Emergency Dentist – Winchendon, MA

We Want to Help You Out of Pain

Collage featuring people holding their faces in pain needing emergency dentist in Winchendon

We know dental emergencies can cause immense pain. Whether you’re suffering from a chipped or cracked tooth, a severe toothache, or one that has been knocked out, the immediate goal of our team is to help you be free of the discomfort. With same-day emergency dental appointments available as well as evenings and weekends, Dr. Hakwati and our team at Unique Dental of Winchendon will go above and beyond to make you feel more at ease during your visit while working quickly to address the problem and put your smile back on track. Call us to learn what we can do for you or a loved one during a serious dental emergency in Winchendon.

Why Choose Unique Dental of Winchendon for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day, Weekend, and Evening Hours Available
  • Optimal Tooth Replacement Solutions Available
  • Your Dental Insurance Is Welcome & Maximized

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Older man holding the side of his face in pain

While panicking may be a natural response in an emergency dental situation, it is important to remember to stay calm. You’ll want to start by calling our dental office to schedule an appointment. A member of our team will work to get you in quickly while also offering helpful tips to keep your pain to a minimum. Once in our office, we’ll work to identify the problem before creating a customized treatment plan that is designed to get you out of pain and address the issue. We’ll then get to work to fix the problem so that you can be on your way.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Unsure if the problem you’re experiencing is a true dental emergency? Our team at Unique Dental of Winchendon is here to explain some of the most common dental emergencies we treat. Whether you want to know more about how we handle a particular problem or what you can do to minimize the pain at home, check out the list below.

Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? When you first notice your tooth is hurting, start monitoring your symptoms. Is there a pimple-like bump on your gums? Are you experiencing a sharp, stabbing pain when you bite down? Do your teeth feel especially sensitive? If so, your toothache warrants an emergency visit to our Winchendon dental office.

How You Should Handle a Toothache Between now and your appointment with Dr. Hakwati, try to alleviate your symptoms by sticking to soft foods, rinsing periodically with warm saltwater, and taking OTC pain medication as directed.

How We Treat Toothaches First, we need to determine what’s causing your toothache. Then, we can review your treatment options, like a tooth-colored filling or dental crown. In both cases, we can restore your pain-free smile the same day; we utilize cutting-edge technology so we can create restorations on-site!

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS

Chipped Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Not always. For example, if you aren’t in any pain, an appointment within the next couple of days should suffice. Of course, if the chip is substantial or causing you significant discomfort, then you shouldn’t hesitate to schedule an appointment.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth First, avoid touching the tooth with your finger or chewing on that side of your mouth. Second, place some sugar-free gum or dental wax over the sharp edge (this will help prevent soft tissue injuries, like a cut on your lips).

How We Treat Chipped Teeth We actually have a few treatment options at our Winchendon dental office! When you come in for your appointment, we will assess the severity of your case (and your smile goals) to determine if cosmetic dental bonding, veneers, or Lumineers are right for you.

Cracked Tooth

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, a cracked tooth is a dental emergency, so don’t hesitate to call us. Our goal is to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hakwati ASAP, reducing the chances of your tooth breaking further or an infection developing.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth If you find yourself in this situation, there are a few steps we recommend taking: calling us to schedule an appointment, rinsing periodically with clean, room-temperature water, avoiding crunchy foods, taking OTC pain medication as directed.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Hopefully, we’ll be able to restore the look, health, and function of your tooth with a same-day dental crown. If that’s not possible because the tooth is damaged to the point where it can’t be saved, then we will need to extract it and find the best tooth-replacement option for you, like a dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH EXTRACTIONS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL BRIDGES

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? That depends largely on the severity of your symptoms. If, for example, your sensitivity is getting worse with each passing day, then we recommend contacting us ASAP to schedule an exam with Dr. Hakwati.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth Until your appointment, there’s really only one thing you can do: alleviate your discomfort in the short-term. We recommend taking OTC pain medication as needed, drinking room-temperature water, and avoiding hot/cold foods.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth The treatment we recommend will depend entirely on what we find during your emergency exam. If your tooth is infected, for example, then a root canal will likely be needed. If there is a crack in your enamel, but your tooth can still be saved, then a dental crown may be the best solution.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT ROOT CANAL TREATMENT

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, because it’s a race against the clock to save your tooth. So, don’t wait – give us a call right away so we can schedule an emergency appointment and share how to protect your tooth while transporting it to our office.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth In addition to calling us and scheduling an emergency appointment with Dr. Hakwati, we recommend rinsing the tooth with clean water to remove any debris and then putting it back in its socket. If it doesn’t slide into place easily, then put it in a clean container filled with milk instead.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth Hopefully, we’ll be able to save your tooth. If we can’t for some reason, like it was badly damaged while bringing it to our office, then we will restore your smile with the next best thing: a dental bridge or implant.

