Emergency Dentist — Gahanna, OH
Expert Care Right When You Need It
When you break a bone in your arm or leg, it’s pretty much a no-brainer to seek emergency treatment. However, people are usually a bit more hesitant to get treatment for oral pain or injuries. Does an intense toothache or a chipped tooth warrant urgent dental care? At Claybrooke Dental of Gahanna , we highly recommend calling our dental office for emergency dentistry in Gahanna, OH any time you experience any situation like this, however minor. After all, it’s much better to be safe than sorry! When you call us with a dental emergency, our team will do our utmost to get you in for an appointment on the very same day.
Why Choose Claybrooke Dental of Gahanna for Emergency Dental Care?
- Sedation Dentistry Available
- Customized TMJ Therapy
- Open Five Days a Week
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
- Schedule an emergency appointment with us right away: If you think you might have a dental emergency, the first thing you should do is give us a call to schedule a visit. From there, a team member can take note of your symptoms, get you scheduled, and provide first-aid tips to help you improve your condition until you arrive.
- Receive an emergency exam from our dentists: After you arrive, one of our team members will bring you back to one of our operatories so our dentists can perform an emergency exam. Depending on your symptoms, we may also perform an X-ray to better understand the extent and severity of your emergency.
- Getting you pain relief and reviewing our findings: Once we have reviewed your mouth, we’ll be far better able to provide a recommendation as well as work with you to build a customized treatment plan. We’ll confirm you are satisfied with the costs and timeline associated with your care beforehand.
- Get the care you need: Whether you need a dental filling, crown, root canal therapy, gum disease treatment, TMJ therapy, or an extraction, we’ll work as quickly as possible to resolve your emergency and get your oral health back to normal.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
No matter what type of dental emergency you have, there’s a pretty good chance we have handled it before. Since dental emergencies come in many forms, you’ll need to take note of different tips to manage yours ahead of your appointment. If you experience any of the following emergencies, don’t hesitate to contact us immediately.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
The cost of your treatment depends on the severity of your dental emergency. For example, a minor cavity will usually only require a small filling. However, more complex problems might necessitate root canal therapy or tooth extraction, both of which require more resources and time and are thus more costly. No matter how much your treatment costs, the last thing you should do is put off getting any procedures you need. Your condition will only worsen with time and require more expensive treatments the longer you wait. At Claybrooke Dental of Gahanna, we will work with you to create a customized and affordable treatment plan that fits your budget.
Every Dental Emergency is Unique
It may surprise you to learn that visiting your emergency dentist in Gahanna is relatively inexpensive. At this initial visit, our team will thoroughly examine your mouth, determine the severity of your condition, and develop a personalized treatment plan to get your smile back to normal.
Even though the specific procedures you’ll need depend on the type of emergency you’re experiencing, here are some common solutions for dental emergencies:
- Root canal therapy
- Tooth extraction
- Dental crowns
- TMJ treatment
Since every dental emergency is unique, it’s basically impossible to know how much your care will cost until you come in for an exam. But rest assured – we’ll thoroughly explain the estimated costs of all your options so you know exactly what to expect before committing to anything.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Most dental insurance plans do offer some level of coverage for emergency dental care. The majority of plans will fully cover at least one emergency exam per year. Additionally, services often associated with dental emergencies (i.e., root canal therapy, dental crowns, extractions) receive about 50-80% coverage in most cases. Of course, every policy is unique, and you must consider yearly maximums and deductibles. If you need help understanding your dental insurance benefits, contact your insurance company or speak to a member of our team.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Don’t have dental insurance? No problem! We offer additional financing options to make your dental expenses much easier to manage.
- In-House Membership Plan – For just one flat fee, you can get the preventive dentistry services you need without having to worry about deductibles, yearly maximums, or waiting periods.
- CareCredit Financing – With this option, you can break up the cost of your treatment into reasonable, low-interest monthly installments. Depending on your credit, you can even get low-to-no interest financing tailored to fit your budget.
Caring for Your Smile Can Save You Thousands
Not all dental emergencies are avoidable. However, most are the result of untreated infection or damage. That’s why it’s crucial to take proper care of your teeth and gums. A solid oral hygiene routine, healthy lifestyle, and routine dental appointments can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the years.
You should contact your emergency dentist in Gahanna as soon as you become aware of dental pain or a damaged tooth. It’s critical to take care of the problem before it becomes severe. If you’re worried about the cost, keep in mind that putting off treatment will only worsen your pain and increase your chances of needing expensive procedures down the line.
Are you or a loved one facing a dental emergency? Don’t hesitate to visit our team at Claybrooke Dental of Gahanna for care. We’ll help you navigate your expenses and give you the prompt relief you deserve!
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Avoiding dental emergencies can save you from a lot of stress and discomfort, but how can you accomplish that? Well, there are several simple best practices you can implement to protect your teeth and gums from infection, decay, and the like! Here are a few that we recommend to our patients in Gahanna.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Did you know that many dental emergencies can actually be avoided by coming in twice a year for a checkup and cleaning? At these appointments, our Gahanna dentist can diagnose potential warning signs of an emergency, like a cavity or minorly cracked tooth. Plus, regular cleanings can rid your mouth of harmful bacteria that result in infection, helping prevent oral health problems from developing altogether. So, if it’s been longer than six months since your last visit, now is the perfect time to get your next checkup and cleaning on the calendar!
