Which Dental Problems Cannot Wait, and Which Can Be Planned
In a distant settlement this distinction decides whether to travel tonight.
Pictures that cannot wait
Swelling spreading across the face, fever, difficulty opening the mouth and pain on swallowing show infection moving between tissue planes, so lost hours carry risk and you should set out at once. If the swelling reaches the neck or eye, or there is difficulty breathing or swallowing, go to a hospital emergency department.
A knocked-out permanent tooth belongs here too: its chance of reattaching falls with every minute. Bleeding that will not stop, a changed bite after a blow to the jaw, and severe throbbing pain that prevents sleep also need attention the same night.
Pictures that can be planned rather than raced
A painless chipped corner, a lost filling, a loose crown or a few seconds of cold sensitivity are uncomfortable but do not usually change within hours. The clinic is open and you may come at any hour; the difference is that the visit can be arranged for a time that suits you.
Postponing is still unwise: exposed dentine soon becomes sensitive, a sharp edge injures soft tissue, and the tooth under a loose crown is left open to decay. If you are travelling far, the visit is agreed in advance so that as much as possible is finished in one trip.
Signs that mean setting out without delay
- Swelling spreading on the face, towards the eye or neck
- Dental swelling accompanied by fever
- Difficulty opening the mouth and pain on swallowing
- A knocked-out permanent tooth — bring it in milk
- Bleeding that will not stop despite pressure, or recurs
- A changed bite after a blow to the jaw
- Severe throbbing pain that medication does not settle
Before You Arrive from Caybasi: What to Do in the First Hour
What you can do before setting out from Caybasi does not replace treatment, but it keeps the situation from worsening and buys you time.
Before leaving Caybasi
What you should do before setting out from Caybasi depends on your complaint, and detailed first-aid steps for each are on the relevant page. On the way from Emergency in Caybasi, using the wrong measure can make things worse, so it matters which page you read — applying heat to swelling spreads the infection, and placing a painkiller tablet on the tooth burns the gum.
- Toothache
- Dental abscess and facial swelling
- A broken or cracked tooth
- A knocked-out tooth
- Bleeding after an extraction
What calling achieves for Caybasi
Calling as you set out from Caybasi does two things: you receive first-aid guidance suited to your situation, and the radiograph and surgery are prepared while you travel. For patients coming from across Elmali, this arrangement noticeably shortens the wait.
What an Emergency Visit Covers for a Patient from Caybasi
For a patient attending as an emergency from Caybasi, the aim is to stop the pain and the infection; definitive work is left to a planned appointment.
Completed the same night for Caybasi
Examination and a radiograph, opening the canal to release pressure, draining an abscess, stopping bleeding, temporarily sealing a broken tooth, splinting a loose tooth and adjusting a poking orthodontic wire are all completed the same night for a patient from Caybasi as well.
Left to a later visit for Caybasi
For a patient from Emergency in Caybasi, completing the root filling, making a crown or onlay, the permanent restoration and the implant and prosthetic stages are done at planned appointments. If you are coming from Caybasi, these are combined according to your journey and given to you in writing, so you do not have to travel from Elmali repeatedly.
