Emergency Dentist – Rockwall, TX
We’re Here For You
If you’re dealing with a dental emergency, whether it’s a terrible toothache or painful injury, you’re much better off visiting an emergency dentist as opposed to the ER or an urgent care clinic. Emergency dentists like those at Spillman Family Dental of Rockwall have the training, experience, and equipment for dealing with infected and broken teeth that you just won’t find other places, and they can make all the difference in getting fast relief and saving a tooth. Contact us if you need dental care right NOW, and we’ll schedule a same-day appointment for emergency dentistry in Rockwall, TX and be ready to help right away.
Why Choose Spillman Family of Rockwall for Emergency Dental Care?
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
- Sedation Used to Guarantee Patient Comfort
- Two Dentists with Decades of Experience
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
- The moment you call our office to report a dental emergency, a team member will be in touch with you to not only get you scheduled for an appointment, but discuss your emergency in better detail so they can provide first-aid tips and guidance. The sooner you call, the more likely you are to get a same-day visit scheduled with us. We’re also willing to accommodate walk-ins and evening/weekend emergency appointments if needed.
- After you arrive, one of our team members will bring you into an operatory and Dr. Spillman will take a look at your dental emergency. Part of this examination may include X-rays if the issue is not easily visible.
- Following your exam, we’ll be able to build a treatment plan that addresses your dental problem at the source. These treatments could include dental fillings or crowns, root canal therapy, or extractions. No matter what service we recommend, we’ll always prioritize getting you out of discomfort first and taking the steps to ensure the issue does not come back.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
The best thing you can do in any dental emergency is call our dental office as soon as you can. This allows us to schedule you for an immediate appointment and walk you through first aid over the phone. Before you’re able to reach us, take note of the ways you can take control during the most common dental emergencies.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
We won’t know what type of procedure is needed to handle your dental emergency until we see you in person and give you an evaluation. Just like with medical emergencies, the cost of treatment will be different from person to person based on the type and degree of the injury. To make this type of care easily affordable, we’re happy to accept most dental insurance plans and offer flexible financing. Acting fast will allow us to address an emergency before it becomes worse, which will reduce pain and lead to a lower cost as well!
Every Dental Emergency is Unique
Because there are so many factors that must be taken into account, it’s virtually impossible for us to name the cost of an emergency dental appointment. Here are some of the considerations that can influence the price you’ll end up paying for your care:
- The severity of the damage to your oral health
- The specific type of treatment your situation requires
- If you require follow-up appointments or subsequent treatments, such as a dental crown
- Whether you choose to receive dental sedation
Once you arrive at our office for your emergency visit, our first order of business will be getting you out of pain. Afterward, we’ll examine your mouth and lay out all of your treatment options, including their pricing information. We’ll also answer any questions you may have so you feel perfectly comfortable with the care you’re getting.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Most dental insurance plans offer at least partial coverage emergency care and typically cover at least one emergency exam per year. Additionally, coverage percentages for specific treatments (such as root canal therapy and extractions) can range between 80% and 50%. At Spillman Family Dental of Rockwall, we offer in-network savings to patients with Delta Dental Premier, one of the nation’s most popular dental insurance plans. However, even if you have a different plan, we’ll be more than happy to work with it. In fact, we can even file your claims for you so that you don’t have to worry about paperwork while you’re already stressed about your dental emergency. Generally speaking, if your insurance allows you to select your own provider, chances are we’ll accept it. If you’re not sure, though, feel free to give us a call and find out.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Even if you don’t have dental insurance, or your plan doesn’t cover enough of your treatment, we encourage you to visit our office for emergency care! To help you repair your smile without breaking the bank, we can help you apply for one of the many plans available through CareCredit. This third-party financing company has helped countless patients break up the cost of their medical care into budget-friendly payments. Plus, many of these plans have little or even zero interest!
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
Suffering from a dental emergency is already stressful enough without worrying how you’re going to fit the cost of visiting your dentist into your monthly budget. As a result, you may be tempted to put off getting the emergency dental care you need. Not only could this prevent you from getting relief from your pain, but your oral health problem could worsen with time, resulting in the need for more invasive (and expensive) treatments. To save money, it’s best to contact Spillman Family Dental of Rockwall as soon as possible. We can provide you with fast, gentle emergency care, often on the same day you call!
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Try as we might, not every broken or knocked out tooth can be prevented. However, there are certain steps and precautions you can take that will dramatically lower your risk of having a dental emergency. After all, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” as the saying goes! Practicing a few simple but essential healthy habits can go a tremendously long way in protecting your pearly whites from infection and damage. Here are a few of the best ways to keep your smile happy, healthy, and fully intact for a lifetime.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
The American Dental Association recommends getting a dental checkup every six months. This gives us the best chances of spotting and stopping a wide array of oral health issues before they have a chance to transform into serious dental emergencies. Even if your teeth look and feel fine, we need to take a look at your smile to make sure there aren’t any problems developing that you can’t see or feel yet. More importantly, regular dental checkups are the best way to prevent issues from beginning in the first place!
Practice Great Dental Hygiene Habits
Poor oral hygiene can lead to severe toothaches, dental infections, and even tooth loss! Thankfully, regular brushing and flossing is one of the most effective ways to prevent dental emergencies like these. Not only do these habits clear away the buildup of dangerous particles like plaque and bacteria, but they help strengthen your teeth with fluoride and stimulate your gums.
Maintain a Nutritious Diet
What you eat and drink every day significantly influences how strong your teeth are. Overindulging in foods that are loaded with sugar or carbohydrates fuels cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth, which produce acids that burn through your enamel. Similarly, drinking too many acidic beverages like soda, sports drinks, and energy drinks washes your teeth with acid, which can quickly lead to discoloration, cavities, and sensitivity. Instead, eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and foods high in calcium to snack your way towards a healthier smile!
