Dental emergencies can be scary and painful, not to mention surprising. In fact, many of us don’t get any warning at all that they’re about to occur, which is likely to throw a big wrench into your family’s busy routine. When these situations occur, already knowing a trusted dental team you can turn to for help makes a world of difference – and that’s where the Family Dental Center of East Texas comes in! If you have a broken or painful tooth, we’re here to help. Our doctors go above and beyond to accommodate urgent dental injuries and/or pain as soon as possible. In many cases, we can even provide same-day appointments and assistance on the weekends! Don’t wait – contact us immediately here in Center, TX.
Why Choose Family Dental Center of East Texas for Emergency Dental Care?
- Children & Adults Always Welcome
- Same-Day Appointments & Weekend Availability
- Insurance, Financing Options, Medicaid, CHIP, & Texas STAR Welcome
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
Knowing what to do in a dental emergency is essential for acting quickly and correctly. While every situation is different, here’s how you can expect us to treat your dental emergency:
- We’ll schedule your emergency appointment: We make every effort to see emergency patients as quickly as possible, often within the same day they call us. We’ll also provide first-aid guidance over the phone.
- You’ll get an exam with Dr. Martinez or Dr. Youngblood: As soon as you arrive, your Center emergency dentist will examine your mouth, get you out of any immediate pain, and take any necessary X-rays.
- We’ll review the findings with you: Next, we’ll go over the findings with you and recommend which treatments are needed to get your oral health back on track.
- You’ll get the fast, compassionate care you need: As soon as you’ve agreed on a treatment plan, we’ll get to work preserving your teeth and eliminating your dental pain.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Do you know what qualifies as a dental emergency? Many situations require urgent dental care, including everything from sudden accidents and injuries to gradually worsening toothaches from poor oral hygiene. If you are experiencing new, uncomfortable, or worrisome symptoms but aren’t sure if you need urgent dental care, give us a call. We’ll help you determine how serious your situation is and what steps you need to take next to keep your smile safe. Below, you’ll find a few of the most common dental emergencies we treat here at Family Dental Center of East Texas regularly.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
If you’re curious about the cost of your emergency dentistry in Center, please don’t hesitate to contact us with any specific questions. However, we’ve also included some of the most significant factors that contribute to your emergency dentistry price to make the information you need as easy to access as possible. Read on to learn more!
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Every Dental Emergency is Different
A trip to our office for a dental emergency is relatively inexpensive. We will first examine your smile to determine what type of dentistry you need to get out of pain and back to normal. Until we can determine the root of the problem, it is difficult to give you a precise cost estimate. We may recommend one of these common treatments for dental emergencies:
- Root canal therapy
- Dental crowns
- Extractions
- TMJ therapy
- And much more!
We will always explain your options and the cost of your treatment before beginning. We are committed to helping our patients completely understand the factors that determine the price of your emergency dentistry.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Most dental insurance plans will offer some form of coverage for dental emergencies. Usually, your provider will cover one annual emergency exam as well as partially cover treatments associated with urgent care by 50% to 80%. However, this will vary from plan to plan, which is why it’s so important to check with your insurance first. We are always happy to communicate with your provider and maximize any dental benefits where we can.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
At Family Dental Center of East Texas, we are committed to providing our patients with high quality emergency dental services at fees they can afford. If you don’t have dental insurance, don’t worry! We are proud to accept Medicaid, CHIP, & Texas STAR as well. We also accept alternative financing through CareCredit. With this option, you can choose monthly payments based on your preferences. The best part is that these fees are low-to-no interest, making it easy for everyone to save on their dental care. We are ready to assist you with your dental emergency and help you navigate the cost of your treatment. Please don’t hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
While preventing dental emergencies with certainty is unfortunately impossible, most urgent care situations occur due to unchecked infection and damage. By investing in a strong oral healthcare routine, you can protect your smile from dental emergencies and save thousands of dollars in the future.
If you notice a dental problem, it’s vital to address it right away. Even if you’re afraid of the treatment you may need, or the cost associated, remember that dental issues will only get worse if left untreated. For example, a simple dental filling for a cavity could turn into root canal therapy to remove infected tissue if you’re not careful. Also, visiting our emergency dentist in Center on the same day that you get a tooth knocked out makes it possible for us to replant it successfully.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
It sadly isn’t possible to avoid dental emergencies with 100% certainty over time, but there are steps patients and families can take to reduce their overall risk. By taking a few precautions into account, you can protect your smile and oral health as well as save money on future dental healthcare costs. While this includes oral hygiene at home and dental checkups, they aren’t the only ways you can reduce your risk for dental emergencies.
