that side and skip very hot or cold foods. Don’t put aspirin directly on your gum, because it can burn the tissue. If you have swelling that’s spreading toward your eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, a high fever, or an injury to your jaw, go to a hospital emergency room right away.
Will my tooth actually be fixed at the same-day visit?
Usually. Root canals, extractions and infection treatment are done in this office, so most emergency visits end with the tooth treated. Occasionally a severe infection needs antibiotics to calm down before the tooth can be worked on. If so, you’ll hear why and leave with a set time to come back.
What does a same-day emergency visit cost?
It depends on what’s found and what’s needed. Before any treatment starts, you hear the cost with your insurance applied, so even in an emergency you’re never agreeing to a blank check.
What if my emergency happens on a Friday or weekend?
The office is open Monday through Thursday. If you have swelling that’s spreading toward your eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, a high fever, or an injury to your jaw, go to an emergency room right away. The closest one open 24 hours is Summa Health’s Wadsworth-Rittman Emergency Department on Wadsworth Road. If the pain is manageable with pain relievers, reach the office first thing Monday for the earliest opening.