Emergency Dentist – Carrollton, TX
Relieve Pain & Regain a Healthy Smile
A day filled with happy smiles can change in an instant. One wrong move during an athletic match or a bite into a hard candy can lead to sudden dental damage that requires immediate care. If you broke an arm, you’d head straight to the emergency room, but what about a broken tooth? Many people don’t think of visiting their dentist for urgent care even after serious tooth damage. If you’re a dental patient of Epic Family Dentistry in Carrollton, don’t hesitate to call our dental office during an emergency. We’ll provide at-home care steps over the phone and schedule an appointment for you to come visit us as soon as possible
Why Choose Epic Family Dentistry of Carrollton for Emergency Dental Care?
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
- Compassionate Dentist with Over 20 Years of Experience
- Sedation Options Available for Optimal Comfort
What to Do In a Dental Emergency
- Step 1: Call Epic Family Dentistry of Carrollton. We’ll schedule you a same-day emergency appointment and walk you through first-aid instructions for handling your situation until you reach us.
- Step 2: Get an Emergency Exam with Dr. A. As soon as you arrive, Dr. A will see you. He will work quickly to get you out of pain and learn more about your emergency.
- Step 3: Make a Plan. A will review his findings with you and fully explain all your treatment options. Together, you’ll pick an option that’s best for you.
- Step 4: Get the Emergency Care You Need. Once you understand the estimated length and cost of your treatment, we’ll get to work repairing your smile. Whether you need a filling, antibiotics, a root canal, or something else entirely, we’ll be focused on your health and comfort. For particularly nervous or uncomfortable patients, we offer sedation dentistry for relaxing treatment.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
There are a variety of situations that qualify as a dental emergency, but they’re not all as obvious as a broken or knocked-out tooth. Not matter how big or small your emergency is, delaying treatment can allow the situation to get worse, so we encourage you to give us a call right away if you even begin to suspect you may have a dental emergency on your hands. Our team is well-equipped and well-prepared to handle all manner of urgent dental situations right away. Below, you’ll find important information on some of the most common dental emergencies we treat here at Epic Family Dentistry.
Understanding the Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
The price of your emergency dentistry treatment will depend on the severity of your situation and what restorative treatments are necessary to put the smile back on your face. During your emergency dentistry appointment, we’ll walk you through every step of the treatment process and all of your possible options to help you find the one that best meets your needs and fits your budget. We will also be happy to process dental insurance claims to further offset the cost of emergency treatment. When necessary, we can work with third-party financiers who specialize in offering low or no interest financing options for medical and dental care.
Every Dental Emergency Is Different
When considering how much your dental emergency will cost, the first step is to determine which type of injury has occurred and how to fix it. Typically, if you only require antibiotics or another prescribed medication, you will pay much less for treatment. However, if you need to endure a more complex treatment, like a dental crown, root canal, tooth extraction, or tooth replacement, you will be looking at a higher bill. Until you can see us, there’s no way of knowing exactly how much you can expect to spend.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
The majority of dental emergencies are partially covered by dental insurance. How much they will cover depends on the type of restorative treatment that you need. Some companies will pay at least 50% of the overall cost, but to find out the specific details of your plan, you should contact your insurance provider. If you don’t what to ask, our team would be happy to assist you and work on your behalf to get the information you need to move forward with the treatment.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
If you don’t have any dental insurance, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you are left completely on your own. In addition to accepting government-issued insurance plans, like Medicaid, CHIP, Liberty, DentaQuest, and MCNA, we work with CareCredit – a third-party financing company that can break the cost of treatment into manageable monthly installments with little-to-no interest. Talk to one of our friendly team members to learn more about your options.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
It is impossible to prevent all dental emergencies, but by implementing an excellent oral hygiene routine and eliminating bad habits, like chewing on ice and using tobacco products, you can reduce your probability of experiencing one. In addition to maintaining an excellent oral hygiene routine, it’s important to keep an eye out for changes in the mouth. Something as minor as a toothache or new sensitivity can turn into a larger problem if left untreated. It is possible that smaller emergencies can be remedied with less costly solutions if treated early, but if you wait too long, you could be facing thousands of dollars in necessary dental work to repair your smile.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Knowing how to prevent dental emergencies in Carrollton requires being proactive and patient. You cannot rush through your oral hygiene routine or skip your regularly scheduled dental appointments and expect to avoid cavities, gum disease, or tooth decay. You’ll need to be committed to taking care of your smile and doing what is best to minimize your risk for damage and serious infections. To help you on your path to better oral health and fewer visits to the emergency dental office, here are a few tips you can begin to incorporate into your daily life.
