When It Cannot Wait, Call Us First
Dental emergencies do not schedule themselves around convenient times. A knocked-out tooth, a cracked molar, or a sudden and serious toothache can happen on a Tuesday morning or a Friday afternoon, and when it does, you need a practice that will pick up the phone and find a way to see you.
That is what we do. Same-day emergency appointments are a standard part of how we operate at Kocian Family Dental, not an exception.
What Counts as a Dental Emergency?
If something feels urgent, treat it as urgent. That said, here are the most common situations that bring patients in for emergency care:
Knocked-Out Tooth
Time is critical. If a permanent tooth has been knocked out, call us immediately and handle the tooth as little as possible. In some cases, the tooth can be reimplanted if the patient arrives quickly enough.
Cracked or Broken Tooth
A cracked tooth can worsen rapidly, especially under chewing pressure. If you have pieces of a broken tooth, bring them with you. We may be able to use them.
Severe Tooth Pain
Persistent, intense tooth pain is often a sign of infection. Do not try to wait it out. Infections spread, and the sooner we can treat it, the better the outcome.
Loose Permanent Tooth
A permanent tooth that has become loose is a serious concern. This is not something that will stabilize on its own and needs to be evaluated as soon as possible.
Lost Filling or Crown
While not always painful, a lost filling or crown leaves the underlying tooth exposed and vulnerable. We can usually address this quickly.
After-Hours
and Weekend Emergencies
We understand that emergencies do not always happen during office hours. If you call after hours, we will do our best to connect you with care or at minimum give you guidance on how to manage the situation until we can see you. We handle after-hours cases on a case-by-case basis and will always make an effort to help.
What to Do While You Wait
If a tooth has been knocked out, handle it by the crown, not the root. Keep it moist by placing it gently back in the socket, tucking it between your cheek and gum, or storing it in a glass of milk. Do not let it dry out.
For pain and swelling, a cold compress applied to the outside of the face can help in the short term. Avoid putting aspirin directly on the gum tissue.
Emergency Dental Care in Gretna, NE
Kocian Family Dental serves patients from Gretna, Papillion, La Vista, Bellevue, and the greater Omaha metro area. When something goes wrong, we want to be the first call you make.
