Dental Tips

Serving Dental Emergencies with appropriate Urgent or Emergency Dental Treatments in SW Calgary during COVID 19 Pandemic

COVID 19 UPDATE MAY 4, 2020, valid until MAY 14, 2020

According to ADA&C dentists in Calgary, or Alberta, can treat both urgent and emergent patients.

Here is a list from ADA&C of examples for urgent dental treatments that we can provide during this time in addition to the emergency ones presented below.

 

Urgent dental care focuses on the management of conditions that require immediate attention to relieve pain and if left untreated may significantly compromise patient dental health, such as:
– Severe dental pain from pulpal inflammation
– Pericoronitis or third-molar pain
– Surgical post-operative osteitis, dry socket dressing changes
– Abscess, or localized bacterial infection resulting in localized pain and swelling
– Tooth fracture resulting in pain or causing soft tissue trauma
– Dental trauma with avulsion/luxation
– Dental treatment required prior to critical medical procedures
– Final crown/bridge cementation
Other urgent dental care:
– Active sleep apnea management
– Extensive dental caries or defective restorations causing pain or that can lead to pain
– Suture removal
– Denture adjustment on radiation/oncology patients
– Denture adjustments or repairs when function impeded
– Replacing temporary filling on endo access openings in patients experiencing pain or an endodontically treated tooth with a high fracture potential
– Pre-surgical clearance for medical procedures
– Managing active orthodontic cases
Call our dental office for screening (403)-242-5900 

During this time of crisis, it is essential to have access to emergency dental treatments.
Protecting your oral health is as important as strengthening your immune system. Studies show that left untreated, oral infections or inflammations can cause multiple severe diseases and will weaken your immune system. If you want to stay safe from this virus or any other systemic health issues, it is vital to protect your oral health.

How can you protect your oral health during COVID19 Pandemic? 

• If you have a dental emergency, address it now! 
• Pay attention to your gums and teeth
• Be disciplined in brushing and flossing daily 
• Change your toothbrush or toothbrush heads every three months

What is a dental emergency during COVID 19 Pandemic? 

Oral – Facial Trauma 

This means if you have an accident, if you fall, or if you get hit by something and your teeth, gums, or lips get hurt, bleed, teeth are knocked out, chipped, broken, or are moving, you need dental emergency treatment

Tooth infections 

If you have a big, deep, open cavity that hurts you, and your cheek may start to swell you may suffer from a significant dental infection. You will need to start treatment with oral antibiotics so you can fight that infection and protect your oral and general health. You will need dental emergency treatment, starting with an x-ray, and either a root canal treatment or an extraction if that tooth can not be saved.

Prolonged bleeding 

If you have bleeding in your mouth that is not stopping, whatever you try to do, in 5-10 minutes, you will need immediate emergency dental treatment.

Severe pain that is not going away with over the counter medications 

If you have a severe tooth pain that is bothering you, but you do not know for sure what is the cause, and you tried to manage the pain with over the counter medication, you need to see a dentist for dental emergency treatment. You will start with a dental exam, x-rays, and our dentist Dr Violet Newman will help you find the cause of the pain and show you all options you have for your specific situation.

What kind of emergency dental treatments can we offer now, during COVID 19 Pandemic? 

According to Alberta Dental Association and College, Emergency dental treatment includes treatment of oral-facial trauma, significant infection, prolonged bleeding, pain which cannot be managed by over the counter medications, or management of known/high-risk malignancy.

At Lakeview Dental Centre in SW Calgary, we offer:

• Emergency Dental Exams 
• Emergency Dental X-Rays 
• Emergency Root Canals 
• Emergency Dental Fillings
• Emergency Tooth Restoration 
• Emergency Tooth Extractions 
• Emergency Oral Surgeries 

Where can you find us, and how can you get a dental emergency appointment now?

Our Dental office is open to serve Dental Emergencies during this challenging time, in Lakeview Plazza, SW Calgary. Our dental office address is #104, 6449 Crowchild Trail SW Calgary, Alberta, T3E 5R7. Click this link to get directions on Google Map.

Until the limitations for COVID 19 will be lifted, we have to initially screen patients over the phone before we are able to proceed.

We will have to ask you about your current situation and take you through COVID 19 screening over the phone.

Based on this initial evaluation we will 

• set an emergency dental appointment time and date 
• offer you counselling and instructions over the phone 
• help you with medication over the phone 
• or place you on a waiting list for further treatments when the limitations regarding COVID 19 are lifted 

What do you need to do NOW? 

1. Identify if you have a dental emergency ( If still not sure try our online assessment here)
2. Call our office at (403)-242-5900 or chat with us Facebook Messenger and we will contact you 
3. Get your specific instructions over the phone 

Our dental office phone number is (403)-242-5900 

Call us now, and in case we are not in the office right now, you will find instructions on our answering machine.
Our office hours are depending on the type and number of emergencies we have to treat. The only way for you to know when the best time to come in is to call our office and go through our over the phone screening. We will make sure to find the best solution for your specific situation.

What if your current situation is not a dental emergency? 

We encourage you to call our office at (403)-242-5900 and let us evaluate if what you experience is a dental emergency or not. After our over the phone conversation, we will let you know if your current situation is not an emergency and will give you some options.

• You will have to wait for this situation to change and limitations to be removed, and we will call you and book your non-emergency dental treatment. 
• If there is anything our staff can help you with over the phone we will let you know 
• If your situation changes into a dental emergency you call us at (403)-242-5900 and we will help you 

Examples of non-emergency dental procedures

Below are some examples of non-emergency dental procedures, but the list is not limited to the following:

• Extensive dental caries or defective restorations that can lead to pain
• Manage with interim restorative techniques when possible (silver diamine fluoride, glass ionomers)
• Denture adjustments or repairs when function impeded
• Replacing temporary filling on endo access openings
• Non-painful chronic periapical lesions
• Initial or periodic oral examinations and recall visits, including routine radiographs
• Routine dental cleaning and preventive therapies
• Orthodontic procedures other than those to address acute issues (e.g. pain, infection, trauma)
• Extraction of asymptomatic teeth
• Restorative dentistry including treatment of asymptomatic carious lesions
• Aesthetic dental procedures
• Dental implants

What if you are not a regular patient of Lakeview Dental Centre, can you benefit from emergency dental treatment?

Yes, we treat any patient that has a dental emergency according to ADAC current guidelines, even if they are not our regular patients.

Call our office at (403)-242-5900 or chat with us on Facebook Messenger and we will contact you 

Stay home, stay safe and let’s all do our part in fighting this pandemic.
Lakeview Dental Centre Team

PS. If you are still not sure if your specific situation is considered a dental emergency or not, you can try our online assessment here and fill in this form, and our staff will contact you as soon as possible.