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Emergency Dentistry Lancaster
Easing Your Pain & Repairing Your Smile
At Lancaster Family Smiles, we know very well that dental emergencies happen in an instant. If you or a family member need fast relief from significant pain or injury, please don’t hesitate to contact our doctors and the rest of our team! We have weekend and evening availability, and we’ll do everything in our power to see you on the same day as your initial call or the following day. Are you not able to reach our dental office right away? Our staff members also provide guidance over the phone on how to improve and maintain your condition until you reach our dental office for emergency dentistry in Lancaster, TX. Below, you can find tips for some of the most common dental emergencies we see.
Why Choose Lancaster Family Smiles for Emergency Dentistry?
- Dentists Can See Patients on Weekends and During Evenings
- Same-Day Dental Emergency Appointments Available
- Well-Trained, Highly Caring Dentists
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
Dealing with a dental emergency can be stressful, which is why our team offers hassle-free, over-the-phone, first-aid guidance while you’re making your way to our dental office. We’ll act quickly and effectively to treat your oral health problem and relieve your pain after we determine what’s causing it.
While every dental emergency is different, most of them can result in long-term oral health problems if you don’t seek treatment as soon as possible. To prevent this, you should make an appointment with us sooner rather than later. It’s always better to be safe than sorry and get your dental pain examined and treated quickly.
By leaving a dental emergency untreated, you run the risk of developing an infection so serious that it requires root canal therapy or even a tooth extraction to prevent the infection from spreading into your bloodstream and reaching other parts of your body. If you’ve knocked out a tooth, not seeing us within the hour could ultimately lead to necessary tooth replacement.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Any time you’re experiencing serious trauma or pain in your mouth, it’s best to treat it as a dental emergency. Even if you believe the problem is no big deal and that it will eventually subside on its own, it’s better to err on the side of caution and have us evaluate your oral health. Below, you can find some of the most common dental emergencies we treat and some tips on how to handle them until you can reach us.
The Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
Every situation is different, which is why it’s impossible to place a singular cost on dental emergency visits. Your emergency dentist in Lancaster will examine your mouth as soon as you reach our dental office and determine how to proceed. We’ll discuss each of your treatment options with you and make sure that you’re never kept in the dark. If you have questions about your insurance coverage or would like to take advantage of our additional financing options, you can always ask to speak to one of our friendly team members! Read on to learn more about the factors that influence the cost of treating dental emergencies.
Severity of Your Issue
There isn’t a set fee for emergency dentistry because the cost is determined by your specific treatment plan. Various factors influence the amount you’ll pay, such as the severity of your emergency. Generally, you can expect minor issues to cost less, like fixing a small chip. If you’ve experienced extensive damage or your emergency is complex, you can expect to pay more, such as if a root canal is needed.
After an initial consultation, our dental office will create a personalized estimate based on your plan. We will take the time to explain the costs associated with your treatment and your payment options.
Needing Follow-Up Appointments
If you have experienced significant damage or you need complex treatment, you’ll likely require more than one appointment, such as to perform a root canal or replace a lost tooth. You can expect to pay more if you require several visits. We’ll explain how long you can expect your treatment to take during your initial consultation.
What are My Payment Options?
If you need immediate care from your dentist in Lancaster, paying for your appointment is the last thing you need to be worrying about. Our dental office offers the affordable solutions you need to rehabilitate your smile without breaking the bank.
Our dental office is in-network with many leading insurance carriers. Although every policy differs, most plans include coverage for emergency visits. A member of our team will work on your behalf with your insurance carrier. We will file the necessary claim forms to lower the amount you need to pay out-of-pocket. We also work with out-of-network patients to help them maximize their benefits to keep their care affordable. If you don’t have insurance, don’t worry. We also offer an in-house savings plan.
If there’s any remaining balance, we accept several traditional payment methods. We also partner with many third-party financing providers to help you get the care you need without draining your wallet. Based on your credit approval, you’re given the funds you need to pay for your treatment, which you’ll repay using a plan that accommodates your budget.
Root Canal Treatment
At Lancaster Family Smiles, our doctors can complete most root canal treatment cases in just one visit! This procedure is necessary for cases where teeth become so decayed that a dental crown can’t restore their health. Instead of having it extracted, we can carefully access the inner chamber and thoroughly clean bacteria, preserving your natural smile.
Common signs that indicate the need for root canal treatment include:
- A change in the tooth’s color, usually from white to a darker gray
- Discomfort or a loss of sensation in the gums around a certain tooth
- Inflamed gum tissue around the tooth
- Significant pain when the tooth is used to chew food or tapped in any way
- Excessive sensitivity to especially hot or cold temperatures
Despite its scary reputation, today’s advancements in technology and anesthesia have helped root canal treatment become no more uncomfortable than receiving a common filling, in most cases. Our doctors are also happy to offer sedation dentistry as a way to help patients feel much more relaxed throughout their procedure. Additionally, the procedure has a high success rate, and many treated teeth last for the rest of the patient’s life!
Learn More About Root Canal Therapy
Tooth Extractions
Do you have a tooth that was broken off beneath the gumline and can’t be fitted with a crown? Are you suffering from an extremely painful toothache that can’t be relieved with root canal treatment? Is there a tooth that could prevent the rest of your smile from receiving the necessary orthodontic adjustment? In all of these situations, tooth extraction may be necessary, and our doctors will be here to make sure the process is as straightforward and comfortable as possible.
Learn More About Tooth Extractions
Wisdom Tooth Extractions
Third molars (also known as wisdom teeth) are the last teeth to emerge in your permanent smile. Because of this late arrival, they often don’t have enough room, leading to potentially serious problems like overcrowding, impaction, infection, abscesses, and more. We can protect your oral health and overall well-being by extracting one or more of your wisdom teeth. Our doctors will closely monitor the situation with the help of digital X-rays, and our team will be sure to take you through the process as smoothly and comfortably as possible. Sedation dentistry is available as well for additional relaxation and pain relief!
Learn More About Wisdom Teeth Extractions
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
With the right preventive measures in place, you can drastically reduce your risk of experiencing an oral health problem. Here are some tips to help keep your smile healthy and happy:
- Visit your dentist in Lancaster for semi-annual checkups and cleanings.
- Keep up with your oral hygiene routine at home.
- Avoid sticky, chewy, and hard foods.
- Maintain a nutritious diet.
- Protect your teeth from bad habits like teeth grinding, nail-biting, and smoking.
- Wear a protective mouthguard while playing contact sports.
Dental Emergency FAQs
How Can I Manage Dental Pain?
In some cases, you might need a little help alleviating your pain until you get to our dental office. You can use a topical pain reliever like Orajel, an over-the-counter medication such as ibuprofen, or a cold compress applied in 10-minute intervals. However, just because you can manage your pain for a certain amount of time doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t also call your dentist in Lancaster. Be sure to schedule an appointment with us as soon as possible.
What Should I Do If I Have a Dental Emergency While Traveling?
Before you start panicking, do your best to remain calm and find a dentist in the area who will treat your immediate problem. At the very least, this will let you enjoy the rest of your trip without being in pain. Give our doctors a call and let us know about the situation, including any treatment the local dentist administered. Schedule an appointment for when you return to the Lancaster area. This will allow our doctors to examine your mouth and determine whether further treatment is required.
Schedule an Appointment Today
If you need urgent dental care, don’t waste time worrying about your budget. We offer the affordable services you need to stop your pain and save your smile. Contact our dental office today to schedule your appointment. We’ll work with you to make a difficult time less stressful.
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