Emergency Dentist River Ridge
Professional Care When You Need It Most
At Plaisance & Bostick Family Dentistry, we understand how sudden and frightening emergencies can be, especially when it comes to something as fragile and vital as oral health. If you or a family member is experiencing severe dental pain or injury, don’t wait – contact our dental practice in River Ridge as soon as possible to schedule an appointment! We don’t want anyone to have to wait for the relief they need, which is why our team strives to see emergency cases as soon as possible.
Why Choose Plaisance & Bostick Family Dentistry for Emergency Dental Care?
- Talented Dentist with Over a Decade of Experience
- Calming Dental Sedation Available
- Insurance-Friendly Dental Practice
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
- Call our office. The sooner you contact us, the better chance we have of getting your smile back on the right track. Over the phone, an experienced team member will provide first-aid instructions to help you manage your emergency in the meantime.
- Have an emergency exam. When you get to our office, we’ll conduct a detailed examination to identify the cause of your emergency. Based on our findings, we’ll create a custom treatment plan to restore your oral health.
- Get the care you need. During your appointment, we might be able to temporarily address your emergency. However, you may also have to return for additional treatment, like fillings, crowns, root canal therapy, or gum disease treatment.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
First, you should call our office and schedule an emergency appointment if you ever find yourself in an urgent situation. Our team will assist you as quickly as possible to ensure you get the relief you deserve. In the meantime, we’ve included some helpful tips below on how to deal with the most common dental emergencies we see.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
If you’re in the middle of a dental emergency, the last thing you want to have to worry about is whether you can afford the services needed to fix the problem. Our team will be happy to provide a detailed estimate once we’ve examined your mouth, identified the root concern, and have devised an appropriate treatment plan to address it.
Continue reading to learn more about how pricing is determined and how our practice helps makes services more affordable!
Every Dental Emergency is Unique
There are many reasons you might require an emergency dental appointment, and some are more serious than others. Our team must assess your condition and propose potential treatments to determine the cost.
For instance, if you developed sensitivity from aggressive overbrushing, the solution might be as simple as switching to a soft-bristle toothbrush or a desensitizing toothpaste. However, more severe circumstances might require more complex or expensive procedures, such as a root canal followed by placing a dental crown, or an extraction. We will be sure to share the information with you for your approval before proceeding with any suggested solutions.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Many dental insurance policies do include some form of coverage for aspects of emergency care, such as your examination and imaging. Then, they often also include 50% to 80% of other major treatments needed to protect and preserve your smile.
But every plan is different and there are no guarantees, so it’s worth verifying your details to know what’s included. There may also be additional restrictions to be aware of, like a waiting period that must pass or an annual deductible to pay before benefits can be applied.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Although dental insurance can sometimes help reduce out-of-pocket expenses for emergency visits, we understand that not all patients carry a policy. But we also believe that everyone deserves peace of mind knowing their smile is well cared for, regardless of their current financial situation.
That’s why we offer flexible dental financing plans. If your application is approved, these low- to no-interest options allow you to divide your total invoice into more manageable installments to be paid over a designated period.
How Proper Prevention Can Protect Your Budget
Although some injuries and accidents are completely unavoidable and happen through no fault of your own, there are many common dental concerns that contribute to emergencies which might have been avoided with proper preventive care
For example, brushing and flossing twice daily strengthens your teeth and gums to help avoid cavities and gum disease, which can lead to infections or toothaches. The American Dental Association also recommends having a routine checkup and cleaning every 6 months to preserve your dental condition.
Many insurance policies cover up to 100% of standard appointments, and even those who don’t have a plan can usually expect to spend less on routine visits than costly repairs. That means maintaining your smile can help protect your dental health as well as your budget!
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies aren’t entirely preventable, which is why we aim to always be a phone call away when you need us. That said, we also know how stressful and painful even relatively minor dental injuries can be. The good news is that there are several steps you can take to protect your smile from harm, including:
Schedule a Dental Visit Twice a Year
Remember, even if you brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash consistently at home, you need to schedule biannual dental checkups and cleanings. After all, tooth decay, gum disease, and oral cancer can develop and progress under the radar. Not only that, but plaque and tartar can build up, making it difficult to keep your teeth and gums healthy! Simply put, routine visits help prevent small areas of damage from developing into serious concerns in the future.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Taking good care of your smile at home will keep your breath fresh, reduce your chances of developing cavities, and keep any existing dental work in pristine condition. So, if you aren’t already, start brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing every night before you go to bed, and rinsing with mouthwash for 30-60 seconds consistently. You should also be cleaning your tongue with a tongue scraper or a toothbrush so bacteria are thoroughly removed from the surface.
Eat Healthy, Well-Balanced Meals
Eating mostly healthy, well-balanced meals will ensure that your body gets the nutrients that it needs to keep your smile healthy. Of course, that’s just the beginning. To keep your enamel strong and your gums infection-free, you also need to limit your intake of ice cream, chocolate chip cookies, candy bars, and other sugary treats. Additionally, you need to steer clear of particularly tough or sticky foods, like hard pretzels and taffy.
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
Oftentimes, patients assume that a mouthguard is only necessary during contact sports, like football. However, if you accidentally fall while riding your bike, a rogue ball hits you in the mouth while playing tennis, or you chronically clench your teeth while lifting weights, you can sustain a serious dental injury as well. So, if you don’t have a mouthguard already, let us know! We can have a custom one made for you.
Break Harmful Habits
Protecting your smile also comes down to what you should NOT do. Do not smoke, bite your nails, chew on ice cubes, or use your teeth as tools to open things. You also shouldn’t wait until your next checkup if you start to experience abnormal dental symptoms, like pain when biting down. If that happens, you should schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist in River Ridge right away.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Will My Toothache Go Away On Its Own?
There’s more than one possible explanation for a toothache, but in general, you shouldn’t count on the pain going away by itself. In fact, you should have the tooth examined as quickly as possible so that any underlying problems can be treated long before they lead to more complex dental issues. Note that even if your toothache goes away, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the problem is gone; it could be the result of a severe infection that has killed the tooth’s nerves.
Can the Emergency Room Remove a Tooth?
The doctors at the emergency room tend to be limited in what they can do to help when you have a dental emergency. They may be able to prescribe antibiotics or other medication to treat their symptoms, but they likely won’t be able to remove the tooth; that’s a procedure that can only be performed by a licensed dentist. As such, you should call our office if you suspect that you might need a tooth extraction. (Note that in many cases, it may be possible to save the tooth; we won’t know for sure until we have had a chance to examine it.)
My Chipped Tooth Doesn’t Hurt. Do I Still Need to Visit?
Chipped teeth don’t always cause pain, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that nothing is wrong. Even minor dental damage could still put you at risk for an infection. You may be able to wait a day or two to have a chipped tooth treated, but don’t put it off for too long; acting quickly could be the key to avoiding further damage.
Should Knocked-Out Teeth Be Placed in Water?
A knocked-out tooth needs to be kept moist if you want to have any chance of saving it by the time you get to the dentist’s office. Your first thought might be to put the tooth in water, but this can actually damage the cells on the root, thus making it less likely that we will be able to perform a successful reimplantation. You should place the tooth in milk or saline solution instead. Alternatively, you can try to put it back in its socket or store it in your mouth between your gums and the inside of your cheek.
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