Lakeforest Dental Associates

Dr. Neil Daftary and Dr. Robert Zaner

803 Russell Avenue, Suite B

Lakeforest Dental Associates > Services > Dental Emergencies

We know emergencies happen! We accept emergency dental appointments and will work to get you treated as soon as possible.

Oral Pain Help and Emergency Dentist in Gaithersburg MD

We Work to Treat Dental Emergencies Fast

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Your Gaithersburg Emergency Dentist

Have you ever had a toothache or broken tooth? If so, you know firsthand how alarming it can be, especially when it interrupts work, sleep, or school schedules. At Lakeforest Dental Associates, we treat dental emergencies in our Gaithersburg, MD dental office quickly to restore your comfort and get you back to the things that mean the most.

Even if you are diligent with your oral health (brushing and flossing every day along with routine dental check-ups), there are dental emergencies that cannot be prevented. Sometimes they start as a mild throbbing that never goes away.

Dental emergencies are probably the worse time to start looking for a compassionate and skilled dentist. It is essential that patients see a friendly and familiar face that they already trust to diagnose and treat your emergency.

If you are undergoing a dental emergency, we will do our best to see you as soon as possible, especially if you are in pain. Dental pain is never a good thing; it’s a sign of an oral health issue that will not go away—no matter how hard you try to ignore it. Your body is letting you that there is a significant underlying issue that needs to be diagnosed and treated right away before it gets worse.

The first thing Dr. Neil Daftary and Dr. Robert Zaner can help with is managing your pain and keep you comfortable while we diagnose the issue.

At Lakeforest Dental Associates, we will get you back to your regular life as soon as possible.

Are You Experiencing a Dental Emergency?
What to Do During a Dental Emergency
Preventing Future Dental Emergencies
Contact Us for a Toothache or Dental Emergency

Are You Experiencing a Dental Emergency?

If you are wondering if you need an emergency dental appointment to address your condition, here are some guidelines. Call our Gaithersburg, MD dental office immediately if:

You experience pain or extreme sensitivity with your teeth, gums, or oral cavity
Swelling is present in the jaw, gums, or face
You are unable to chew in a particular area of your mouth
You feel throbbing or pressure in your tooth
A tooth is loosened or knocked-out
You have chronic bad breath, even after brushing your teeth
You have an infection and inflammation
Swollen and red gums
Bleeding gums
Teeth that are suddenly sensitive to temperatures
Trauma or injury to face
Dental restorations that are loose or have fallen out

Whenever you have doubts about whether you need an emergency appointment, give us a call.

Our dental team will ask questions to determine if a trip to the dental office is an immediate need or if it can wait until the next day. It is important to remember that toothaches often worsen with time, so taking action immediately will make you more comfortable.

What to Do During a Dental Emergency

The goal of a dental emergency is to stabilize your condition and get you out of pain. Some of the most common dental emergencies we treat include:

Broken tooth—Broken teeth are compromised, and damage may continue without proper dental care. Even if your tooth is not painful at the moment, we should see you to determine if a dental crown, bonding, or filling is necessary to repair the tooth. Take care not to cut your lips, cheek, or tongue. If you cannot see our emergency dentists right away, cover the sharp edges of your tooth with paraffin or dental wax to limit potential cuts, irritation, or infections.

Infection—If the nerve, or pulp, in the tooth becomes infected, root canal treatment can remove painful symptoms. We provide comfortable root canal treatment using the latest technology in our Gaithersburg dental office. Modern rotary endodontic instruments make treatment more efficient and convenient for patients. Over-the-counter pain relievers may help minimize some discomfort until you can see us.

Dental extractions—If we are unable to treat your tooth, we offer dental extractions and numerous tooth-replacement options to restore your smile. Tooth extractions are a last resort, as it is typically less costly and complex to repair your natural teeth whenever possible.

Chipped teeth—A chipped tooth may not be painful, but if it impacts your smile, it may seem like an emergency to you. We understand that you don’t want to go long without repairing your smile, and we are here when you need us most. If your tooth has sharp edges, you can cover them with paraffin wax until you can see us.

Knocked-out tooth—We might be able to replace a knocked-out tooth if you get it to us right away. Keeping the tooth’s root moist by placing it back in the gums and holding it there or placing it in a small container of milk until you reach us will improve the prognosis. This particular dental emergency is especially time-sensitive—we have one or two hours to treat you. Call us immediately to restore your knocked-out tooth.