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Naturally, the health of your teeth and gums relies on the daily habits you implement. Fortunately, steps like brushing twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with mouthwash regularly can help keep them decay and infection-free! Bonus tip: be mindful of your habits. Don’t chew on hard objects like ice, pencils, or your fingernails. Although it may seem harmless, all it takes is one time for your teeth to give instead of the object.
Stick to a Nutritious Diet
All it takes is one bite into a hard popcorn kernel to turn your afternoon at the movies into an evening at your dentist’s office. That’s why we encourage our patients in Gahanna to exercise caution with hard, sticky, and crunchy foods. Instead, focus on filling your plate with lots of fresh fruit, healthy fats, cooked vegetables, and other vitamin-rich foods.
Wear a Mouthguard
Another way to avoid emergencies is by wearing a mouthguard every time you play sports or engage in solo physical activity. While mouthguards available at your local sporting goods store are better than nothing, the best choice is to get a custom one. Fortunately, our talented team at Claybrooke Dental of Gahanna can do that for you, which will ensure your smile has the utmost protection while you play.
Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth
In short, don’t use your teeth to open tools or packages – no matter how convenient it seems. After all, your teeth aren’t designed to withstand the pressure of opening something like a bottle cap, so it’s extremely likely that you will sustain a serious chip or fracture. For the sake of your smile, always take the few extra seconds to locate and use the right tool.
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
When looking for an emergency dentist in Gahanna, you likely want someone who offers comprehensive services, convenient hours, and is capable of getting you in the same day for treatment. At Claybrooke Dental of Gahanna, our team is here to provide exceptional care when you need it most, but knowing when you should seek help isn’t always easy. This is why we’ve compiled a list of questions and answers for you to review. By providing clarification and additional insight, we hope you will feel more confident should you experience a serious dental injury in the future. If you have any additional questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact our dental office today.
How Should I Sleep with Tooth Pain?
Going to bed or waking throughout the night with tooth pain can be a miserable feeling. To minimize discomfort when trying to sleep, you should keep your head elevated to avoid additional pressure caused by an increase in blood to this particular area of your body. You’ll also want to take an over-the-counter pain reliever and use a cold compress to reduce discomfort. While dealing with a toothache, try to avoid any foods that are acidic, cold, or hard immediately before bed, as these can exacerbate the pain.
My Chipped Tooth Doesn’t Hurt. Do I Still Need to Visit?
In many cases, a person may chip a tooth and never even know it. If there is no pain, you might assume there is no reason to get in to see your emergency dentist right away. However, it’s important that you let a professional examine the area to ensure no additional damage has occurred to the inner layers. While you can most certainly wait a day or two before seeing us, you should still plan to call and alert us to the situation so we can schedule an appointment. Also, it’s important to remember that if you’re not careful and choose to leave your chipped tooth untreated, it can continue to break over time.
What Should I Keep in My Emergency Dentistry Kit?
If you want to make sure you and your family are ready should a dental emergency in Gahanna occur, it’s best to keep an emergency dentistry kit nearby. Some of the most pivotal items you should include in your kit are:
- Cotton balls
- Floss
- Ice pack
- Topical anesthetic
- Anti-inflammatories
- Denture adhesive
- Small container or box for teeth or restorations
- Gauze pads
- Sterile gloves
- Dental cement
- Petroleum jelly
What Does Chronic Bad Breath Mean?
Chronic bad breath, otherwise known as halitosis, isn’t just waking up in the morning or eating something that causes an unpleasant odor to come from your mouth. Unfortunately, mints or chewing gum cannot mask it, and although smoking and tobacco use can be a culprit, it’s likely to be a sign of another oral health issue. Instead, it usually occurs as a result of tooth decay, gum disease, or a dental infection. If your bad breath does not dissipate within a few days, you’ll need to call our dental office to find out if there might be a more serious problem developing that needs immediate treatment.
Should I Visit the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?
When you’re facing a dental emergency, your first instinct may be to head straight to an emergency room. Unfortunately, most ERs are not well-equipped to handle a dental emergency. That’s why when you have an incident involving your teeth and gums, you should visit a dentist first. If you contact us, our team will do everything possible to get you an appointment that very same day!
Although it’s generally best to see a dentist, here are three exceptions where an ER visit is more ideal:
- Jaw fractures and dislocations
- Serious cuts or lacerations to the face or mouth
- Abscess or infection that’s swollen to the point of affecting breathing or swallowing
Are Knocked-Out Baby Teeth a Dental Emergency?
Since baby teeth naturally fall out, some people think that it’s no big deal when one’s knocked out. However, a primary tooth that comes out too early is a cause for concern. It can make a permanent tooth erupt prematurely, leading to future complications. That said, you should schedule an emergency visit for your child right away if they have a knocked-out baby tooth. Their dentist will conduct an oral examination to ensure no damage has occurred. If the bleeding does not stop or you think your little one has damaged their jaw, take them straight to an emergency room.
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