The most obvious category of emergencies includes oral injuries, such as a cracked, chipped, damaged, or knocked-out tooth. However, there are many other things that count as emergencies, such as a painful, prolonged toothache, a pulled-out or damaged piece of dental work (like a filling), or even a piece of food or debris that is stuck between your teeth and wonít come out.
As a general rule of thumb, you are experiencing a dental emergency if you are in pain and discomfort, and you do not know how to treat your issue on your own. It is important to visit a dentist right away if you think you are having a dental emergency for the best chance of saving your tooth and avoiding more costly treatment down the road.