Our team understands that dental emergencies always happen when you least expect them, which is why we’re happy to schedule emergency dental appointments in Austin on the same day for new and existing patients. If you’re experiencing a painful toothache, just damaged a tooth, or have broken a denture, call us immediately to schedule your same-day appointment!
Why Choose Highland West Dental Care for Emergency Dentistry?
We’re Always on Time! You’ll Never Have to Wait to Be Seen
Same-Day Emergency Visits for New & Existing Patients
If you’re experiencing a dental emergency in Austin, call our office immediately. Our team will schedule a same-day examination for you, and in some cases, we may be able to treat you that same day as well. We’ll examine your mouth, diagnose the issue at hand, and develop a treatment plan to help restore your comfort and oral health. To make sure you remain comfortable during your examination and treatment, we also offer several dental sedation methods, if needed.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
In a moment, it can be difficult to determine whether or not your situation is urgent enough to require same-day care. That’s why we always recommend giving us a call if you’re concerned about your dental health. We’ve also included a list of some of the most common dental emergencies we treat below for your reference.
Are you struggling with a decayed, cracked, or otherwise damaged tooth, but hesitant to schedule an appointment because you’re worried about the cost? If so, you’re not alone. You’ll also be happy to know that our team goes the extra mile to make the cost of emergency dentistry in Austin affordable for everyone. If you are interested in learning about the factors that impact the price and the financial solutions we welcome, simply give us a call or read on!
Why Every Dental Emergency is Different
During the exam, Dr. Pevzner will learn all about the symptoms you’re experiencing, review your dental history, and complete an oral exam. Then, once he has the information he needs, he can determine the type of dental injury at hand, the extent of the damage, and the restorative treatment (or combination of treatments) that is needed to restore your healthy, pain-free smile. He will also provide you with an estimate of the cost upfront to avoid unwanted surprises later.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Yes, some dental insurance providers cover a portion of the cost of emergency dentistry. So, take a look at the fine print on your plan if you aren’t already familiar with your benefits. If you need any help, you’re welcome to let us know; we welcome PPO dental insurance plans. Plus, we have a dental insurance expert, Julie, on-staff. She would be happy to provide you with an estimate of your out-of-pocket expenses and file the paperwork so that understanding and utilizing your benefits isn’t a headache.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Don’t have dental insurance? That’s okay! Our Austin dental team welcomes CareCredit as well! If you haven’t heard of this third-party financier before, they offer payment plans with little-to-no interest attached. As a result, you don’t have to budget to pay for the entire cost of your care in one lump sum.
Take Care of Your Smile, Save Money!
While we’re always just a phone call away if our patients need emergency dental care, we also want to help them avoid painful and stressful dental injuries. Fortunately, they are often preventable with the right best practices in place, like using a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your teeth twice a day and coming to our Austin dental office every six months for a checkup and cleaning.
Important reminder: If you notice any unusual symptoms arise, like tender gums or bleeding when you floss, don’t ignore them! The sooner we can pinpoint the root of the problem, the sooner we can treat it, saving your smile and your wallet from further harm in the process.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Even relatively minor dental injuries can be painful to experience and stressful to handle, which is why our Austin dental team aims to always be just a phone call away when our patients need us. We also want to help them protect their smiles so they hopefully never find themselves in that situation in the first place. For example, we recommend:
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Routine dental checkups and cleanings are crucial for several reasons, including that they allow us to catch (and treat!) tooth decay, damaged restorations, active infections, and other oral health problems in the early stages. That’s why it’s so important to make your biannual visits a priority! If you start to experience abnormal symptoms sooner, like pain when biting down, then don’t hesitate to reach out to our emergency dentist in Austin, Dr. Pevzner.
Take Good Care of Your Smile At Home
Brushing, flossing, and rinsing with mouthwash consistently will help prevent plaque buildup, keep your breath fresh, and reduce your risk of tooth decay. However, what many patients forget is that’s just the beginning; the tools you use and the time you dedicate to each step matter too. So, if you aren’t already, start brushing your teeth for a full two minutes, flossing every night before bed, and rinsing with mouthwash for 30-60 seconds each time.
Be Mindful of What You Eat
Since ice cream, caramel-filled candies, and other treats that are loaded with added sugar dramatically increase your risk of tooth decay, we strongly recommend not over-indulging. It’s also important to exercise caution with crunchy foods, like hard pretzels, since they can lead to a significant chip, crack, or fracture. Basically, it’s best to eat lots of healthy foods that are softer in consistency, like cottage cheese and plain yogurt.
