Emergency Dentistry – Evanston, IL
Fast & Pain-Relieving Dentistry
When You Need It Most
Emergencies can be scary, and dental emergencies are no different. When one arises, it is easy to panic. The first instinct is often to head to the local emergency room. Fortunately, many dental emergencies do not require hospital care. Most can be treated right in our Evanston dental office. There are even some that can easily be managed at home. At Winning Smile Dental Group, we can help you determine the best course of action and feel better right away with emergency dentistry in Evanston, IL.
Why Choose Winning Smile Dental Group for Emergency Dentistry?
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments
- Open Evenings & On Saturdays
- Low Radiation Digital X-Rays
Common Dental Emergencies
Although dental emergencies are stressful situations to deal with, our team will always do our best to calmly guide you through it and get you the pain-relieving care you need as soon as possible. The first step you should always take is to contact our dental office so we can provide you with over-the-phone first-aid and schedule an appointment. Otherwise, we’ve included some additional ways to help ease your discomfort before you reach our dental office.
Toothaches
Toothaches are a common sign of an infection, or someone may just have a piece of food stuck between their teeth. If flossing and rinsing around the tooth don’t help, taking an OTC pain medication can provide some temporary relief.
Chipped/ Broken Tooth
Minor damage that only affects the outer layer of your teeth is not usually harmful to your oral health but can be restored with cosmetic dentistry. For more severe damage, we can assess the extent of the trauma and determine if a crown can be placed or if the tooth needs to be extracted.
Knocked-Out Tooth
If a permanent tooth has been knocked out, it may be possible to set it back into the socket. First, find the tooth. Pick it up and run it under cool water, handling it only by the crown. Do not touch the root. Store the tooth in a glass of milk or saltwater until your appointment. We will put the tooth back in the socket and use a splint to help secure it while you heal. If we cannot reset the tooth, we will then discuss your options for tooth replacement.
Lost Filling/ Crown
First, try to locate your restoration. If you’re able to find it, you can temporarily reapply it after rinsing it under water by using a dab of denture adhesive or a piece of sugar-free gum. If not, it’s vital to visit our dental office as soon as possible to prevent additional damage from occurring.
Preventing Dental Emergencies
There are some simple preventive steps you can take to reduce your risk of dental emergencies:
- Stick to your at-home oral hygiene routine.
- Visit Dr. Reese for your semi-annual checkups and cleanings.
- Be careful when eating sticky, hard, and chewy foods.
- Don’t use your teeth to open packages or chew on hard items.
- Maintain a nutritious diet.
Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
Once we’ve examined your mouth and diagnosed the problem, we’ll create a customized treatment plan to provide you with lasting relief. Before we continue with treatment, we’ll discuss your options with you and any financial questions you may have. Our team will file insurance claims on your behalf and try to maximize your benefits as best as we can. If you don’t have dental insurance, we also offer flexible financing through CareCredit.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
It’s not uncommon to be in such a panic during a dental emergency that you don’t start thinking about the potential costs until after you’re already sitting in the dental chair. But there’s no need to worry; you’ll have a trustworthy dental team to explain everything to you firsthand and make sure you aren’t caught off guard when the time comes to pay. The information below will give you a basic understanding of the factors that need to be considered regarding emergency dentistry and the costs thereof.
Every Dental Emergency is Different
Emergency dental care can mean many different things:
- It could mean having root canal therapy performed to stop a dental infection from spreading.
- It could mean having a crown placed to protect a heavily damaged tooth.
- It could mean undergoing tooth extractions in the event that the teeth are too badly damaged to be worth saving.
- It could mean beginning TMJ therapy to stop chronic jaw pain.
And those are just a few examples. Obviously, not all of these procedures will carry the same cost, so the final price of emergency dental care is something that we can only estimate after we’ve examined your mouth. We of course will only move forward once you’ve understood and agreed to the costs involved.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
Covering the costs of emergency care can wreak havoc on your budget. Obviously, the best way to save money on emergency treatments is to avoid emergencies however you can. There’s no way to completely eliminate the risk of a sudden accident, but good oral hygiene, regular dental appointments, and the avoidance of bad habits such as crunching ice can all go a long way towards protecting your teeth. If you do happen to notice warning signs of a dental problem, then you should have your mouth checked out right away; odds are it will be much cheaper to deal with the issue while it’s still in its earliest form.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Chances are your insurance plan will help pay for most treatments commonly associated with emergency treatment. You can call your insurance carrier to confirm the type of coverage you’ll receive for root canal therapy and other types of dental care. Most of the time, the coverage will be around 50% to 80%, but of course different plans will have different rates. Our team will go over your benefits with you so that you understand the coverage you’ll receive and help with the process of filing claims.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
CareCredit dental financing allows you to break up the cost of extensive dental care. Signing up for a plan will let you pay for care in smaller monthly installments. You won’t have any surprise fees or unexpected charges to worry about, and the interest rate – if there’s one at all – will be very low. Get in touch with us if you have any questions about signing up for CareCredit.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
No one ever thinks a dental emergency is going to happen to them, but unfortunately, one in six Americans will have to deal with one every year. If you find yourself in a situation where you need an emergency dentist in Evanston, you might not know exactly what to do. Your first order of business should be to give our office a call. We’re here to help during this stressful time. Until then, it may help to read through these frequently asked questions about emergency dentistry.
How Do I Know If I Really Have a Dental Emergency?
Sometimes it’s unclear whether a dental problem needs immediate attention. A good rule of thumb is that healthy teeth should not hurt. Severe or persistent discomfort – especially if it lasts for more than two days – should never be ignored. Other signs that you need urgent treatment include significant swelling, large breaks or cracks in a tooth, and a tooth that has come loose or been knocked out altogether.
Can I Wait to Visit the Dentist?
Chances are you don’t have the time in your day to make an unexpected trip to the dentist’s office. You may be tempted to put off scheduling an appointment until you have the time (or money) to spare. However, waiting too long could mean the difference between saving and losing your tooth, especially if your tooth has been knocked out. Not only can this worsen your oral health, but it may increase your dental bills. As inconvenient as it may be, you’re better off calling your dentist in Evanston and setting up an appointment as soon as possible after the emergency occurs.
How Long Will It Take to Recover from a Dental Emergency?
Once you arrive at our office, our dentists will quickly and efficiently address the source of your problem. You will most likely experience some degree of soreness after this appointment. Depending on the specific nature of your emergency and the treatment we decide to administer, your smile may be completely pain-free in a few days to a week. Oftentimes, several appointments are needed to fully finish treating a dental emergency (for instance, many patients require a dental crown, which is a procedure that takes multiple visits).
What If I Experience a Dental Emergency While I’m Traveling?
If you will be out of town for at least several days, do NOT wait to see an emergency dentist. Go online and search for a “dentist near me” who can offer immediate treatment. Take a few minutes to read through their reviews so that you can be confident your smile’s health will be in good hands. After you’ve seen then and gotten your urgent dental problem taken care of, give us a call. We’ll schedule an appointment for when you return, just to make sure that you don’t need any additional treatment.