Emergency Dentist— Farmington, CT
Urgent Dental Care When You Need It
As you may expect, dental emergencies are often harsh and worrying. They can range from toothaches that disrupt your meals to injuries that leave you with lost teeth. Even so, please don’t panic when facing such urgent issues; your first priority should be contacting our team. With help from your emergency dentist in Farmington, your smile will get back on track in no time. Learn more about how that’d work by reading below or book a visit today!
Why Choose Farmington Valley Dental for Emergency Dentistry?
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
- Patients of All Ages Welcome
- Dental Insurance Friendly & Flexible Financing Welcome
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
If you’re facing a dental emergency for the first time, you needn’t worry. Our dental team will gladly walk you through how your treatment will go. To that end, expect these four things from your emergency visit:
- A Same-Day Visit – Once you call us, we’ll book your visit for the earliest possible time. There’s even a good chance we’ll see you the very same day! Until we do, our team can also provide relevant first-aid tips over the phone.
- An Emergency Oral Exam – You’ll first undergo an oral exam when you arrive for care. That way, Dr. Peters can learn the source of your dental problem. This process also helps us see how to relieve your pain.
- A Review of Findings – Dr. Peters will review his findings with you after the exam, as well as suggest suitable procedures. He’ll then use your feedback to draft a custom treatment plan. To be clear, we’ll outline your care's estimated cost and time before you commit.
- The Dental Care You Need – Our practice will quickly address your oral issue after we’ve drafted a treatment plan. After all, our team is highly skilled and has the experience to handle almost any situation. Whether you need a filling, dental crown, root canal, or something else, we’ll heal your smile quickly.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
While dental emergencies aren’t lethal, they should be treated by a skilled dentist right away. Leaving them unchecked will cause a lot of problems for your oral health. That said, you can take steps to manage these issues before you see us for care. Just click the relevant icon(s) below and examine the listed tips. The most common dental emergencies you may face are:
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
When the unexpected strikes, the last thing you need to be worried about is the cost of emergency dentistry in Farmington. There isn’t any reason to fret. Contrary to what you might have heard, emergency dental care is affordable. Our office offers the solutions you need to rehabilitate your oral health without draining your wallet, so you can get back to focusing on more important matters.
Every Dental Emergency is Different
Every dental emergency is unique. As a result, there isn’t a cookie-cutter treatment plan. We’ll evaluate the situation to create a personalized strategy and provide you with an estimate. We will explain the fees and the steps that are needed. You will know exactly what you’ll be paying for before we get started. Rest assured, you won’t be caught off guard by any unexpected costs. Although every plan differs, common solutions to resolve immediate oral health issues include:
- Root canal therapy
- Tooth extractions
- Dental crowns
- TMJ therapy
- And more!
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
You can’t always stop an urgent oral health situation from occurring, but there are several things you can do to lessen your risk of one. The best way to avoid an unplanned trip to your emergency dentist in Farmington starts with taking care of your smile. We recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day for 2 minutes each session. You’ll also want to clean between each tooth every day using high-quality dental floss. Don’t forget to visit our office at least twice a year for a cleaning and checkup.
If you develop an oral health problem, like a cavity, don’t wait to have it treated. Prolonging the care that you need will allow the issue to worsen until it requires a more costly and invasive treatment, like a root canal.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
All dental insurance plans are different, but many policies offer coverage for 1 emergency visit per year. You can use your insurance benefits to offset the amount you need to pay out-of-pocket, such as for the consultation or imaging. After reaching your yearly deductible, you can use your annual allowance to pay 50% to 80% of the cost of the treatment. We know insurance can be confusing, but we’re here to help. We will work on your behalf with your insurance company to maximize your annual benefits to keep your care within your budget.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Besides using your dental insurance, our office offers several solutions to make paying for your treatment affordable, such as:
- Traditional Payments: We accept all forms of traditional payment, including cash, check, and most major credit cards.
- Third-Party Financing: You are given the funds you need based on your credit’s approval. You’ll repay the balance using a flexible plan that accommodates your financial responsibilities.
A member of our team will take the time to discuss your payment options to repair your smile without breaking the bank.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
While not all dental emergencies are avoidable, the ones stemming from poor dental habits and a lackluster oral hygiene routine certainly are! In other words, if you want to protect your smile and your wallet, it’s best to:
Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year
Oftentimes, patients assume that biannual dental checkups and cleanings are optional as long as they take good care of their smiles at home. However, even if you brush and floss consistently, plaque and tartar can build up. Not only that, but oral cancer, gum disease, and other health problems can develop and progress under the radar. So, it’s extremely important that you come to our office every six months.
