Emergency Dentist – Indian Land, SC
When You Need Help, Our Dental Office Is Prepared
Are you experiencing a toothache that you just can’t ignore any longer? Did your child suffer from an oral injury that left their tooth chipped, cracked or even knocked-out? Unless your jaw is broken or you’re experiencing severe bleeding, you shouldn’t need to visit an emergency room for help. Instead, pay a visit to Dr. Candon and his team; they’ll make sure to get you out of discomfort and on the right path towards effective treatment, during an appointment for emergency dentistry in Indian Lake, SC. If you’re experiencing a dental emergency, call their dental office today!
Why Choose BridgeMill Dental Care for Emergency Dentistry?
- Sees Patients of All Ages
- Stay Calm Through Treatment with Nitrous Oxide
- Accepts Many In-Network Insurance Plans
Handling Common Dental Emergencies
When a dental emergency occurs, the first thing you should do is give our dental office a call so we can get you scheduled for a dental appointment as soon as possible. We’ll provide any advice we can to improve your situation before you arrive. Please take a moment to read below what you should do next depending on the type of emergency you’re experiencing. Doing so could make a big difference in the outcome of your issue.
Toothaches
Use dental floss to remove any food that may be caught between your teeth. If discomfort doesn’t go away, take ibuprofen and apply a cold compress to your face if any swelling appears. Avoid chewing on that side of your mouth until you get to our dental office.
Chipped/Broken Teeth
Keep any piece of your tooth in a bag of cold milk if you can, and bring them to our dental office. Take ibuprofen as needed and apply a cold compress to your face for 10 minutes at a time, removing for an additional 10 minutes to prevent damaging your skin. We may be able to restore your tooth with a crown if the tooth is salvageable.
Knocked-Out Tooth
Pick up the tooth by the crown portion only, making sure to avoid touching the root. Do not remove any tissue still attached to the root. After gently rinsing the tooth as well as your mouth with warm water, place it back into the open socket to keep it preserved. You can also keep it contained in milk, saltwater, or saliva for up to one hour. Get to our dental office right away to increase your chances of it being reimplanted.
Lost Filling / Crown
If you still have the restoration, you can temporarily reattach it using dental cement, denture adhesive, or sugar-free chewing gum as a last resort. If you do not have the restoration, avoid chewing on that side of your mouth until you get to our dental office.
Something Stuck Between the Teeth
If something is trapped between your teeth, it might cause a severe toothache in Indian Land. Whatever you do, do NOT use your fingernails, a toothpick, or some other sharp object to attempt to remove it. You might end up injuring your gums or damaging your teeth. Instead, rinse your mouth out with water; this should help to loosen the item. Then, thread a piece of dental floss through the area. If that still does not work, then give our office a call. We can use specialized dental instruments to remove the object and prevent infection.
Partially Dislodged Tooth
Even if a tooth has not been entirely knocked out, it’s still an extremely urgent dental emergency in Indian Land. Before anything else, you should call our office and we can set up an immediate appointment for you. As you make your way to our practice, try to gently shift the tooth into its proper position inside the socket. Avoid chewing with the tooth or messing with it with your tongue, as that could make it fall out completely.
Infections
Intense pain in one particular tooth or area of the mouth often indicates a bacterial infection. Not seeking treatment in a timely manner could cause the infection to spread to surrounding teeth or even other body parts, causing systemic illness. That’s why you should contact us for care as soon as possible. In the interim, you can alleviate the pain by rinsing your mouth with saltwater, taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, and holding a cold compress to your cheek in ten-minute intervals.
Gum/Soft Tissue Injury
First, rinse your mouth with a saltwater solution to remove harmful debris. Then, apply firm pressure with a clean, damp piece of cloth or gauze for 10 to 15 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop or at least slow down after that, then make a beeline for the nearest emergency room for immediate medical care. Keep pressure on the area for as long as you can.
Jaw Pain
If you suspect your jaw is broken or dislocated, then head to the emergency room. For all other types of jaw pain, then call us to schedule a quick appointment. Until then, holding a cold compress to your jaw can help. Also, try not to open your mouth too wide or eat foods that require a lot of chewing force.
