Emergency Dentist — San Antonio, TX
Emergency
Dental Care
You Can
Rely On
If you’ve ever had to deal with any kind of emergency, then you know how unsettling the experience can be. You may be frightened and your mind may be racing. Fortunately, there are hospital emergency rooms to help. But when you have a dental emergency, you need to have a reliable emergency dentist in San Antonio on call. At New Image Dentistry, our dental team is ready to help 24/7. Call our dental office at (210) 880-0212 , and a member of our staff will be able to offer you advice on how best to immediately handle your emergency dentistry needs in San Antonio, TX. If need be, we can schedule a same-day appointment. After hours calls will reach our answering service, and you’ll be given instructions on what to do.
Why Choose New Image Dentistry for Emergency Dental Care?
- #1 New, State-of-the-Art Dental Facility
- #2 Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
- #3 Voted As One of San Antonio’s Best Dentists
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
Sometimes, there’s no doubt about whether or not you have a dental emergency on your hands. Other times, you may not be as certain. Please don’t “wait and see” what happens. Our dentists and their team would much rather see you or a loved one for a non-emergency than miss an actual dental emergency. All you have to do is contact New Image Dentistry and describe your situation and we’ll take it from there. Here’s what you can expect from us:
- We’ll schedule you a same-day emergency appointment. We do everything in our power to see emergency patients the same day they call us.
- We’ll give you first-aid instructions over the phone. Next, one of our experienced team members will walk you through what you need to do to manage your situation until you can reach us.
- You’ll see your San Antonio emergency dentist right away. As soon as you arrive, we’ll see you for an examination and to alleviate any pain if necessary.
- You’ll hear our findings and all your treatment options. Once we’ve reviewed our findings with you, we’ll fully explain all your treatment options, including their estimated price, in order to help you create a custom treatment plan that works for you.
- We’ll provide the fast, professional, and compassionate care you need. Whether you need a root canal, filling, gum disease treatment, wisdom teeth extraction, or something else entirely, our talented team will get to work right away repairing your smile and getting your oral health back on track.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
No two dental emergencies are exactly alike, and different situations call for different responses. For example, what you need to do to manage a serious toothache until you can reach our office is much different than what you need to do if you have a knocked-out tooth! Over the phone, we’ll go over with you what you need to do to keep your smile safe until we can treat you. In the meantime, here are some of the most common dental emergencies we treat and important information on how to handle them.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
When a dental emergency strikes, the last thing on your mind is usually the financial aspects of your situation. At least, that’s the case until you’re suddenly sitting in the dental chair waiting for treatment and you start to panic about going bankrupt because you broke a tooth. Don’t worry – the odds of that happening are slim to none! At New Image Dentistry, we take special care to ensure that you receive the treatment you need without breaking the bank. Our helpful team provides friendly, affordable emergency care no matter what’s going on with your oral health. Keep reading below to learn more about budgeting for the cost of emergency dentistry in San Antonio.
Every Dental Emergency Is Different
An emergency appointment at our office is relatively inexpensive. During this visit, our team will assess your needs and determine what treatment will help. Because every emergency situation is unique, it’s basically impossible to predict overall costs until we actually see you in our office and examine your mouth. Common solutions to dental emergencies could include:
- Root canal therapy
- Extractions
- Dental crowns
- TMJ treatment
- And more!
At New Image Dentistry, we value clear communication and building trust with patients. Rest assured our team will share our findings, explain the recommended treatment plan, and provide an accurate cost estimate beforehand so you know exactly what to expect.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
If you enjoy saving money (and who doesn’t?), then be sure to take care of your teeth. While some dental emergencies are unavoidable accidents, many happen because of unchecked infection and damage. Simply by practicing good oral hygiene at home and investing in routine dental appointments, you can potentially save yourself thousands of dollars over the years.
It’s also important not to ignore dental pain. Even if you’re concerned about possible costs of emergency dentistry in San Antonio, it’s important to remember these costs will only grow larger the longer you wait. Dental problems typically do not disappear on their own. Visiting a dentist now about a hurting tooth could mean the difference between root canal therapy that saves the tooth and an extraction and having to replace one or more teeth with dental implants!
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
In general, most dental insurance plans provide some form of coverage for dental emergency situations. If you have dental insurance and only require minor restorative services like a filling, you can expect your insurance to cover the treatment at up to 80%. However, if you need a more major restorative procedure like a root canal, your insurance may only cover up to 50% of that treatment. If you need help understanding the details of your insurance plan, our knowledgeable team will be happy to assist you!
