Emergency Dental Care
If you have chipped or broken a tooth as a result of an accident or injury, swelling or severe toothache it is very important that you see a dentist as soon as possible. The same goes for one or more knocked out teeth. The sooner you are seen by a dental professional the better the chances that the teeth could be restored and/or re-implanted, depending on the severity of your injury.
We reserve time every day to see dental emergencies and no matter what the problem is, here at Gateway Dental we want to help, even if you don’t normally attend our practice.
If you require emergency dental treatment, you should ask to see a dentist as soon as possible. At our practice we offer appointments for all dental emergencies from toothache to lost or broken crowns, chipped teeth and fillings to abscesses, trauma, avulsed teeth and facial swelling. We can take care of your injuries to ensure you heal quickly, ensuring that you avoid additional dental problems and complications in the future.
If you find that you have a dental emergency during normal surgery hours you should contact the practice and we will give advice and make arrangements for you to be seen as quickly as possible.
Here are some of the steps an emergency dental appointment will cover:
1. We will listen carefully to you to find out about the problem.
2. A thorough examination will be undertaken. This may include dental X-rays to determine the cause and extent of your problem.
3. We will tell you our findings, and discuss the treatment options and cost.
4. The injured area will be sterilized to reduce the risk of infection. Depending on the severity of the pain, the area might be numbed with local anesthetic, and/or a prescription will be issued.
5. The damaged teeth will be restored temporarily or permanently, depending on the case.
6. In severe cases, the affected tooth may require extraction, and replacement options, including implant treatment will be discussed.
If the emergency occurs when the practice is closed, you should contact:
Haywards Heath area:
Health Centre Heath Centre
Tel: 01444 440695
Crawley area:
Crawley Hospital
Tel: 01293 518541
If outside the Emergency Dental Service opening hours shown above and normal working hours, please call NHS 111
Emergency appointments for NHS patients
Appointments are FREE if you are exempt from NHS Patient Charges. If you are not exempt from NHS Patient Charges, appointments normally cost £25.80 but may vary depending on if you need any treatment.