Preventing Dental Emergencies
The best way to avoid most dental emergencies is by simply practicing daily brushing and flossing as well as staying committed to routine dental appointments. It’s also important to never use your teeth as a tool, such as when opening packages or bottles. Avoid habits like chewing on pens, pencils, or your fingernails. Purchase a custom-made nightguard if you struggle from chronic teeth grinding or clenching. Always wear a mouthguard when playing contact sports like football, basketball or hockey.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
Dental emergencies are unpredictable, but we want to prepare you the best we can by providing you with some specifics on the cost of treatment. The price of your emergency will vary based on many factors, which is why we’ve included some important information about emergency dentistry below. Read on to learn more and be sure to contact us if you have any questions.
Learn More About the Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
Every Dental Emergency is Different
A visit to our practice for a dental emergency can typically be inexpensive. During your appointment, Dr. Candon will examine your mouth before determining what further treatment you may need to get out of pain and back to a healthy smile. Until he can see the root of the problem in person, it’s incredibly difficult to provide you with a precise cost estimate. We offer these common solutions for dental emergencies:
- Extractions
- Dental crowns
- TMJ treatment
- And more!
You can have peace of mind knowing that our team will explain what we find, the treatment plan we recommend, and the estimate price before we begin so you know exactly what to expect.
Save Money by Taking Care of Your Smile
Unfortunately, dental emergencies can never be completely prevented, however most of them are caused by unchecked damage or infection. By investing a little bit in a good oral healthcare routine at home combined with regular visits to our office, you can potentially save thousands in avoided dental emergencies.
It’s also vital that you take care of your dental pain or emergency as soon as you notice it! If you’re concerned about costs, remember that the price of your treatment will only get higher if you wait, allowing the issue to grow worse. For example, a swift visit to our office for a toothache could mean the difference between a tooth-saving root canal treatment or a complete extraction—contact us as soon as you notice something is wrong with your smile.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Most dental insurance providers offer some level of coverage for dental emergencies, but this will all depend on your plan. Usually, at least at least one emergency exam a year can be covered, and the most common treatments like root canal therapy, extractions and more may be covered between 50% and 80%. Every plan has different maximums and benefits, which is why we can help you confirm your coverage before you get treatment so there are no surprises.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
No dental insurance? No worries! We offer various ways to make our quality emergency dentistry affordable for all budgets. Our in-house membership plan includes all the necessary dentistry you need, plus 20% off the rest of our services for just one annual fee. The best part is that you and your whole family can take advantage of our membership plan. We also work with CareCredit to provide our patients with low-to-no interest financing, where payment plans can be chosen based on your needs.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
Do you still have questions about what exactly you should do in the event of a dental emergency? The first thing you should do in any urgent dental situation is contact our Indian Land office right away. Then, while you wait for your appointment, you can read through this list of some of our most frequently asked questions about emergency dentistry.
Should I Go to the ER?
If this is your first time going through a dental emergency, it can be difficult to determine whether you should call a dentist or your local emergency room. The ER doctors may be able to stabilize you and get you out of pain, but they usually won’t be able to address the root of your problem. This is because hospitals rarely, if ever, have a dental professional on staff. For this reason, the most they’ll likely be able to do is prescribe painkillers or antibiotics.
For the majority of dental emergencies, you’re much better off giving us a call, as we can get to the bottom of your oral health issue. The only time you should visit the ER is if your tooth is knocked out and you can’t get ahold of us, you’re bleeding profusely, your jawbone is fractured or broken, or you’re experiencing difficulty breathing or swallowing. Those emergencies are all considered life-threatening and warrant immediate medical attention.
How Can I Manage the Pain at Home?
Everyone has a different pain tolerance, so you might need something to alleviate your discomfort until you can reach our office. Some of the most effective ways of mitigating pain are:
- Over-the-counter pain medications like ibuprofen
- Topical pain reliever such as Orajel
- Ice pack, which also curbs swelling
A good rule of thumb to keep in mind is that healthy teeth don’t hurt. Even if your toothache is minor enough that you’re able to control it at home, you should still call us so we can determine if treatment is needed.
How Can I Get Rid of Facial Swelling?
Facial swelling is a common side effect of oral infections or trauma to the mouth. To decrease the amount of puffiness in your face or jaw, apply a cold compress to the area for 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off for up to an hour. Doing this should also help ease any pain.