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
At New Image Dentistry, we are in-network with most major PPO dental insurance plans. We also partner with a few different third-party financiers such as CareCredit and Lending Point, which allow patients to break down the cost of emergency treatment into manageable monthly payments. CareCredit and Lending Point’s low-to-no interest payment plans are ideal for patients who can’t pay for emergency care upfront or prefer not to.
If you find yourself in need of urgent dental care, do not hesitate to call one of our talented emergency dentists in San Antonio. Our dedicated team will see you as soon as possible and help you navigate the cost of emergency treatment.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Although our team is skilled and trained in treating dental emergencies, we believe the best way to deal with these problems is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. It’s not always possible to avoid them, we recommend this preventive approach and attitude! In the content below, we share the most effective ways you can steer clear of trouble. Through these simple, precautionary steps, you can keep your mouth clean, healthy, and protected from harm.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
When we strongly recommend that you come in to our office every six months, we do so not just because we enjoy seeing you and catching up. These visits are necessary because we perform a professional cleaning and checkup. No one is perfect, and you can miss some areas of hardened plaque, which requires advanced tools and a gentle hand to properly remove. Plus, the sooner we identify and treat a problem, the less pain (both physical and financial) it will cause you in the long run.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
You play an enormously important role in stopping dental emergencies from happening, and taking care of your smile isn’t an occasional task. Every day, you must brush your teeth at least twice and floss at least once to clear out plaque before it hardens. Developing these habits only takes a few minutes each day but can protect your smile from painful cavities. Throughout the day, you also need to make sure you are drinking enough water to keep your mouth properly hydrated.
Stick to a Nutritious Diet
If you want to reduce your chances of tooth pain, you need to be careful about what you consume every day. The food you eat doesn’t just feed you but also the bacteria in your mouth. They thrive on sugar and carbohydrates, which means that you can keep them under better control if you limit your sugar intake. On the other end of the spectrum, there are lots of nutritious foods that give your body the necessary vitamins and minerals to fight off infection and decay.
Wear a Mouthguard
While participating in certain sports or activities can provide fun exercise, millions of dental emergencies every year are the product of sport injuries. If you are going to be involved, please wear a mouthguard that can absorb a blow to the face. Do you dislike mouthguards you can buy at the store? They often don’t feel comfortable and slip out of place. At New Image Dentistry, we can create custom mouthguard specifically for you, which means it should fit comfortably and stay in place.
Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth
When you have a stubborn plastic bag or container, you may be tempted to tear or pry it open with your teeth, but over time, this action puts a lot of unnecessary force on your teeth and could lead to chips, cracks, or other damage. Instead of sacrificing your teeth, find the appropriate tool, such as a pair of scissors, knife, or screwdriver, to accomplish the task safely.
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
Do you still have questions about what you should do if you have a dental emergency on your hands? When you contact our dental office, we’ll provide you with over-the-phone first-aid guidance to make sure that you don’t sustain additional oral damage. Also, for your convenience, we’ve answered some common questions we receive from our patients below.
Should I Go to the ER or My Emergency Dentist?
Depending on the extent of your injuries, it can be hard to determine whether you should visit your local emergency room or your dentist first. If you’re having a difficult time deciding but know you need urgent treatment, you can always contact our dental office. If your injury is life threatening, you have a broken or fractured jaw, a deep facial laceration that may need stitches, or you’re having difficulty breathing or swallowing, you should visit your ER immediately. Once you’ve received the necessary medical attention, our team will be more than happy to address any dental work that needs to be completed.
What Should I Do If I Have a Dental Emergency After Hours?
At New Image Dentistry, our team is available 24/7 to guide you through your situation and make sure that no additional harm comes to your mouth. Plus, we also offer same-day appointments so you don’t have to wait in pain. Even if you need to go to the emergency room and get medical treatment before visiting us, be sure to contact our dental office whenever you have the time so we can schedule a visit to repair and protect your smile!
If I Have a Toothache, Does That Mean I Need a Root Canal?
Toothaches can be caused by a variety of problems, including something as simple as a lodged piece of popcorn. If you floss around your teeth and your toothache still persists, it could be a sign of an infection. In this case, you may need a root canal, but there’s no reason to fret. We make sure that each of our treatments is pain-free and offer sedation dentistry so you can feel relaxed and comfortable. Root canal therapy will allow us to save your natural tooth so you won’t need to have it replaced.
How Can I Bring Down Facial Swelling?
Dental trauma and infection can commonly cause swelling and inflammation. In these cases, it’s a good idea to place a cold compress on the outside of the affected area on your cheek for 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off. You can do this for up to an hour, just be sure to place a dish cloth or something between the compress and your skin so it doesn’t get too cold. This can also help minimize any pain as well by preventing the nerve responses from reaching your brain.