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Stay On Top of Dental Visits
Scheduling professional checkups and cleanings every six months is one of the most effective methods for reducing risk for dental emergencies. By reviewing each patient’s dental health on a routine basis, our dentists can successfully stop small problems from worsening over time. For example, the sooner we’re able to catch the early signs of cavities and gum disease, the sooner we can begin treatment for your dental concerns and prevent a dental emergency from occurring.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
One of the most common causes of dental emergencies is untreated tooth decay. Brushing for at least two minutes at a time twice a day and flossing once a day will keep loose food debris and harmful cavity-causing bacteria from damaging the teeth and gums. This is the best way to reduce your risk of dental emergencies day-to-day as it works to prevent plaque and tartar buildup, two of the most common causes of tooth decay in adults.
Stick to a Healthy, Nutritious Diet
Exercise plenty of caution when eating foods that are overly hard and chewy. Not only can these foods erode your enamel, but you can potentially chip, crack, or severely fracture a tooth when frequently eating hard foods. Additionally, don’t chew on the ice in a cold drink as ice can easily damage teeth when chewed. It’s also important to maintain a healthy diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, both of which contain vitamins and minerals that keep the teeth and gums healthy.
Wear a Mouthguard
Make sure to wear a custom mouthguard when participating in sports and/or if you’re known to experience bruxism (teeth grinding). One of the most common causes of dental emergencies is playing sports without the right protective gear. While store-bought solutions can be effective at protecting your teeth, custom nightguards/sportsguards offer better longevity, comfort, and protection overall because they are designed for your mouth exactly.
Use the Right Tool for the Job
Use scissors or other appropriate tools when cutting through packaging – not your own teeth! Teeth are not indestructible and should only be used to eat or chew on inedible objects or materials. While it may be convenient to use your teeth as a tool, doing so can easily damage your natural teeth and any restorations you currently have. Instead, use the right tool for the job. This includes tools like bottle openers, nail clippers, box cutters, or scissors.
Dental Emergency FAQs
When you’re having a dental emergency or experiencing worrying dental symptoms, you’re likely to have a lot of questions about what to do or how to feel. At Family Dental Center of East Texas, you can expect our dentists and team members to help however we can as quickly as possible when you call. For your convenience, we’ve included some of the most common questions we hear regarding emergency dentistry so you can be more informed on how to handle these unfortunate situations.
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Will my toothache go away on its own?
In most cases, when a toothache appears, it won’t get better without professional attention. The best thing you can do is schedule a checkup with our office to make sure nothing is wrong. Since there are many potential causes for a toothache, you’ll want to get examined by our team so we can rule out the most concerning ones early. After all, a toothache is a sign that something more serious is present, such as decay or an infection.
Are knocked-out baby teeth a dental emergency?
Baby teeth are meant to come out eventually. When a baby tooth starts to loosen and eventually falls out, do not try to put it back into the open socket. With that said, it is possible for the tooth to come out too early. If your child recently experienced a bad fall that left their tooth knocked out and they are experiencing a lot of pain or bleeding is present, give our office a call. When baby teeth are lost too early, the permanent teeth can erupt before they are ready. While we’re prepared to see them in the event of a dental emergency, you should take them to the emergency room if there is significant bleeding or you believe their jaw is broken.
Should knocked-out teeth be placed in water?
Water can be used to gently rinse a tooth of any dirt or debris, but the tooth should not be
submerged
in water. Not only will this not keep the tooth properly preserved ahead of your emergency dental appointment, but it can actually damage the root surface cells of the tooth and reduce its ability to be reimplanted back into the mouth. You’re much better off either placing it into your open socket or in milk if this is not possible. Saline solution, saltwater, and even saliva are also more ideal liquids to use. If you have an ADA-approved tooth preservation kit, those can also be helpful.
Does emergency dentistry cost more?
Emergency dental exams are not particularly expensive and are certainly cheaper than going to the emergency room for a medical emergency. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the services required to treat the dental emergency are the more expensive part. This is because they are restorative in nature, rather than preventive. If you do not have dental insurance, you’re more likely to experience higher dental fees depending on the services you need. Of course, the last thing you should do is try to put off dental care to address a dental emergency as your issue is only likely to get worse over time without professional attention.
