Emergency Dental Care for Children in Kerrville

If your child has a dental-related issue that needs to be addressed immediately, please call our office at 830-355-4488. Our gentle dental team offers compassionate dental care during scheduled appointments and dental emergencies. We will be able to offer advice on the next best steps to take and begin preparing for your arrival. If you have any questions about emergency dental care for kids, feel free to get in touch with our front office team.

What is considered a dental emergency?

It’s not always easy to tell what needs immediate treatment and what can wait until the next appointment, which is why we always recommend calling our office for specific advice about what your next steps should be. For example, a chipped tooth that is not accompanied by pain or bleeding can usually be taken care of during a convenient appointment in the near future. Dental issues that almost always require emergency care include:

Cracked, Broken, or Knocked-Out Baby or Adult Tooth
Unrelenting Tooth or Mouth Pain
Severe Gum Swelling or Bleeding
Dental Abscess
Foreign Object Stuck Between Teeth

Is a knocked-out baby tooth really a dental emergency?

A baby tooth is supposed to fall out on its own once an adult tooth starts growing in and pushes it out of the way. When a baby tooth is knocked out prematurely and the adult tooth hasn’t begun growing in yet, other teeth can start moving into the empty space, which can cause alignment problems because the adult tooth will not have room to grow in properly. If your child knocks a baby tooth out on accident, you should bring them in as soon as you can, especially if they are bleeding and in pain. Our team will provide them with a space maintainer, which keeps the other teeth from crowding and allows the adult tooth to grow in when it’s ready.

Should I take my child to the dentist or the hospital?

In a high-stress situation, it can be difficult to determine the best course of action to take. Generally speaking, if your child has suffered a tooth or jaw-related injury, you will want to take them to see an emergency dentist. Hospitals typically don’t have the tools and expertise necessary to treat issues like cracked teeth or dental abscesses, and they can only offer pain medication and a referral to an emergency dentist. If your child has other major injuries that need to be taken care of first, then we recommend going to a hospital. If you have any questions, you are always welcome to call our team for specific advice.