Dental pain or trauma can arrive without warning, and knowing when to act quickly makes a real difference in preserving your smile and preventing more serious complications. If you experience sudden severe tooth pain, uncontrollable bleeding, swelling that interferes with breathing or swallowing, or a tooth that has been knocked out, you should seek urgent professional attention. Prompt evaluation helps identify the problem, relieve pain, and reduce the risk of infection or permanent damage.
Not every dental concern is a true emergency, but many situations feel urgent to the patient and deserve same-day care. Persistent toothaches, an exposed tooth root, or a crown that has come off can rapidly affect eating, sleeping, and overall well-being. Our approach is to address symptoms quickly while focusing on solutions that preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible.
When in doubt, it’s better to have a tooth examined than to wait. Early intervention often simplifies treatment and improves outcomes. Our team takes a calm, systematic approach so patients know what to expect from the moment they arrive: fast assessment, pain control, and a clear plan for next steps.
An emergency dental visit begins with a focused evaluation to determine the source and severity of the problem. We will review your symptoms, examine the affected area, and — when necessary — take targeted digital X-rays to look beneath the surface. This rapid diagnostic process guides immediate care and helps us decide whether treatment can begin right away or if specialized follow-up is needed.
Pain control is a top priority. Depending on the situation, that may involve local anesthetic, short-term medications, or simple interventions that provide immediate relief. We also assess for signs of infection, swelling, and other issues that could require urgent management to protect your general health. Throughout, we explain findings and treatment options so you can make informed choices.
For many patients, a single emergency visit stabilizes the situation—stopping bleeding, reducing pain, or temporarily restoring form and function. When definitive treatment requires additional time or specialist care, we provide clear instructions for interim care and arrange timely follow-up to complete the restorative or surgical work.
Our clinicians prioritize comfort and safety, using modern sterilization standards and up-to-date materials to deliver care that minimizes anxiety and promotes fast recovery. Swift action combined with empathetic communication helps patients feel supported during stressful moments.
There are several patterns we see frequently in the emergency chair. Severe toothaches may signal deep decay, an infection, or an inflamed nerve. Chipped or fractured teeth can expose sensitive dentin and cause pain, while a completely dislodged (avulsed) tooth requires immediate attention to improve the chance of saving it. Loose restorations, sudden swelling, and painful wisdom tooth flare-ups also prompt urgent visits.
Simple measures at home can reduce discomfort while you arrange care. Rinse gently with warm salt water to clean the area, apply a cold compress to limit swelling, and use over-the-counter pain relief as directed on the label. If a tooth has been knocked out, handle it by the crown (not the root), rinse it gently if dirty, and attempt to place it back into the socket if possible. If reinsertion isn’t feasible, keep the tooth moist in milk or saliva and seek immediate attention.
For a lost crown or filling, protect the exposed tooth with dental wax or a piece of sugarless gum and avoid chewing on that side. Broken dentures or appliances should be brought in for quick repair or temporary adjustment. If you notice an abscess or persistent swelling, prompt assessment is essential, as infections can spread and sometimes require antibiotics or drainage in addition to definitive dental treatment.
Understanding these basic first-aid steps can ease pain and improve the chances of saving a tooth. Our team will coach you through the safest immediate actions and arrange the fastest possible appointment to address the underlying issue.
When you arrive for emergency care, our goal is to stabilize the condition and outline durable restorative options. Treatments range from simple adhesive bonding and new fillings to repair or replacement of crowns and bridges. For teeth with deep damage that affects the nerve, root canal therapy can eliminate infection while preserving the natural tooth—a predictable, tooth-saving option that often prevents extraction.
In cases where a tooth is not salvageable, extraction may be the safest choice to protect surrounding tissues. Even when extraction is necessary, our team focuses on minimizing discomfort and preserving the jawbone and soft tissues to allow for future restorative options. Today’s restorative choices—such as dental implants, fixed bridges, and well-fitting dentures—make it possible to restore function and aesthetics after tooth loss.
Our office is equipped with contemporary diagnostic tools and restorative technologies that streamline care and enhance precision. By combining conservative techniques with advanced materials, we aim to return patients to comfortable, functional oral health with as few visits as possible while maintaining long-term results. The team at the office of Edward J. Sharkey, DMD emphasizes careful follow-through so emergency treatment leads to lasting recovery.
Preventing future emergencies starts with good daily care and regular dental visits. Routine checkups and timely restorations reduce the likelihood of sudden failures, and early treatment of decay or gum disease prevents many acute problems. We encourage patients to keep up with preventive care and to contact the office when new symptoms appear rather than waiting for pain to escalate.
