Dental emergencies deserve the same level of attention as any other emergency. After all, your tooth won’t get better on its own when it’s damaged by decay or injury. So, please call Dr. Brice and our team – we’ll do everything possible to see you for same-day care! Our office will take the steps needed to determine your oral issue and help you leave us pain-free. If you’re suffering from a dental emergency, don’t put off care any longer; schedule an appointment with Brice Dental today!
If you’re facing your first dental emergency, don’t panic; our dental team will gladly walk you through the treatment process. To be exact, you can expect these four things from your emergency dental care:
While the steps to managing a dental emergency can vary, always start by giving our office a call. This gives you a chance to book a visit and get crucial advice on what to do next. That said, you can take steps to improve your situation before you arrive for your appointment. Below, you’ll find our tips to handle everything from tooth pain to knocked-out teeth and more!
Toothaches and other dental emergencies are stressful enough without having to worry about whether you’ll be able to afford your visit. We’ll never ask you to commit to any sort of treatment plan without first making sure that you understand the costs involved and that you’re comfortable with your ability to pay them. Below is a brief overview of what can affect the amount you end up paying for emergency dental care.
Minor dental emergencies might require a filling or a dental crown to protect a damaged tooth. But if there’s a more severe problem, you might need a root canal, or the tooth might have to be extracted altogether. Because there are so many different types of emergencies, it’s impossible to give any sort of useful estimate of the overall cost until we’ve had a chance to determine the underlying root of the problem. The cost of the emergency visit itself will be relatively low, but the final price will likely vary quite a bit depending on your needs. Please let us know if you have any questions about our findings, our treatment recommendations, and the estimated costs involved so that you aren’t surprised at the worst possible moment later on.
Do you want to cut down the costs of emergency dental care? The answer is simple: don’t have an emergency! You won’t be able to avoid trauma that’s the result of an unexpected accident, of course, but protecting your smile from decay and gum disease is completely within your power. A good oral hygiene routine and biannual dental appointments may just end up saving you thousands of dollars as the years go by.
If something does happen to your teeth, we recommend calling our office immediately. It’ll be easier for us to offer less costly solutions when we’re dealing with relatively small issues long before they turn into complicated oral health problems that could easily result in tooth loss.
Many plans offer coverage for one emergency examination per year. The coverage for the actual treatment is a different matter, as the percentage that your plan is able to pay will vary depending on the type of service. Most restorative treatments like crown placement and root canal therapy are covered from anywhere between 50% to 80%. In general, you can expect many of the treatments commonly recommended during dental emergencies to be covered under your plan, although we can of course help you confirm your benefits first.
Brice Dental is currently offering dedicated emergency appointments for $49; we hope this significantly discounted price makes it easier to pick up the phone when you need care the most. We also offer a membership club that covers one emergency exam per year and lets our patients enjoy 15% discounts off of most of our treatments. Finally, we can help you apply for CareCredit or LendingClub if you’re struggling to pay the entire cost of care all at once.
Most dental emergencies can be avoided, but only if you incorporate healthy habits into your routine. If you want to protect your smile, but you’re not sure where to start, here are a few ways you can reduce your chances of sustaining a painful dental injury:
Some patients assume that their biannual dental visits are nothing more than a quick sweep for cavities. In reality, that’s just the beginning! During your checkups, Dr. Brice also looks for warning signs of gum disease, damaged restorations, and oral cancer. Our San Antonio dental team also provides thorough cleanings to ensure plaque and tartar are removed. In short, your routine appointments play a crucial role in protecting your smile from harm.
In addition to coming to our office every six months for a dental checkup and cleaning, you need to maintain a good oral hygiene regimen at home. The first step? Brushing your teeth for two full minutes each morning and evening with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste. It’s also important that you floss and rinse with mouthwash once a day to prevent plaque buildup and keep your teeth decay-free.
Hard candy, toffee, and peanut brittle are just a few foods that can cause your enamel to chip or crack. That’s why we recommend avoiding them! We also encourage our patients to limit their intake of sugary and starchy snacks since they can lead to dental decay.
To keep your teeth and gums healthy from the inside out, fill your plate with vitamin-rich foods, like seasonal fruits and vegetables. It’s also a good idea to drink lots of water throughout the day to prevent dry mouth and continuously remove food particles and other debris from your teeth.
There’s a risk of your teeth getting damaged if you participate in a sport (even a non-contact one). That’s why it’s so important to wear a mouthguard! We also recommend wearing a nightguard if you grind or clench your teeth at night so you’re significantly less likely to experience a serious chip, crack, or fracture. If you don’t have a mouthguard or a nightguard, then give us a call so we can have a custom one made for you.
Last, but certainly not least, you should break unhealthy habits, like smoking, chewing on ice, and biting your nails. It’s also important that you avoid using your teeth as tools – whether it’s to remove bottle caps, tear into plastic wrapping, or hold your keys when your hands are full. Habits like these may seem harmless, but all it takes is one time for your enamel to give, resulting in a painful dental injury.
As an emergency dentist in San Antonio, Dr. Brice understands you want immediate care when a crisis occurs. But before you chip or knock out a tooth or lose a dental crown or filling, it’s not uncommon to have some questions about emergency dentistry. Where should you go? What to do if you’re out of town? Will insurance cover the visit? Below you will find a list of questions asked by our patients. After reviewing the following information, we invite you to contact us should you have any additional questions.
You’ll be pleased to know that Dr. Brice is capable of treating most dental emergencies; however, there are a few instances in which you should go to a local ER instead, such as:
These can be life-threatening situations that require immediate medical attention. In other situations (i.e., knocked-out tooth, chipped or broken tooth, soft tissue laceration), it is in your best interest to skip the ER and see your emergency dentist for treatment.
When you hear the words “emergency dentist,” you might assume visiting the ER is the best place to go. The truth is that when you experience a common dental injury, you will do better to see your local emergency dentist, and here’s why:
Just because a toothache dissipates doesn’t mean you should cancel your appointment with Dr. Brice. Pain is only one of many symptoms you may experience when it comes to an oral infection. By allowing a professional to examine your oral cavity with dental X-Rays, he can determine if a problem exists beneath the gums. If so, catching it early on will prove much more beneficial when it comes to your time, money, and livelihood of your natural teeth. Avoiding treatment because the pain goes away can put you at a greater risk for serious problems that can only be remedied using root canal therapy, tooth extraction, and tooth replacement solutions (i.e., dental implants).
Don’t assume you should just wait until you return to seek help. No matter if it’s a toothache, knocked-out tooth, abscess, or busted lip, it’s always best to find a local professional who can administer immediate care. This will ensure you get the treatment you need right away and avoid the potential for a worsening problem later on. It is best if you contact our office and inform us of the problem, as we will be able to determine if you should come in when you return from your trip.
Yes! Leaving a dental emergency untreated can only do more harm. What might only require antibiotics can quickly lead to a necessary root canal or tooth extraction. Not to mention the possibility of needing dental implants or dentures to replace missing teeth. Even if you do not have dental insurance, Dr. Brice and his team offer an in-house dental savings plan as well as flexible financing through CareCredit and LendingClub. This will ensure you get the care you need while allowing you to stay within your budget.