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Emergency Dentist — DeSoto, TX

Same Day Appointments Welcome at Amaze Dental!

If a tooth is damaged, whether it’s through tooth decay, a bad fall or sporting injury, is your first thought to visit an emergency room or a dentist? Turns out, thousands of people every year visit the ER for an issue that many hospital staff are either not qualified or even allowed to treat. When a bad toothache develops, the enamel is chipped, or a tooth is knocked out, the first thing you should do is call our dental office for emergency dentistry in DeSoto. We’re more than happy to help, even if it’s your first time visiting Dr. Suzanne NajjarDr. Suzanne Najjar and her team!

Why Choose Amaze Dental for Emergency Dentistry?

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Miniature workers performing dental procedures

Perhaps you don’t know what to expect from an emergency dental visit. Well, our office will see you quickly in order to deal with your oral troubles. To that end, treatment will consist of:

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Naturally, the first thing to do in an urgent dental situation is contact your emergency dentist in DeSoto. That said, a dental practice may not be able to see you immediately. Should that happen, then, here are some tips for dealing with common dental emergencies:

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

Woman in dental chair holding cheek

Determining the cost of emergency dentistry in DeSoto starts by confirming your problem’s nature. Your issue could range from a simple ache or tooth decay to an oral infection. Such things have their own unique costs, with infections generally more expensive than a root canal and filling. Even if you only have a toothache, though, we encourage you to visit. Amaze Dental will provide your urgent care and maximize your insurance benefits. We’ll also work to ensure you save on out-of-pocket expenses if you need emergency treatment.

Every Dental Emergency is Different

You’ll be happy to know that should you require an emergency dental visit, it will not be as costly as you might expect. At Amaze Dental, for just $20, you can get an emergency exam and X-ray completed and confirm exactly what needs to be done! Waiting to see if your dental injury will either go away on its own or until you have the funds to seek professional help is never a good idea, as it will only get worse over time. Our team will sit down to discuss your treatment options once we have a clear understanding of the cause of your dental emergency and how it should be addressed.

The most common methods of treatment usually include antibiotics, a dental filling, a dental crown, root canal therapy, periodontal therapy, or tooth extraction.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

It is possible to receive one emergency exam covered by your dental insurance company each year, but you’ll need to review your policy first. Not all plans are the same. You should also know that depending on the type of treatment you will need, your insurance carrier may agree to pay anywhere from 50-80% of the price once you’ve met your deductible. While knowing which treatments are covered and how to maximize your benefits can be overwhelming, our dental team is here to make sure you have all the necessary information to get the most out of your policy while also taking care of your smile.

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

At Amaze Dental, we are also close partners with Medicaid, CHIP, and CareCredit. If you and your children are enrolled in Medicaid CHIP, it is possible to receive coverage for many of the most common forms of treatment. Also, if you need another form of care and do not receive Medicaid or CHIP, you can enroll in a low or zero interest payment plan with CareCredit. This will allow you to break up the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments.

Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money

Your emergency dentist in DeSoto understands not all dental emergencies are completely avoidable. However, when a nagging toothache or serious infection develops, you shouldn’t wait to see us. If you do, you’ll be at risk for more complex, costly, and timely procedures. These are the types of dental emergencies that can be avoided. How? Apart from maintaining good oral hygiene practices at home and continuing to see your dentist every six months for regular checkups and cleanings, you should also be mindful of what you’re eating, how you’re protecting your smile, and giving up any bad habits that may negatively impact your smile.

By seeking professional care the moment you discover a problem, you’ll be more likely to pay less for the services you receive.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Closeup of patient during dental treatment

While not every dental emergency is avoidable, there are steps you can take to prevent one from happening. After all, it’s best to avoid these scenarios in the first place. Luckily, we at Amaze Dental believe smile safety facts can spare you a trip to the emergency dentist. That being said, practice the tips below so your grin stays protected. Your teeth and gums will thank you for it!

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

It’s incredibly important that you visit your dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning. By investing in routine dental appointments, you can catch problems early on and address them before they turn into complications. At every checkup, our team at Amaze Dental will conduct a thorough oral examination to spot issues long before you would’ve noticed them on your own. That way, we can keep them from worsening and resulting in a painful incident.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene at Home

Believe it or not, most dental emergencies are the result of decay that’s gradually worsened over time. Fortunately, you can keep your teeth and gums in their very best shape by following a solid at-home dental care routine. Brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing daily, and rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash are essential everyday practices. Not only can they minimize plaque buildup, but they’ll ward off oral health problems that could cost you a trip to our emergency dentist in Desoto.

Stick to a Nutritious Diet

It may surprise you to learn that your diet has a significant impact on oral health. Overindulging in sugary, starchy, or acidic foods can damage your smile because they promote the accumulation of harmful bacteria. Meanwhile, eating healthy foods can significantly reduce your risk of extensive decay, gum disease, and other infections. That’s why it’s best to stick to a nutritious diet full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy products.

