Emergency Dentist – Sherman, TX
Need Immediate Dental Care? Call on Us!
Have you accidentally knocked out a tooth? Did you chip one of your pearly whites by taking a tumble while out for a run? Are you panicking because of a lost dental crown or filling? Dental emergencies can happen at the most inopportune time, and they can range in severity. Fortunately, we offer emergency dental care, so you never feel as if you’re facing a situation on your own. Call us today to talk with our emergency dentist in Sherman, TX about what you should do when faced with a sudden dental crisis and need help.
Why Choose Grant E. & Mark A. Smith DDS for Emergency Dentistry?
- Dental Insurance Welcome & Financing Available
- Same-Day Emergency Care
- Innovative Technologies for More Comfortable Experience
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
- Call to schedule an appointment – The first step you must take is to call our dental office to let us know what has happened. We will survey the severity over the phone and determine how quickly we can see you. We’ll also provide helpful tips to help manage the pain while at home.
- Undergo a thorough examination – When in our dental office, a member of our team will take digital images and examine your mouth to evaluate the damaged area.
- Review findings – Once we review our findings, our team will formulate a treatment plan that focuses on addressing the problem and helping to get your smile back on track.
- Treat the problem and eliminate the pain – After agreeing to the proposed plan, we will get to work to eliminate any pain you’re experiencing as well as provide restorative care to fix the issue and give you back your smile.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Not all injuries are considered dental emergencies; however, this may not be easy to determine if you’re not a dentist. This is why we invite you to call our dental office should you suspect something serious or if pain is an issue. Below, you will find a list of the various types of emergencies we handle in-house so that you know where to turn when problems arise.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
Sometimes, patients don’t get the dental care that they need because they are worried about the price. If that’s the case for you, then you’ll be happy to hear that we will provide you with an estimate of the cost upfront. Not only that, but we will discuss the different financial solutions that are available, including dental insurance. Until your appointment, you can also read on to learn more on the topic, starting with why there isn’t a flat fee for emergency dentistry.
Why Every Dental Emergency is Different
Not only can dental injuries range from mild to severe, but each has its own unique method of treatment. As a result, we won’t be able to give you a cost breakdown until we complete a comprehensive oral exam. Once we’ve pinpointed the root of the problem, assessed the severity of the damage, and decided together which treatment is best, we can discuss the cost more in-depth as well as the different financial solutions that are available to make it more affordable.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Many dental insurance providers cover between 50% and 80% of the cost of essential restorative care. With that said, there are often waiting periods, annual maximums, and similar restrictions. So, it’s important that you review the fine print on your plan. If you need any help, don’t hesitate to let us know! We file the majority of PPO dental insurance plans as out-of-network, and we’d be happy to help you utilize any available benefits that you have.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Don’t have dental insurance? Fortunately, that’s not the only way to make the cost of emergency dentistry in Sherman more affordable. You can also break up the total price into smaller, more manageable chunks with Cherry Financing. All you need to do is look through the payment plans they offer and select the one that suits your budget best!
Take Care of Your Smile, Save Money!
Tooth decay, gum disease, damaged restorations, and other common dental problems can often be prevented with the right best practices in place. So, if you want to save your smile and your wallet from harm, incorporate healthy habits into your routine, starting with brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash. It’s also important that you schedule an appointment at our office every six months so we can catch any oral health issues that do arise early on.
Important reminder: Your teeth cannot heal on their own. If you start to notice warning signs of trouble, including persistent sensitivity, then don’t wait – get in touch with us to schedule an appointment with one of our emergency dentists in Sherman.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Unfortunately, not all dental emergencies are preventable. That said, many can be avoided by simply adopting a few key practices. Here are some examples:
Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year
Every six months, you should schedule a dental checkup and cleaning (yes, even if you aren’t in pain). Remember, routine appointments include much more than a quick sweep for cavities. They also allow us to conduct an oral cancer screening, check the health of your gums, and catch any existing oral health problems in the early stages. In short, your biannual visits aren’t optional; they are essential.