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? While your tooth may not be in immediate danger, it’s very likely that you’ll experience sensitivity, discomfort, and other unwanted symptoms without your restoration securely in place. That’s why we recommend scheduling a same-day appointment, if possible.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown If you have your restoration, put it in a small, clean container for safekeeping. If you don’t, that’s okay – focus on keeping your mouth clean by rinsing periodically with room-temperature water and not touching the tooth with your finger.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns Good news: since we offer same-day dental crowns, we can restore your tooth immediately following your emergency exam. That means no temporary restorations or back-to-back appointments. Just one comprehensive visit.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SAME-DAY DENTAL CROWNS

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Continuing to wear a broken denture can lead to problems with your gums, jaws, soft tissues, and remaining teeth. Call our office immediately if your false teeth or denture base become damaged.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture: Store-bought denture repair kits cannot reliably address the damage these appliances typically endure. The best way to get your dentures back in working order is to schedule an appointment with our office as soon as possible.

How We Treat Broken Dentures: Depending on how severely your dentures are damaged, we may be able to repair chipped or cracked teeth with composite resin, readjust your denture base so it fits properly, or recommend replacing the appliance if it cannot be repaired. If you need a new set of dentures, it may be an excellent opportunity to consider having them secured with dental implants for a longer-lasting solution that provides superior chewing power.

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? A loose permanent tooth (also called extruded or partially dislodged) can happen due to advanced gum disease or oral trauma, and it is at immediate risk of being lost. If you can wiggle your adult natural tooth or dental implant in your gums, contact our office as soon as possible even if no pain is present.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth: Call our office immediately to schedule an emergency appointment. Until then, refrain from touching the tooth or using it while chewing. While you can clean the tooth by swishing warm water in your mouth, don’t brush or floss until we’ve been able to treat it.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth: We may be able to fix a loose tooth with an occlusal splint or another treatment. However, we may need to perform an extraction if the tooth cannot be saved.

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Small cuts in the mouth can be alarming, but we can treat minor lacerations. Call our office to explain the situation and receive instructions as to what to do next.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: Begin by gently rinsing the cut with water to remove any lingering debris. Apply pressure with a washcloth or gauze until the bleeding stops. You can also address welling and discomfort with a cold compress.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: We may be able to stitch a small wound shut, but head to the ER if the wound is large or the bleeding doesn’t stop after ten minutes.

Learn More About Sports Mouthguards

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Though jaw pain can be a constant nuisance, it isn’t usually a dental emergency. Contact our office if the pain becomes chronic to prevent sudden oral health problems later.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: Our staff can provide you with tips for managing your symptoms until your appointment. We may recommend using over-the-counter pain relievers and an ice pack to relieve discomfort until your appointment. Head to the ER if you believe your jaw is broken.

How We Treat Jaw Pain: We may recommend wearing a customized mouthguard to relieve the pressure of grinding or clenching. If your pain is caused by an impacted tooth, we may recommend extraction.

Learn More About Nightguards for Bruxism

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Having a stubborn object stuck between your teeth can be unsightly and uncomfortable. If you can’t remove debris from between your teeth with conventional oral hygiene methods, contact our Winchendon office so Dr. Hakwati can address the issue. Never use tweezers, toothpicks, or other sharp objects to clean between your teeth.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

Young woman in dental chair holding her cheek in pain

You may think it’s not necessary to seek help for a dental emergency, but if you forgo treatment, you may find yourself spending more time and money trying to fix the problem later on. Many dental insurance companies provide one free emergency exam each year, so much of the expense comes from the type of restorative care you’ll need. Fortunately, many insurance companies agree to pay anywhere from 50-80% of the total cost, and our team will be happy to assist in maximizing your benefits.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Woman receiving dental exam

If you want to avoid spending extra time and money at the emergency dentist’s office, try taking these steps to prevent dental emergencies. These may include brushing up on your oral hygiene routine, committing to your six-month dental checkups and teeth cleanings, wearing a mouthguard at night to avoid teeth grinding, wearing a sportsguard while engaging in contact sports, eating a healthier diet, or giving up bad habits that can damage your smile.