Wear a Mouthguard

Do you regularly play sports or grind your teeth at night? If so, ask our team about a custom-made oral device. You can wear an athletic mouthguard to protect your pearly whites against impact or wear a night guard to keep your enamel from wearing down at night.

Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools

If you can’t open a bottle or rip open a package with your hands, you may be tempted to use your teeth instead. Well, using your pearly whites for anything other than chewing food can easily result in a dental emergency. To keep your smile safe, you should take the time to grab the right tool or ask someone to lend you a helping hand.

Emergency Dentistry FAQs

How Do I Know if I Have a True Dental Emergency?

Understandably, no one wants to schedule a dental appointment unless they really have to. Here are some signs that you’re having a true emergency and should call us right away:

  • You have bleeding that doesn’t subside after applying pressure for 15 minutes
  • You’ve broken a tooth or any existing dental work
  • You have pain that prevents you from eating, sleeping or going to work
  • You've knocked out a tooth
  • Your lip or cheek is swollen or you have a pimple-like bump on your gums (this is usually a sign of an infection, which needs to be addressed as soon as possible)

What Happens At an Emergency Visit?

As an emergency dentist, our goal when you arrive is to get you out of pain quickly and also maintain your oral health over the long-term. Here are the basic steps you can expect during your emergency visit:

  • A visual exam – First, Dr. Najjar will simply look at your teeth and gums to assess the situation and get a general idea of what needs to be done first.
  • X-rays and other images – To see what’s happening under your existing dental work, in your jawbone and around the roots of your teeth, we’ll take images and X-rays as needed.
  • Diagnosis and treatment – Then we’ll discuss our findings, diagnose the issue and give you our treatment recommendations. Whenever possible, we’ll give you more than one option and answer any questions you have to help you make the best decision. From there, we’ll do any preliminary treatment as needed to relieve your pain. If necessary, we’ll also schedule any additional treatment.

Can I Take Pain Medication For a Dental Emergency? And What Kind is Best?

If you’ve already called us to make an appointment and want pain relief in the meantime, you can certainly take over-the-counter pain reliever.

In general, ibuprofen is a good choice for dental pain. However, if you have bleeding for any reason, it’s best to avoid ibuprofen and other NSAIDs like aspirin and naproxen. These medications thin your blood and can interfere with clotting. Instead, take Tylenol (acetaminophen). This also applies if you take a prescription blood-thinner such as Warfarin.

My Toothache Went Away. Do I Still Need To Make an Appointment?

Yes! A toothache is often the result of an infected nerve. In some cases, the nerve simply “dies” on its own, which explains why the pain subsides. But that doesn’t mean the infection is gone! If left untreated, a dental infection can spread to other areas of the body such as the brain and become very dangerous or even fatal. If you have a toothache that goes away, be sure to give us a call so Dr. Najjar can take a look and recommend treatment if necessary.

More to Explore

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Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? To be honest, not all toothaches warrant an emergency visit to our office. The best way to tell if a same-day visit is needed is by assessing your symptoms. If your pain has persisted for more than a few hours or it seems to be getting worse with each passing day, then you shouldn’t hesitate to contact our DeSoto dental team.

How You Should Handle a Toothache First, try doing what you can to alleviate your discomfort, like sticking to soft foods, using a cold compress, and taking OTC pain medication as directed. If your toothache persists, then get in touch with us to share your symptoms and schedule an emergency exam.

How We Treat Toothaches The most minimally invasive option is a tooth-colored filling. However, if the extent of the damage requires something more extensive, then we may need to intervene with a dental crown or root canal treatment instead.

Chipped Tooth

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? It does warrant a visit to our office, but same-day care may not be necessary. Ultimately, it depends on your unique situation, including how large the chip is, which is why we recommend contacting us right away regardless.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth It’s important to thoroughly rinse your mouth with clean, room-temperature water to remove any lingering shards of your tooth and bacteria from the area. When you’re done, cover the tooth with sugar-free gum to prevent the sharp edge from cutting your tongue, lips, or gums.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth How we treat chipped teeth will depend largely on the location of the tooth and the size of the chip. That said, the two most common treatments are dental bonding and veneers.

Cracked Tooth

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? It is! The best thing to do if you have a cracked tooth (or you have a suspicion that your tooth is damaged) is to contact us ASAP to schedule an appointment with our DeSoto emergency dentist.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Let’s first discuss what you shouldn’t do, which includes eating crunchy foods, chewing on that side of your mouth, or touching the tooth with your finger. Instead, you should schedule a visit with us ASAP and do everything you can to protect your tooth from further harm until then.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth If your tooth is cracked, but it can be saved, then a dental crown may be the solution. If it’s cracked to the point where it has to be extracted, then we will do so before putting a dental bridge or implant in its place.