After emergency treatment, follow your clinician’s aftercare instructions closely. That may include short-term dietary adjustments, medication guidance, and gentle oral hygiene techniques that protect the treated area while it heals. If you experience increasing pain, fever, or changes in swelling after treatment, contact the practice promptly so we can reassess and intervene if necessary.
We also provide practical advice about safely returning to normal activities, using protective gear for sports, and recognizing early warning signs that warrant professional attention. Empowering patients with clear, practical guidance is a key part of our commitment to shorter recoveries and fewer repeat emergencies.
If you have questions about what to do in an urgent dental situation or need help deciding whether your symptoms require same-day care, please contact us for more information.
Pain is your body's way of signaling that something is not quite right and though there are many reasons for oral pain, one of the most common complaints and reasons for seeking urgent dental care is a toothache. Whether you simply need a dental filling, a crown, or require a root canal procedure to save your tooth, we'll alleviate your discomfort and restore the look and function of the involved tooth.
Dental trauma can result in a defect as minor as a small chip in tooth enamel to a more extensive and painful crack or fracture. With sufficient force, a tooth can even be displaced or completely knocked out of its socket. With prompt emergency care, many injured teeth can be restored and saved.
The last teeth in your mouth to develop, wisdom teeth often do not have enough room to fully erupt or may be positioned in the wrong direction. These issues can affect your dental health as well as overall well-being. Our office provides skilled care to address the complications caused by problematic wisdom teeth.
A broken or lost dental prosthesis or restoration can cause embarrassing gaps in your smile as well as compromise your ability to eat and speak with ease. If you've lost or broken a dental filling, denture, crown, or other dental appliance, you can rely on our office to perform a prompt repair or provide a durable and cosmetically pleasing replacement as quickly as possible.
At the office of Edward J. Sharkey, DMD, emergency appointments are always available. Of course, in addition to providing top treatment for dental emergencies, we also welcome patients searching for high quality and affordable care. We offer a complete range of the latest and best cosmetic and dental services for every member of your family.
If you are suffering from a toothache or have sustained a dental injury, it is important to visit the dentist as soon as possible before more serious complications arise. Whether your dental emergency is painful, if it affects the appearance of your smile, or if you suspect that an infection is present, our office will make every effort to see you as promptly as possible for care.
At the office of Edward J. Sharkey, DMD, we treat your dental emergency as our top priority. Our caring team will respond to your emergency call right away, making sure you get the gentle, state-of-the-art care you need without delay.
As your trusted emergency dentist in Ellicott City, we provide the highest quality of care to mitigate the stress, anxiety, and discomfort of dental problems. Our dedicated team will help you start feeling better as soon as we receive your emergency call.
At the office of Edward J. Sharkey, DMD, we provide skilled and experienced care to effectively resolve a broad range of dental emergencies, restoring a patient's oral health while protecting their overall wellbeing.
However, even so, specific dental emergencies pose significant threats to one's health. These situations require immediate, emergency room care. Serious and potentially life-threatening dental emergencies include significant oral and facial trauma such as jaw fractures, deep wounds or lacerations to the face and mouth, an abscess or infection that causes widespread facial or submandibular swelling, or affects breathing and swallowing.
At the office of Edward J. Sharkey, DMD, we provide prompt, skilled, and experienced care to address dental emergencies. We understand that finances are always a concern and do our best to provide options in care that are both affordable and respect your budget.
Once we've had the opportunity to examine your smile, we can give you a clear picture of any existing dental issues, along with a quote for what the cost of treatment will be. The cost of care all depends upon the extent and complexity of issues affecting the health or appearance of your smile and the types of procedures that are required.
To help alleviate any additional stress or delay, you can count on our staff to work with you to optimize coverage for your dental care and to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses. For patients without insurance, we strive to make things easier as well! We invite you to visit our financial information page or speak to an expert in our business office.
Dental emergencies are often painful and debilitating experiences. For this reason it's important to have an emergency dentist in Ellicott City, who welcomes patients with urgent dental needs while providing the prompt care required to restore oral health.
Here are just some of the reasons why so many patients choose our office for emergency dental care and to meet their family's dental needs:
We're dedicated to helping patients enjoy good oral health and beautiful smiles. We look forward to helping you keep your smile in tip-top condition. You can rest assured that our highly skilled office team will provide you the highest quality of state-of-the-art dental care and have you smiling again in no time!
To make an appointment or for more information on our office and the many state-of-the-art services we provide, give us a call today.