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
Sports-related injuries happen all the time, from small chips to completely knocked-out teeth. That’s why it’s so important to wear a mouthguard, even during non-contact sports, like skateboarding. We also recommend having a nightguard made if you grind or clench your teeth at night. If you don’t have a mouthguard or a nightguard, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with us so we can have a custom one made for you.
Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools
Using your teeth to remove plastic wrapping or trim your nails might seem harmless, but that’s not the case. In fact, all it takes is one time for your teeth to break instead, resulting in a painful dental injury. That’s why we strongly recommend not using your teeth as tools. It’s also a good idea not to chew on ice, use tobacco products, or do anything else that jeopardizes your smile.
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
Will a Toothache Go Away on Its Own?
Toothaches don’t usually go away on their own. For this reason, it is best to schedule a checkup with a dentist to ensure that nothing is wrong. There are various causes of toothache, so you will want to rule out the serious ones with a professional as soon as possible. Doing this can help you catch underlying issues before they worsen.
Can the Emergency Room Remove a Tooth?
Only licensed dentists can perform tooth extractions. This makes the procedure illegal for someone who doesn’t have the training and education required to perform, even in a hospital. The best that an emergency room can do is provide antibiotics and pain medication, but this doesn’t address the underlying issue that is causing your pain. A tooth extraction may not even be necessary. The only way to know for sure is to visit a dentist.
Should You Put a Knocked-Out Tooth in Water?
Water can be used to rinse a knocked-out tooth, but the tooth shouldn’t be placed in water. This is because water can damage the root surface cells of teeth, reducing the chances of it being able to be placed back into the socket. Instead, do your best to place it back into your open socket and head to the dental office. Alternatively, you can place your tooth in a container of milk or saline solution for up to an hour.
Is It Safe to Repair Dentures with Superglue?
Superglue is not recommended for repairing broken dentures. The chemicals used in superglue can be toxic and result in allergic reactions in some patients. It can also affect the way that food tastes. Additionally, superglue doesn’t stand up well to damp environments, so it probably wouldn’t hold for very long after being applied. If your dentures are broken, it is best to take them to your dentist to have them looked at.
Should I Worry About a Chipped Tooth If It Doesn’t Hurt?
You should always schedule an appointment with your dentist after chipping a tooth. Even if it isn’t painful, you need to know for sure where the inner area of the tooth is exposed. Chipped teeth can also break further when they aren’t addressed. In the next few days, you should give your dentist a call to let them know what’s going on. It’s better to be safe than sorry!
Toothaches
Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? A toothache definitely warrants a call to our office. However, a same-day visit may not be necessary. For instance, if you only recently started to experience slight sensitivity, then we may schedule an appointment a day or two from now.
How You Should Handle a Toothache: Whether your appointment is in a few hours or a few days, there are a few ways you can alleviate the discomfort you’re experiencing temporarily. We recommend not chewing on that side of your mouth, drinking room-temperature water, placing a cold compress against the outside of your cheek, and taking OTC pain medication as directed.
How We Treat Toothaches: The first step is learning about your symptoms and completing a comprehensive oral exam. Then, once we’ve pinpointed the cause of your toothache, we can discuss your treatment options and provide the restorative care that you need.
Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes! After all, without the necessary care, the damage can get worse, increase your risk of infection, and compromise the strength of your bite. So, it’s best to schedule an appointment with our emergency dentist in Austin right away, even if the crack is relatively minor.
How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth: Handling this dental injury properly really comes down to what you should NOT do. You shouldn’t chew on that side of your mouth, eat anything crunchy, drink hot or cold beverages, or take the “wait and see” approach. Instead, you should call us right away to schedule an emergency visit.
How We Treat Cracked Teeth: Fortunately, a cracked tooth doesn’t always need to be extracted. If the damage is so severe that our only choice is to remove it, however, then we will discuss the different tooth-replacement solutions that we offer, including dental implants.
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? If the chip is relatively minor, then same-day care may not be needed. Of course, if the chip is severe enough that you’re struggling with considerable sensitivity or discomfort, then that’s a different story. In that case, we recommend coming to our office right away.
How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth: In addition to calling us to schedule an emergency appointment, we recommend collecting any broken pieces of your tooth in a small container, rinsing your mouth gently with clean, room-temperature water, and covering the sharp edge with sugar-free gum.
How We Treat Chipped Teeth: We offer dental bonding, metal-free restorations, and veneers at our Austin dental office. Once you arrive, we can alleviate any pain you’re experiencing, assess the severity of the chip, and share which treatment we recommend for you.
Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? There are some cases where the answer is
“yes.” For instance, if your dental sensitivity is progressively getting worse or there is a
pimple-like
bump on your gums, then we do recommend scheduling an appointment with Dr. Pevzner right away.
