Emergency Dentist — Tallahassee, FL
Pain Relief & Restoration When You Need It
No one ever expects a dental emergency to happen to them; however, one in six Americans face this situation every year. If you find yourself in this position, you may not know where to turn or what to do. If you suddenly find yourself with an injury or an emergency that affects your teeth or gums, Boyd & Walther Dental Associates are here for you. We have an emergency dentist in Tallahassee who can provide you with the care you need to restore your oral health.
Why Choose Boyd & Walther Dental Associates for Emergency Dental Care?
- Office Open On Friday Mornings
- Highly Experienced Dental Team
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
- Determining If It's an Emergency: If you are not sure if you are having a dental emergency, please contact our dental office and a member of our team will provide you with first-aid tips and schedule an appointment if necessary.
- Emergency exam from our experienced dentists: After you arrive at our office, we can perform a comprehensive exam to determine the source, severity, and exact location of your symptoms. This is typically done with digital X-rays if we cannot find the problem through a standard exam alone.
- Reviewing findings with you directly: Following your exam, we’ll be able to provide a far more detailed breakdown of what’s causing your dental emergency as well as recommend treatments to address it. Your treatment plan will explain the estimated costs of your care as well as the timeline you can expect going forward.
- Get the care you need from our team: Our team is highly trained to treat a wide variety of dental emergencies in-house. Whether you need a dental filling, crown, root canal therapy, or another service to address your symptoms, don’t wait to get in touch with our office.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies can come in a variety of forms, such as a broken tooth or an abscess. No matter the situation that you are facing, time is of the utmost importance to save your tooth from needing to be removed. If you find yourself with a problem that requires immediate care, the first thing to do is to stay calm and call our dental office, especially if you notice any of the following emergencies below.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
Dental emergencies can come in a variety of forms, such as a broken tooth or an abscess. No matter the situation you are facing, time is of the utmost importance to save your tooth from more invasive and expensive treatment. If you want to get a firmer grasp on the cost of dental emergencies in Tallahassee, keep reading!
Until we perform an exam of your mouth and take note of your symptoms, we can’t know for sure what’s causing your dental emergency nor recommend a specific treatment. This is just another reason why it’s so important not to skip a dental visit if you are experiencing urgent symptoms. Once we do complete an exam, we can provide an estimated cost dependent on the services we believe would best help address your emergency and prevent it from coming back.
Every Dental Emergency is Different
Two patients can have similar symptoms but require different treatment. For example, one toothache may be corrected with a filling, while the other may require root canal therapy and a dental crown. As a result, the pricing may vary from case to case. Again, we can only go through your treatment options, and the associated costs, after we’ve had the chance to inspect your mouth fully. Then, we can work with you to make your smile whole again without breaking the bank.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Dental insurance can be confusing, and coverage depends on your specific plan. Some treatments for dental emergencies are typically covered across the board, such as dental crowns and fillings. In all likelihood, you will still end up paying at least part of the cost out-of-pocket, but utilizing insurance wisely can help you save significant money.
Regardless of your specific policy, our insurance experts can help you understand what is and isn’t covered so that you know exactly how much you’ll be expected to pay.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
What if you do not have dental insurance? What if you still have a significant bill you have to pay out-of-pocket? At Boyd & Walther Dental Associates, we believe cost shouldn’t come between you and a healthy, pain-free smile, which is why we accept payment through financing. For those who qualify, CareCredit provides a way to divide the total cost into easier monthly installments, which makes paying for your dental emergency less straining on your budget.
Taking Care Of Your Smile Can Save You Money
Even though we do our best to make treating dental emergencies affordable, the best way for you to save on your dental healthcare costs is to avoid dental emergencies in the first place. In fact, for every dollar you spend in prevention, you can save anywhere between $8 and $50 in restorative costs. In other words, if you want to avoid expensive dental bills, you need to maintain healthy oral hygiene practices at home and come to our office on a regular basis for cleanings and checkups.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Although not all dental emergencies can be avoided, such as a bad fall, there are several things you can do to help
decrease your risk for having one. With these small tips in mind, you can not only avoid the discomfort of having a
toothache, infection, or other dental emergency, but save on oral healthcare costs.
Visit Your Dentist Every Six Months
Visiting your dentist twice a year for a cleaning and checkup can help you catch potential problems and get them treated early. Not only is this the best way to prevent small problems from turning into dental emergencies, but it’s far more affordable compared to what you’ll need to pay to complete restorative and emergency dental treatments. So, not only are you saving yourself from stress and discomfort, but you’re also saving money on unnecessary dental care.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene
Since you aren’t going to be visiting our office every day to get a cleaning, maintaining your oral hygiene at home is crucial to keeping your teeth and gums healthy in between routine checkups. Brush for at least two minutes at a time and floss once a day to remove food debris from areas your toothbrush cannot reach. For extra protection, opt for a fluoridated mouth rinse as well. This can work to reduce plaque buildup, lower your risk of developing gum disease, and keep your breath smelling fresh!
Stick to a Healthy and Balanced Diet
Do not chew on overly hard foods, like ice, popcorn kernels, and hard candies. These are the most likely to chip or crack teeth, putting you in major discomfort. You’ll also need restorative treatment afterwards as teeth do not heal once damaged. Additionally, maintaining a balanced diet consisting of fruits and vegetables is crucial to giving your mouth (and body) the vitamins and minerals it needs. Reduce how many high-sugar foods and beverages you consume daily, such as sweets and soda, to reduce your risk of cavity development.
Wear a Mouthguard to Protect Your Smile
If you regularly participate in athletic activities that carry a high risk for impact, use an athletic mouthguard customized to you specifically. While store-bought options are better than nothing at all, they don’t offer the same comfort, longevity, and most importantly, protection that professionally-made mouthguards do. Furthermore, if you grind your teeth while sleeping, a nightguard can mean the difference between a healthy smile and waking up with a bad toothache.
Use the Right Tools for the Job
Do not use your teeth as tools, such as to open food packages or bottled beverages. Instead, use a pair of scissors, box cutters, or bottle opener to get the job done. Teeth are strong but they can still easily break down when used inappropriately. The amount of time you save using your teeth is not worth it considering the damage you do to them in the process.
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
A sure way for an otherwise pleasant day to be dampened is to have to endure a dental emergency. While this can sidetrack you momentarily, you can recover by knowing how to recognize the symptoms, taking the appropriate steps and receiving care at our Tallahassee dental office. In addition, it helps to have answers to some of the frequently asked questions about dental trauma. As you continue reading, you’ll be able to read expert insight from our dentists.
When Should You Head to the Emergency Room?
While dental emergencies are time-sensitive, in most cases, they don’t require you to visit your local emergency room. There are exceptions, though. One of them is a suspected broken jaw. Therefore, if you have acute pain in this area, don’t hesitate to head to the emergency room for immediate attention.
For a case of excessive oral bleeding, you should also seek immediate care. As a general rule, any bleeding that continues for more than 10 minutes is approaching dangerous territory. To prevent any life-threatening conditions from developing, it’s better to err on the side of caution and visit the emergency room.
What’s the Cost of Emergency Dental Care?
Because all dental emergencies are different, the only way to receive an accurate cost estimate is to visit us so your dentist in Tallahassee can examine you to pinpoint what the problem is. Then, she can develop the most effective treatment plan to restore your oral health. At Boyd and Walther Dental Associates, our goal is to put an end to any pain or inconveniences you’ve had to endure. Because we know how traumatic and unsettling it can be to deal with a dental emergency, we’ll guide you through the process of recovering step-by-step so you can get back to leading a healthy and happy life.
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