Important Note: If your emergency involves trauma that includes injury to your jaw or head, please go directly to an emergency room or call 911.

Preventing Future Dental Emergencies

Laughing family on the couch At Lakeforest Dental Associates in Gaithersburg, MD, we want our patients always to feel welcome and comfortable. Our kind and compassionate dental staff will never judge or lecture patients. Instead, we provide ongoing patient education, so they fully comprehend their oral health and are active in their own treatment. By continually practicing routine oral habits, you can preserve the strength and beauty of your smile.

While some dental emergencies cannot be prevented—like accidents and injuries—it helps to develop and maintain a rigorous oral hygiene routine that consists of daily brushing and flossing. Drs. Daftary and Zaner are available to provide effective brushing and flossing techniques so you can feel confident in knowing the proper method.

It’s essential to brush your teeth for three minutes, and the method you use to clean may not be effective. It takes some effort to get rid of the plaque that has built up over the day.

Still, even with daily brushing and flossing, there will always be a build-up of plaque that you cannot control. Only your preventive dentists in Gaithersburg can clean and eliminate plaque and tartar. During your check-up with us, we also screen for oral cancer and examine your teeth and gums for any dental health problems.

Do you have fillings or dental restorations like dental crowns, bridges, dental implants, or dentures? Your Gaithersburg emergency dentists will always check to see if they are loose or need to be replaced.

Maintaining a clean and healthy smile can prevent many painful dental emergencies.

Contact Us for a Toothache or Dental Emergency

Both Dr. Neil Daftary and Dr. Robert Zaner are gifted at working with patients during stressful situations and are known for their gentle treatment styles. Give us a call right away if you are experiencing a dental emergency or are suffering from dental pain.

If you see any signs of impending dental trouble, give us a call to schedule an emergency exam in Gaithersburg, MD, so we can immediately start treating you. If you are ever unsure about your dental health situation, give us a call anyway so we can see you as soon as we can.

We are here when you need us most.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when a toothache is a dental emergency?

Many patients tell us they would have called us sooner, but they were not sure if they were having a real dental emergency. Determining if a dental emergency appointment is necessary does not need to be a decision you make on your own. Our experienced team will ask you questions about your condition and symptoms helping you decide if immediate treatment is needed.

Common Signs of Dental Emergencies

You have pain – Tooth pain or a toothache is a sure sign of trouble, and you should call our Gaithersburg dental office for a dental emergency appointment. Most dental conditions that cause pain are advanced. Decay and other oral health diseases do not usually present symptoms in the early stages, but only when the nerve is involved.
You have swelling – Swelling of the jaw, face, neck or gums indicates the presence of an infection. Infection not only puts your smile at risk, but it also puts your life at risk because inflammation and infection can impact heart health.
You have an avulsed (knocked-out) tooth – We can sometimes save a dislodged or knocked-out tooth by reinserting it and securing it in place. We will typically only attempt to replace permanent teeth and may instead use a space-maintainer for deciduous (baby) teeth.

Emergency Dental Appointments in Gaithersburg

Don’t rely on guesswork when it comes to your smile, we treat dental emergencies fast in our Gaithersburg, MD dental office and will have you feeling like yourself again fast. Give us a call today if you are in pain.

Do you treat dental emergencies?

At Lakeforest Dental Associates, we understand that sometimes dental emergencies just can’t wait, which is why we treat emergency dental conditions and toothaches in our Gaithersburg dental office quickly. We usually try to see emergency patients on the same day, whenever possible.

Have You Been Treated?

Toothaches and oral pain can indicate a severe condition, and the sooner you seek treatment, the better. For problems such as an infection requiring root canal treatment and cracked or fractured teeth, seeking treatment early can mean that you have more options, better outcomes, and may even avoid the need for extraction.

Other dental emergencies include broken dentures or crowns, and losing a filling or restoration. Talking to one of our team members will help you decide if an emergency dental appointment is necessary.

If you are not a current patient in our practice, not only will we invite you in for emergency treatment, but we will also help you develop a preventive dentistry routine to keep you out of pain and out of trouble. The best insurance for your smile is prevention, which we consider the foundation of our dental practice.

Emergency Dentistry in Gaithersburg

If you have tooth pain, give our Gaithersburg dental office a call. Don’t wait for it to get worse or to cause missed work or sleep. Our gentle team will have you feeling like yourself again fast!