Important reminder: If you start to experience bleeding when you floss, pain when you bite down, or any other abnormal symptoms between visits, then you should contact us right away.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Remember, a solid oral hygiene regimen goes beyond just brushing your teeth. In fact, using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste for two minutes each morning and evening is just the beginning! You also need to floss, rinse with mouthwash, and clean your tongue to keep your breath fresh, your teeth healthy, and your gums infection-free.
Eat Healthy, Well-Balanced Meals
Don’t forget: eating healthy, well-balanced meals will also help prevent dental emergencies! So, do your best to fill your plate with seasonal fruits, fresh vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods. At the same time, limit your intake of cavity-causing snacks, like potato chips and chocolate chip cookies.
Tip: Drink lots of water throughout the day! This will help you stay hydrated and prevent dry mouth.
Wear a Mouthguard While Active
There’s a common misconception that a mouthguard is only needed during contact sports. However, if you accidentally fall while playing tennis, riding your bike, or running, you can also sustain a serious dental injury. So, it’s important to protect your smile any time you’re active! Our Farmington dental team can have a custom mouthguard made for you so it’s the appropriate thickness and fits comfortably, too.
Break Harmful Habits
Of course, there are also a few things you should NOT do if you want to maintain a healthy smile, starting with not using tobacco products. You also shouldn’t chew on ice, bite your nails, put the end of your pen/pencil in your mouth, or use your teeth as tools to open things.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
Should I Go to the Emergency Room First?
You may think that an emergency room can help you with your dental problem, however this is rarely the case. In fact, most hospitals are either too ill-equipped to handle a dental emergency or it’s illegal for them to do so because a licensed dentist is not available to perform the treatment you need. Instead, they are likely to prescribe you painkillers and meds to treat an infection if they believe one is present. The biggest concern is they won’t be able to treat the root cause of your dental issue in a majority of cases.
How Long Can I Wait to See a Dentist?
While no one plans for a dental emergency when it occurs, you should make time to see your dentist as soon as you can. After all, waiting to get seen will only increase the chances of your dental issue worsening. You could even lose the tooth depending on the type of emergency you’re dealing with. We recognize that your time is valuable, which is why we’ll do everything we can to get you seen as soon as possible.
Should I Just Have My Tooth Extracted?
When you are in severe dental discomfort, it may be tempting to just have the tooth removed outright. However, an extraction is genuinely considered to be a last resort for our team as there are many other treatments available that can both save your tooth and get you out of discomfort. It’s also the best way to prevent future dental problems down the road as cavities, gum disease, jaw pain, and future tooth loss are a greater risk when you’re missing teeth.
What if My Toothache Suddenly Disappears?
If the abnormal symptoms you’ve been experiencing go away, you might assume that the cavity or infection that was causing them has gone away, too. However, the change in symptoms is usually due to the root of the problem getting worse, not better. That’s why it’s so important that you don’t cancel your upcoming visit (or avoid scheduling one any longer).
Can I Pop a Dental Abscess on My Own?
You should never attempt to pop a dental abscess on your own. There are a few reasons for this, including that doing so can irritate the area and cause bacteria to spread throughout your mouth. So, if you notice a pimple-like bump on your gums, don’t try a DIY solution like this. Instead, schedule an appointment with your emergency dentist in Farmington so they can complete a comprehensive oral exam, review your treatment options, and provide the necessary restorative care.
Should I Worry About a Chipped Tooth If It Doesn’t Hurt?
We do recommend scheduling an appointment with us, even if you aren’t in any pain. After all, the tooth could be at risk of breaking further or developing an infection. Plus, your teeth cannot regenerate. So, we need to restore the missing structure to give you a gorgeous, confident smile again.
Should You Put a Knocked-Out Tooth in Water?
Unfortunately, water cannot preserve the root surface cells of your tooth. For that reason, we do not recommend using it. Instead, you should either place it back in its socket or, if it doesn’t slide back into place easily, put it in a clean container filled with milk.
Important remember: It only takes about 15 minutes for the tooth to start to die. So, it’s crucial that you schedule an appointment at our Farmington dental office right away.
Is It Safe to Repair Dentures with Superglue?
Although superglue is a powerful adhesive, it contains toxins that are not safe to ingest. That’s why we advise against using it to try to repair your dentures. Whether there is a small chip in the surface or your restoration has split down the middle, the best thing to do is to schedule an appointment at our office so we can begin the process of having them repaired or replaced.
Is It Safe to Use A Toothpick?
We don’t recommend using a toothpick to remove something that’s stuck between your teeth. Instead, you should rinse your mouth with warm saltwater a few times to loosen the debris. Then, use your floss of choice to gently remove it. If that doesn’t work, then schedule an appointment with our dental team in Farmington.