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? Very sensitive teeth aren’t usually considered a dental emergency, but they can be a sign of an underlying issue that needs attention. If the sensitivity is severe or persistent, it is important to schedule an appointment with us to figure out the cause and find the correct treatment.

How you should handle sensitive teeth: First, avoid hot, cold, or acidic foods and beverages, as these can worsen the sensitivity. You can use toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth, which can help to reduce discomfort over time with proper brushing and flossing. Over-the-counter pain relievers can also help take off the edge before you come to your appointment.

How we treat tooth sensitivity: Treatment for tooth sensitivity depends on its cause. If your sensitivity is due to weakened enamel, we may apply fluoride to strengthen it. For cases caused by tooth decay or damage, we can use fillings or restorative treatments like dental crowns. In severe cases, a root canal may be necessary to eliminate an infection.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? Yes, a knocked-out tooth is considered a dental emergency. Immediate action is vital to increase the chances of saving the tooth.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: First, carefully pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface) and avoid touching the root. If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it with water, but don’t scrub or remove any tissue still attached. If possible, try to place the tooth back in its socket without forcing it. If that’s not possible, keep the tooth moist by placing it in a container of milk or saline solution. Then, come see us as soon as possible. After 30 minutes to an hour, the tooth may become non-viable.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: When you arrive at our office, we’ll first assess the condition of the tooth and the surrounding area. If it's intact and viable, we’ll try to place it into the socket and stabilize it using a splint. This process involves securing the tooth to the adjacent teeth to hold it in place as it re-attaches to the bone. However, in some cases, the tooth can’t be saved. If this happens, we’ll discuss replacement options such as dental implants or bridges.

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? A lost filling or crown is not always a dental emergency, but it does require attention quickly to avoid further damage to your tooth. Without the protection of its restoration, it's vulnerable to decay and sensitivity.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: If you lose a filling or crown, try to locate the lost piece and keep it safe. Rinse your mouth with warm water to keep the area clean. If the tooth is causing pain, you can use over-the-counter pain relievers and apply dental cement (available at pharmacies) to temporarily cover the exposed tooth. Avoid chewing on that side of your mouth and schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: At your appointment, we’ll examine the affected tooth to decide the best course of action. If your restoration is intact and undamaged, we may be able to clean and reattach it. However, if it’s damaged or lost, we will need to replace it as soon as possible.

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? A broken denture may not be painful or life-threatening, but you do rely on your prosthetic every day to chew, speak, and smile. You should still treat this as a dental emergency and have it addressed as soon as you can. If you continue to wear a broken denture, you could experience soft-tissue irritation and cause your denture to endure additional damage.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture: Don’t attempt to repair your denture by yourself. The kits you can find over the counter and household items can make the damage worse. Instead, give us a call to let us know what’s happening. We will instruct you on what to do from there.

How We Treat Broken Dentures: The way that we address broken dentures will depend on the severity and type of damage. For small chips and cracks, we may be able to fix them with composite resin. However, for more severe damage, you may need new dentures. This is also a great time to consider other tooth replacement options, like dental implants.

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes – a loose permanent tooth is an urgent dental emergency. If a tooth is loose, it is at risk of falling out. You should have this problem addressed as soon as possible.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth: once you realize that your tooth is loose, give us a call to schedule an emergency appointment. Until you see us, avoid chewing on the side of your mouth with the loose tooth. You should also do your best not to touch the tooth with your fingers or tongue.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth: We will do everything in our power to try to save your tooth. However, if your tooth is too damaged to save, we will discuss tooth replacement options to fill the gap.

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Experiencing trauma to this area of the mouth can be alarming because it tends to bleed a lot. If you have concerns about a wound on the gums, lips, or tongue, give us a call to explain the situation. We can give you further guidance from there.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: You should begin by rinsing the wound with water to wash away any dirt or debris. Next, use a clean washcloth or gauze to apply pressure to the area until the bleeding stops. For pain and inflammation, use a cold compress.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: For smaller cuts, we may be able to assist by stitching the area. If you have a larger cut or laceration, the emergency room is a better option. We are happy to take a look at your smile after you have been discharged.

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? In most cases, jaw pain is not an urgent dental emergency. However, it can be quite uncomfortable. If your pain becomes chronic or severe, let us know so we can begin to take steps to help you feel more comfortable.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: Over-the-counter pain relievers are usually strong enough to temporarily relieve jaw pain. If you think that your jaw could be dislocated or broken, you should head to the emergency room. We’d be happy to take a look at your smile once you have been discharged.

How We Treat Jaw Pain: The treatment we use for jaw pain will vary from patient to patient. During your visit with us, we will discuss your symptoms and put together a plan that’s right for you.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

You shouldn’t use anything sharp to try to get an object out from between your teeth. Using tweezers, toothpicks, or cutlery can push the item in further or damage your soft tissues. Instead, it’s best to rinse your mouth with water. Then, use dental floss to gently dislodge the item. If you are still struggling to get it out, give us a call so we can give you further instructions.