Wear a Mouthguard
Do you play sports? Do you grind your teeth in your sleep? A sudden blow to the face or long-term extra pressure on your pearly whites can suddenly leave you with chipped or cracked teeth. To keep your pearly whites safe, consider investing in a custom mouthguard. These small, comfortable devices will shield your teeth and protect them from impact when you need it most.
Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging
It can be tempting to open packages, containers, or bottles with your teeth if you’re in a hurry or feeling lazy. However, while it may save you a few seconds, it could cost you much more time visiting us for a dental emergency in the blink of an eye! You should never use your teeth as tools to open things: teeth should only be used for eating food.
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
It’s fair to say that dental emergencies don’t exactly happen often, which is why it’s so important to have someone you can call in the worst-case scenario. Thankfully, Spillman Family Dental of Rockwall is here to help. Whether you’ve never had to deal with a dental emergency before or you need guidance ahead of your emergency appointment, we encourage you to give our commonly asked dental emergency questions a brief look below.
Should I visit a hospital or urgent care first?
Unfortunately, neither a hospital nor urgent care facility will be able to effectively help a dental emergency in most cases because the workers at these locations aren’t trained to handle them. The only time you should visit either before our office is if you are bleeding and it will not stop on its own or if you suspect that your jaw is broken. After you leave, give our office a call so our team can assess your mouth’s condition.
What are the best painkillers for tooth discomfort?
We largely recommend ibuprofen to alleviate dental pain thanks to its fast-acting properties. We do not recommend aspirin for tooth pain as the ingredients used in aspirin can sometimes cause a burning sensation when it comes into contact with oral tissue. With that said, ibuprofen is not considered a permanent solution. You’ll still need to have your tooth examined, even if the discomfort goes away. This ensures any underlying problems are being managed properly and not allowed to grow and develop into something more serious.
Should I visit if my child’s baby tooth comes out early?
Baby teeth are not supposed to come out prematurely, even though they do eventually come out on their own. If your child’s tooth is knocked-out or falls out due to forced trauma or decay, call our office right away. If their mouth is bleeding, apply a cotton ball to the open socket and have them hold it in place ahead of their dental appointment. Once you arrive, we’ll do everything we can to stop their dental discomfort and offer recommendations for future treatment if necessary.
How long can I put off an emergency?
Unlike other health issues, such as the common cold, cuts, and bruises, dental problems very rarely get better on their own once they appear. For example, dental pain generally gets worse over time or goes away and then comes back without professional care. Dental emergencies need to be handled as soon as they appear in order to avoid long-term complications later.
What if I have dental anxiety?
If you find it difficult to receive dental care due to anxiety, nervousness, or phobia, don’t worry. Not only does our office take the time to create a relaxing and nurturing environment for families, but we also offer multiple forms of sedation dentistry to keep you calm during your visit. This includes nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation.
Will my toothache go away on its own?
Although your discomfort may subside over time, it’s not because your tooth has healed on its own. Most often, this is a result of the infection “killing” the nerve. That’s certainly bad news on its own, but it’s also concerning because at this point the damage can spread to your surrounding teeth and gums. So, it’s important that you schedule an appointment with our Rockwall emergency dentist ASAP.
How should I sleep with tooth pain?
Sometimes, a same-day appointment isn’t necessary or isn’t possible because you’re out of town, it’s late at night, or something similar. In that case, you need to take a few proactive measures in order to get a good night’s sleep. We recommend eating soft foods at dinner, like plain yogurt, oatmeal, or vegetable soup. Afterward, use a cold compress (or towel-wrapped ice pack) for 10 minutes at a time. About 30 minutes before bed, take an OTC pain reliever and prop yourself up on a few pillows so your head stays elevated throughout the night.
My chipped tooth doesn’t hurt. Do I still need to visit?
You do. Even if your tooth doesn’t hurt, it could develop an infection. Perhaps worse, it could chip further! So, don’t wait – reach out to our Rockwall dental team right away to schedule an appointment.
Note: In the meantime, do your best to protect your tooth from further harm. Rinsing your mouth periodically with room-temperature water and using some sugar-free gum to cover your chipped tooth are great places to start!
Should knocked-out teeth be placed in water?
Water isn’t the best option since it doesn’t preserve the root surface cells of teeth. Instead, submerge your knocked-out tooth in a container of milk or (if you don’t need to apply force) you can place the tooth back in its socket.
What is causing my jaw pain?
Jaw pain can be quite painful, making it difficult to eat and sleep comfortably. Most often, it’s the result of impacted wisdom teeth, chronic teeth grinding, or TMJ dysfunction. Of course, we will need to conduct a thorough oral exam and take X-rays to determine the cause of yours. Then, we’ll share our findings with you, review your treatment options, and get to work on creating a plan that will provide you with long-term relief.
Are toothpicks safe to use?
If you have something stuck between your teeth, you might be tempted to use a toothpick. However, the fact that this tool is deadly if swallowed and can easily splinter off in your mouth makes it not safe to use. In fact, you shouldn’t use anything extremely sharp, like tweezers, either. Instead, use floss and, if you’re having trouble, give us a call to schedule a time to come into our Rockwall dental office.
What should I keep in my emergency dentistry kit?
In addition to having a First Aid Kit on hand, we recommend having the following items in the same place in case a dental emergency arises:
- A small, clean container for teeth or restorations
- Dental cement
- Denture adhesive
- Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen
- A topical anesthetic, like Orajel
- Floss
- Our practice’s contact information