Tip: If you are experiencing abnormal symptoms, like pain, swelling, or bleeding, don’t wait until your next appointment. Call us ASAP to schedule an emergency exam at our Sherman dental office.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Another way to reduce your risk of sustaining serious dental damage is by maintaining a good oral hygiene regimen at home. To start, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste to brush your teeth twice a day. In the morning or at night, incorporate two other important dental care steps into your routine: flossing and rinsing with mouthwash.
Fill Your Plate with Nutrient-Dense Foods
Although a healthy diet consists of all sorts of foods, some simply increase your risk of experiencing a dental emergency, like hard pretzels, peanut brittle, and taffy. For that reason, we encourage our patients to opt for nutritious foods and snacks, like carrots and apples, instead of those loaded with sugar and starch.
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
Do you like to stay active by playing tennis or pickleball? Do you prefer a solo sport, like jogging, riding your bike, or skateboarding? Whatever the case may be, it’s important to protect your smile with a mouthguard. We also recommend having a nightguard made if you have Bruxism to minimize potential teeth grinding or clenching while you sleep.
Break Unhealthy Dental Habits
Some habits that seem harmless can actually dramatically increase your risk of dental damage. For example, biting your nails can create small chips and cracks in your enamel. Similarly, chewing on ice cubes and using your teeth as tools to open things can lead to a considerable fracture. So, do your best to break bad habits like these ASAP.
Root Canal Treatment
The pulp is the innermost layer of a tooth. When it becomes damaged or decayed, it will likely cause much pain as well as put you at risk for worsening oral health. By performing a root canal, our team can remove the infected pulp and clear out nearby canals while avoiding the potential for tooth extraction. Through this process, you can keep your natural tooth for longer and avoid the high costs of tooth replacement.
Tooth Extractions
When dental crowns and root canals prove unsuccessful, the only option left to consider is tooth extraction. Although this is never the first option for our team to recommend, it is a necessary step when teeth are severely decayed or damaged and cannot be fixed by any other means. Should this procedure be necessary, you can rest assured that we will ensure your safety and comfort before, during, and after your tooth removal.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Dealing with the unknown during a dental emergency situation can be stressful and scary, but with the right preparation, you can act quickly and efficiently to minimize damage to your smile and ease discomfort. To help make this the case the next time you have an urgent oral health issue, our team has outlined some of the most common questions we receive below, along with our answers.
Do emergency dental appointments cost more?
Generally, emergency dental appointments have a higher cost than your average visit. In addition, reventive visits are typically covered at a higher rate by dental insurance plans because of their emphasis on oral health maintenance. Because of this, you may need to pay more out-of-pocket based on your plan’s outlined benefits.
I have a bump on my gums—can I pop it?
The short and sweet answer to this is “No!” Under no circumstances should you attempt to pop a dental abscess, which looks like a pimple-like bump, on your gums. This can expose your mouth to more bacteria, cause increased irritation and pain, and lead to generally worsening oral hygiene. Instead, call our office immediately to keep the infection from spreading and avoid needing more invasive treatments.
Can I repair my broken dentures with superglue?
Dentures can become broken, chipped, and damaged for a variety of reasons, but never in any situation should you attempt to repair them yourself. Not only could the materials you have access to be toxic and result in allergic reactions, like superglue, but also because the repairs won’t last and could cause irritation and sores on the gums.
Our team can help repair or replace your dentures in a timely manner to ensure you don’t have to go any longer than necessary without your complete set of pearly whites.
Do I need to visit the emergency dentist for a chipped tooth?
Chipped teeth don’t typically require same-day emergency treatment unless the chip involves the nerve of the tooth. It is normal to have slight sensitivity in the area of a chipped tooth. However, if you see bleeding or severe pain once a tooth is chipped this may indicate the nerve is involved and would likely require emergency treatment.
It is important to have dental damage repaired in a timely manner to ensure bacteria doesn’t penetrate the underlying layers of your tooth, leading to issues like infections.
If you have a minor chip in your tooth, call us to schedule an evaluation so we can examine the extent of the damage and offer appropriate solutions. We’ll likely suggest cosmetic bonding, which is a fast and cost-effective way to repair small chips. It requires minimal alteration of your natural dental structure and can last for several years with proper care.
