what happens if the specialist i need is not available

Our specialists are visiting consultants, so there will be times when the one you need is away, fully booked or not consulting that week. Here are the realistic options, and what you should weigh up with each.

Option 1: another specialist in the same department

Several of our departments, including root canal treatment (endodontics), oral surgery and gums (periodontics), have more than one specialist. If you don't mind who treats you, this is usually the quickest route. You can ask for the new specialist's name, speciality and registration number before the appointment.

Option 2: wait for the specialist you prefer

Waiting is fine when the problem is stable, for example planning braces, replacing an old crown, or reviewing gum health after a cleaning. It is not fine when the problem is getting worse. Signs that you shouldn't wait include:

• pain that wakes you at night or needs painkillers round the clock;
• swelling of the gum, cheek or face;
• a bad taste or pus coming from around a tooth;
• a broken tooth with a sharp edge cutting your tongue or cheek;
• a wisdom tooth with swollen gum over it and difficulty opening your mouth.

Option 3: temporary care now, definitive treatment later

Often the urgent part can be handled before the specialist visit. Dr Avinash or Dr Rashmi can relieve pain, clean and dress an inflamed gum flap around a wisdom tooth, place a temporary filling, or smooth a broken edge. Antibiotics are prescribed only when there is a real spreading infection; they calm things down for a while but don't fix the tooth. The specialist then completes the treatment at a planned appointment.

Keeping comfortable while you wait

• Chew on the other side and avoid very hot chai or ice-cold drinks on the sore tooth.
• Keep the area clean with gentle brushing; food packed against an inflamed gum makes it worse.
• Take painkillers only as your dentist advised, and never place aspirin directly on the gum.
• Use a cold compress on the outside of the cheek for swelling, and call us if it keeps increasing.

Option 4: care elsewhere

Some of our departments are small, and some cases need tests done outside our clinic. A CBCT scan (a 3D X-ray) may be advised, for example, before an implant or for a wisdom tooth near the nerve; we will tell you where it is done and what it costs. And if our panel genuinely can't see you within a reasonable time for your problem, we would rather tell you so and point you elsewhere than keep you waiting with a worsening tooth.

What to do next

Call 8484 990 678 and tell us which department or specialist you were expecting. If you are in pain now, read our emergency page. For an overview of who does what, visit our MDS departments page.