Keep Your Regular Dental Appointments
Seeing your dentist every six months will ensure your oral cavity remain free of decay, cavities, gum disease, and even oral cancer. If you have restorations, our dental team can also examine these to ensure they’re damage-free. Allowing a professional to take better care of your smile twice a year will help reduce your risk for potential infections and allow you to instead, continue enjoying a healthy, beautiful smile.
Keep Brushing and Flossing
Another way to avoid the emergency dental office in Carrollton is to maintain a healthy oral hygiene routine at home. Brushing your teeth twice a day for two minutes, flossing at least once a day before bed, and rinsing with an ADA-approved mouthwash are essential. These steps erase bad bacteria and germs that cause gingivitis. By remaining diligent with your morning and nighttime routine, you’ll not only appreciate the look of your smile, but you’ll spend less time visiting the dentist for sudden pains that can occur.
Be Mindful What You Eat
The foods you eat can have a positive or negative impact on your mouth and body. While sugars and starches can increase your waistline and wreak havoc on your heart, gut, and brain, they can also cause gum disease to develop as well as cavities. If you want to take better care of your overall health and well-being, make sure to incorporate healthy foods into your daily diet. Leafy greens, low-fat dairy, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables can lower your risk for many common health conditions but also improve your gum health and strengthen your tooth enamel.
Wear a Mouthguard to Protect Your Teeth
If you enjoy playing sports, it’s time to invest in a customized mouthguard. These oral appliances are a worthy investment, especially since they can safeguard against sudden trips to the emergency dentist for a chipped, broken, or knocked-out tooth. They’re also helpful if you suffer from bruxism. Grinding and cleaning your teeth while you sleep will only cause your tooth enamel to wear down and pain to form in your jaw joints and facial muscles. A customized oral device will alleviate pressure on these facial structures and reduce the potential for worn tooth enamel.
Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth
You may be tempted to tear open a package with your teeth because it’s easier and more convenient, but the truth is you’ll be putting your soft tissues and teeth at risk. Taking a few extra minutes to find the right tool can protect your smile against serious damage (i.e., cuts, lacerations, fractured teeth, worn tooth enamel, etc.).
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
Dr. A and our team are ready to leap into action to help you cope with any dental emergencies you may face. However, it is understandable if you have questions about what to expect with your oral health problem and the treatment process. That is why we have compiled the following brief list of FAQs, along with their answers. If you do not find the information you were hoping for, we invite you to contact us directly.
Should I Go to the ER for a Dental Emergency?
A visit to the emergency room is in order if you are bleeding uncontrollably, have a high fever, have broken your jaw, or are experiencing any life-threatening symptoms. Later, you can visit us for follow-up care. In virtually all other oral health-related situations, however, going to the local ER is unlikely to do much good. The medical professionals there simply do not have the training that is necessary to properly handle most toothaches and similar problems.
Will My Toothache Go Away On Its Own?
In some cases, a toothache might go away on its own. This can happen if the nerve inside the tooth dies — this is a serious situation and calls for immediate professional attention. A toothache can also go away if the pain was caused by something near the tooth (such as sinus pressure or a gum sore) rather than the tooth itself. Regardless of the specifics of the situation, it is always wise to see a dentist for any type of tooth pain.
Do I Need to Visit a Dentist for a Chipped Tooth That Doesn’t Hurt?
It’s always a smart move to visit a dentist after you chip a tooth, even if the tooth doesn’t hurt. It’s possible that the break is merely an aesthetic problem, but it could also be that the tooth’s inner layers have become exposed, increasing your risk of infection. Additionally, chipped teeth can have jagged edges that irritate the soft tissues in your mouth, and they are vulnerable to further breakage. While these issues are not particularly urgent dental emergencies in Carrollton, they still call for professional care within a few days.
What Should I Keep In My Emergency Dental Kit?
Keeping an emergency kit on hand can help you to minimize the damage to your teeth and cope with your discomfort. Here are some items that may be good to keep in your kit:
- A small storage container with a lid
- Gauze pads & cotton balls
- Dental cement
- Orthodontic wax
- Sterile gloves
- An anti-inflammatory medicine, such as ibuprofen
- Floss
- An ice pack
- Contact information for our practice
- An updated list of medications that you take, as well a list of any health conditions that you are dealing with