Should I just have my tooth pulled?

If you have a painful or broken tooth, you might first consider having a dental extraction in our Gaithersburg dental office. There are a few reasons why you might decide to make a different choice once you speak to either Dr. Neil Daftary or Dr. Robert Zaner.

When Extractions are Necessary

When we recommend an extraction, we exhaust all other treatment options first. Removing a tooth causes a chain reaction of undesirable oral health problems such as bone loss and a misaligned bite.

Replacing a missing tooth is often more costly than saving the ones you have by performing root canal treatment and placing a dental crown or for restoring the comfort and functionality of a broken tooth.

Sometimes painful wisdom teeth or overcrowding requires that we remove one or more teeth to improve your health. By staying on track with your regular dental exams and cleanings, we will alert you to any of these problems.

Great Tooth Replacement in Gaithersburg

Of course, if you decide to have a dental extraction with our Gaithersburg dentists, Lakeforest Dental Associates offers a wide variety of tooth-replacement options to fill the gap by a missing tooth. Dental implants, bridges, dentures, and partials are all popular choices to give you confidence after extractions.

What should I do if I have a dental emergency?

At our Gaithersburg dental office, we regularly treat dental emergencies and make them a priority, so you do not have to tolerate a painful toothache longer than necessary.

Don't Ignore Your Pain!

Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes patients make is waiting to see if their tooth pain will go away on its own. In most cases, it just gets worse. Sometimes, putting off a dental emergency results in the need to remove a diseased tooth with a dental extraction.

So, what is the best way to handle a dental emergency? Call our Gaithersburg dental office right away and speak to one of our team members. Even if you are not sure if the dental condition you have requires an immediate appointment, you will likely gain some reassurance and answers to put your mind at ease.

If your situation warrants an immediate trip to the dentist, we reserve time in each daily schedule to see you quickly. A toothache or dental pain can make it difficult to sleep at night or to concentrate on work.

Dental Exams in Gaithersburg

Don’t put your smile at risk by putting off the call you need to make. Our gentle dentists will put you right at ease.

What if I ignore a dental emergency?

We take dental emergencies seriously in our Gaithersburg dental office. One of the main reasons we treat dental emergencies quickly is because once pain develops, it indicates that a condition has advanced to the point where it involves the nerve. Whether because of infection or decay, nerve involvement usually means that root canal therapy is necessary to save the tooth.

How We Can Help

Root canals relieve pain and promote healing, reducing inflammation in the mouth, which can present as pressure, sensitivity, pain, or throbbing, especially when lying down.

Another common dental emergency is caused by an avulsed tooth – one that has been knocked out due to an auto or sports accident. Our dentists, Dr. Neil Daftary and Dr. Robert Zaner, can often replace a knocked-out tooth back in the socket. Again, acting fast is essential or saving the tooth may not be possible.

Broken or lost restorations, such as a filling, bridge, or crown, can often be postponed until the next day. Prompt treatment is still important to keep bacteria from entering the tooth and causing an infection.

Dental Emergency Care in Gaithersburg

If you have a dental emergency, a toothache, or unexplained changes to your oral health and want an emergency dentist in Gaithersburg, contact Lakeforest Dental Associates. We welcome new patients.

Meet Our Doctors:

Dr. Neil Daftary

Dr. Neil Daftary is a 1994 graduate of Tufts University. He was on the clinical faculty of the dental school until 1999 when he moved to Maryland. He is Invisalign certified and a current member ...

Dr. Robert Zaner

Dr. Robert Zaner is a 1983 graduate of the University of Maryland. He also completed a post-graduate clinical training at Baltimore City Hospitals. Dr. Zaner is a current member of the American Dental Association and ...

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Featured Blog Posts - Dental Emergencies

June 24, 2024

What to Do in a Dental Emergency: A Step-by-Step Guide

No one thinks a dental emergency will happen to them, but the truth is, you or a family member will likely experience one at some point in your life. Whether it’s a knocked-out tooth, a severe toothache, or a broken dental restoration, knowing what to do and who to ...

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Don’t Panic: A Comprehensive Guide to Dealing with Dental Emergencies

We understand that dental emergencies can be inconvenient and even frightening. However, if you know what to do, the situation may feel a lot less stressful.

Your emergency dentist in Gaithersburg, MD, has compiled a few tips to help you deal with the most common dental emergencies.

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