How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth: To help alleviate your discomfort, at least until
your
appointment with us, we recommend using a desensitizing toothpaste, drinking room-temperature water, avoiding
spicy
foods, and taking OTC pain medication as directed.
How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth: That depends on what the trigger is! If it’s a
small
cavity, then a tooth-colored filling can restore the look, health, and strength of your tooth. If it’s due
to
a serious infection, on the other hand, then a root canal will likely be needed instead.
Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Not only can a knocked-out tooth be quite painful,
but
we only have a small window of time to save it. So, it’s crucial that you call us ASAP! Over the phone, we
will schedule an emergency visit and walk you through what to do until you arrive.
How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth: That depends on whether you have your tooth. If
it’s lost, then just focus on getting to our Austin dental office. If you have it, then pick it up by the
crown (the chewing surface) and place it back in the socket. If it doesn’t slide back into place easily,
then
put it in a clean container filled with milk instead.
How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth: If you arrive at our office within the hour and with a
tooth
that’s in good condition, there’s a good chance that we will be able to save it. If that
doesn’t
happen, don’t worry – we can replace it with a custom dental bridge or implant instead.
Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Several issues can arise without the restoration
securely in place, including considerable dental sensitivity. For that reason, we recommend calling us right
away
and, if you can, coming to our office the same day.
How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown: It’s very important that you don’t do
anything that could lead to further trouble, like chewing on that side of your mouth. Additionally, you
shouldn’t eat spicy foods or drink anything hot, like tea, since your tooth will likely be more sensitive
than
usual.
How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns: Since we offer tooth-colored fillings and crowns, we
can
easily replace your old restoration with a new one. However, that isn’t always necessary. For instance, if
your dental crown fell out, but you have it, and it’s in good condition, then we may re-cement it back in
place instead of having a new one made.
Broken Dentures
Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Yes! After all, continuing to wear a broken denture can
lead to several issues, including painful mouth sores. So, even if the damage seems relatively mild, we
encourage
you to reach out to our team at Highland West Dental Care right away.
How You Should Handle a Broken Denture: Remember, you should NOT use superglue or any other
household adhesives to try to repair your denture. Instead, you should schedule an appointment at our office
and, in
the meantime, keep them in their case so they don’t break further.
How We Treat Broken Dentures: Usually, we can repair minor damage at our office. More
considerable
damage, however, often requires a completely new denture to be made. If that ends up being the case for you,
there
is some good news: this is a great opportunity to upgrade to implant dentures.
Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Since the tooth is at risk of completely falling
out,
the answer is “yes.” We recommend calling us right away so we can schedule an emergency appointment
as
well as walk you through how to handle this dental injury in the meantime.
How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth: Getting an emergency appointment on the calendar is
a
great first step. Until it’s time to come to our office, do what you can to prevent the tooth from
loosening
further, like eating extremely soft foods and not chewing on that side of your mouth.
How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth: First, we need to examine the tooth carefully to determine
if it
can be saved. If it can, then we may use a dental splint to help it heal in place. If it can’t, then we
will
need to extract it before replacing it with a custom dental bridge or implant.
Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Although soft tissue injuries can
be
handled at home quickly and painlessly most of the time, there is an exception: uncontrollable bleeding. If
that’s the case, then you should call 911 or head to the ER right away.
How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: First, rinse your mouth with
clean,
cool water in the sink. Once you can clearly see the cut, apply pressure to it with gauze or a damp washcloth.
When
the bleeding stops, you can use a cold compress to alleviate lingering swelling, too.
How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: Usually, soft tissue injuries don’t
require care from our team. With that said, you’re more than welcome to give us a call if you have any
questions. We’re here to help!
Jaw Pain
Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Sometimes! For instance, if your jaw pain has developed to the
point
where it’s interfering with day-to-day things, like eating, then it warrants immediate attention. So,
don’t wait – call our office right away so a member of our team can help you.
How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: Fortunately, there are a few ways you can alleviate the
discomfort
you’re experiencing temporarily, such as placing a cold compress against the outside of your cheek for 10
minutes at a time and taking OTC pain medication as directed on the label.
How We Treat Jaw Pain: Once you arrive at our office, our emergency dentist in Austin, Dr.
Pevzner,
will learn about your symptoms and complete a comprehensive oral exam to determine what’s causing your jaw
pain. For many patients in their late teens and early 20s, it’s impacted wisdom teeth. If that’s the
case for you, then we will need to extract them to provide the long-term relief that you deserve.
Oftentimes, patients reach for something sharp, like a toothpick. However, that can push the debris further into
place, making it even more difficult to remove. That’s why we recommend a different approach: using a
clean
strand of floss.
