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Emergency Dental Care

We give priority treatment to our existing patient family who are experiencing dental emergencies. If you are not yet a patient, but are experiencing dental pain; please call us at 603-357-0230 and we will do our best to help you.

Additionally, we will work with you to create a plan for ongoing care so you can hopefully avoid painful and inconvenient dental emergencies in the future.

What Is Considered a Dental Emergency?

If any of the following are true, then you have a dental emergency:

Pain or aching in your tooth or jaw
Injury to the gums, palate, and other soft tissues
A cracked or broken tooth
A tooth that has been dislodged or knocked out
A foreign object wedged between your teeth
Lost fillings, crowns, or other restorative dental work
Sudden swelling or a pimple-like growth on your gums

Should I Go to the Emergency Room?

In some situations, a trip to the emergency room is more appropriate. Go to your nearest ER for any of the following:

A possibly dislocated or broken jaw
A head injury that may have resulted in concussion
Dizziness or disorientation
Uncontrollable bleeding
Swelling and fever caused by a tooth that makes it difficult to breathe or swallow.

Children’s Dental Emergencies

Children are prone to spills on the playground and the sports fields, and occasionally, a child may lose a tooth too early. Try to recover the tooth or tooth fragments and put them in milk until you can arrange for your child to be seen.

If you or a family member is having a dental emergency, even if you are not currently a patient, call our Keene dental office today for treatment - we will try to help you out.

Frequently Asked Questions

My child is having a dental emergency. What should I do?

When your child experiences a dental emergency, it can be especially traumatic. Children are not always equipped to tell you exactly where their pain is or to discuss the severity of their pain. All you know is that your child hurts and that can make any parent feel helpless.

Dr. Sean Drower is experienced with treating children of all ages. His family-focused dental practice has the compassion and ability to comfort your little one and put them at ease.

A Knocked Out Tooth

If your child’s permanent tooth is knocked out, try to find it and if it is in one piece, try to place it back into the socket and call us as soon as possible. Do not unnecessarily handle the tooth. Time is critical in these scenarios, and your little one must see a dentist immediately.

If you are unable to insert the tooth into the socket, place it in a small container with your child’s own saliva or milk and call us right away.

Dental Pain

Sometimes your child might complain of dental pain. You can examine the gums around the tooth to see if anything is lodged in their gums. Make sure to clean the area thoroughly.

Dental pain can come from numerous conditions and it is always better to have a thorough exam. Dr. Drower will be able to uncover the reason for your little one’s pain and get them feeling comfortable again.

What is considered a dental emergency?

At Dr. Drower’s dental office, we never want our patients to be in pain. We know that sometimes emergencies can happen and if that time ever comes, we encourage you to call our office. We can help evaluate your situation and will get you in just as soon as possible.

Sometimes patients put off calling our office because they are not sure if their situation is a real dental emergency. When you put off treatment, you may run the risk of losing a tooth that otherwise could have been saved. In some emergency cases, time is of the essence and early treatment increases the likelihood that we can save your tooth.

Depending on your particular dental situation, your symptoms may vary. Here are some of the symptoms that we consider a true dental emergency:

Significant pain or aching in your tooth
A broken tooth
Injury to your teeth or gums
Sudden swelling
Something caught in your teeth
A knocked out tooth
Lost fillings, crowns, or other restorations

Our office puts patients first. We value our patients and want you to be comfortable and pain-free. If you experience a dental emergency, please call Dr. Sean Drower’s office and we will make your dental emergency our priority.

Do you treat dental emergencies?

At Sean Drower DMD, we are committed to your health. We would never want one of our patients to have prolonged unnecessary pain. We know that dental emergencies can happen at inconvenient times and that is why we encourage you to call our office anytime to discuss your specific situation.

After we have an opportunity to speak on the phone, we may ask you to come to our office for treatment, depending on your emergency. Some emergencies may be able to wait until the next business day. It all depends on the severity and pain you are experiencing. When you call, please let us know the nature of your emergency so we know how to best assist you.

We know that people stay away from the dentist for a wide variety of reasons. Perhaps you are new to the area or just looking for a new dental home, we are happy to treat emergencies for patients looking to establish themselves in our office.

We welcome you to call with questions and we will help to assess your emergency. Please do not suffer needlessly! At Dr. Sean Drower’s office, our patients are important to us and we look forward to helping to restore your health and comfort.

When should I go to the emergency room instead of the dentist?

Sometimes, especially in the case of an accident, patients are unsure whether to go to the dentist or to visit the emergency room. While some gray area exists, we can provide guidelines so that you know when to bypass the dentist for the emergency room.

If you have a dental emergency like a broken tooth or lost crown, we reserve time in our schedules for emergency appointments because we realize that emergencies do happen. However, if you have any of the following conditions, you should go to the emergency room for treatment.

Bleeding That Will Not Stop

If you have severe bleeding that will not stop with time or pressure, you should go to the emergency room, especially if you are on blood thinners such as Warfarin or Coumadin.

If You Suspect A Broken Jaw Or Head Injury

If you believe the injury may have caused a broken jaw bone or head injury, you should go to the emergency room immediately. You may have more severe conditions that need treatment. The emergency room can assess your situation best, especially if it is life threatening.

If The Patient Is Unconscious

If the patient is unconscious, call 911 immediately.

Should everyone have their wisdom teeth extracted?

It used to be common practice for dentists to recommend that wisdom teeth be removed in patients’ teenage years. But because of the inherent risks that come along with surgery, wisdom teeth removal is not as commonly done as a preventative procedure as it used to be.

While it is true that a small percent of the people who do not have their wisdom teeth removed encounter some kind of issue with them in the future, it is not necessary for everyone to have their wisdom teeth removed as a preventative measure.

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the last teeth in the back of your mouth. They can be challenging to keep clean and may create problems if your teeth are too crowded or if they grown in at an odd angle, become impacted, or acquire a large amount of decay.

Before you rush to judgment regarding your wisdom teeth, make sure you have a compelling reason to have them removed. Dr. Sean Drower will be able to tell you if he sees a good reason to undergo surgery. Wisdom tooth extraction is only necessary when your teeth are partially or fully impacted and cause you discomfort or increase your risk for infection. Dr. Drower will examine the condition of your wisdom teeth and make a recommendation based on the condition of your teeth and gums and any symptoms you may be experiencing.

Meet Our Doctor:

Sean P. Drower DMD, MAGD

After obtaining his Bachelors from the University of Scranton in Scranton, PA, Dr. Sean Drower attended Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, graduating with his DMD. He then went on to perform his general practice residency at Meriter Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Dr. Drower has achieved his Master's designation in the Academy of General Dentistry, an achievement earned by only 2% of dentists.

Dr. Drower is a strong believer in ongoing education and is committed to staying on top of the latest advancements in the field of dentistry. He is a ...