Emergency Dentistry— Prestonsburg, KY
Give Us a Call for Fast Pain Relief
As bad as dental emergencies are, you don’t just have to live with them. You can always turn to Brookside Dental Care for your urgent dental needs! Whether it’s an oral injury, a toothache, or something else, you and your loved ones should trust us to solve the problem. Drs. Griffith and Hartgrove will gladly accept emergency patients and provide same-day care. If you’d like to learn more, please give us a call or book an appointment soon.
Why Choose Brookside Dental Care for Emergency Dentistry?
- Same-Day Appointments Available
- Multiple Dentists with Decades of Experience
- A Warm & Friendly Dental Team
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
If you decide to see us for emergency care, you don’t need to “go in blind.” We’ll gladly walk you through the four steps of our treatment process, including:
- A Same-Day Visit – From the moment you call us, we’ll set your visit for the earliest time possible. (We may even see you the same day!) Plus, we can provide aid tips over the phone while you wait for your appointment.
- Emergency Exam – Our dentists will conduct an oral exam when you reach us, taking any necessary X-rays along the way. This step lets us see the source of your problem and how to relieve your pain.
- Findings Review – We’ll share our final diagnosis with you after the exam, as well as relevant procedures. Our team will then use your feedback to draft a treatment plan. (Rest assured, we’ll inform you of the treatment’s estimated time and cost.)
- Crucial Dental Work – Our team will quickly solve your smile’s troubles after drafting the treatment plan. After all, our office has the necessary expertise, skills, and experience! From dental crowns and root canals to actual tooth extractions, we’ll do whatever it takes for your grin to recover.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
It’s truly best to call us when you have a dental emergency, as Drs. Griffith and Hartgrove (and the rest of our team), will help you toward a healed smile. Having said that, you can take steps to manage your oral dilemma before you see us. Just click on one (or more) of the icons below and use the related tips! Through these guidelines, you’ll be in much better shape once you reach our practice.
Understanding the Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies vary greatly in their details, meaning that their cost can also cover a wide range! When you come in for your appointment, we will provide a straightforward estimate and help you understand your payment options. Remember that prompt care can stop a problem from worsening and spare you from greater expenses down the road.
Every Dental Emergency Is Different
Emergency dentistry in our Prestonsburg office starts with a limited exam, during which we focus on finding the root cause of your symptoms. This exam usually has a flat, relatively affordable fee. Then, we can discuss treatment options.
Some dental emergencies require simple treatment, such as a small filling. Others require more extensive care, like a tooth extraction followed by tooth replacement later on. Our team will provide an estimate for the cost of your recommended treatment plan, which, in addition to direct care for your problem, may also include pain management and/or sedation to make you more comfortable.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
In many cases, yes, dental insurance can reduce the cost of dental emergencies. A lot of plans cover one emergency exam each year. They also tend to cover at least a portion of the cost of emergency treatments. Our team can help you understand how your benefits may apply and walk you through the claims process. With the help of their policy, many patients are able to save hundreds of dollars or more on their emergency treatment.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Outside of insurance, other provisions that could make it easier to afford the cost of your emergency care include:
- Financing: We work with both CareCredit and Cherry to provide low-interest payment plans for qualified patients. If you would like, our team can walk you through the application process.
- DenVantage Savings Plan: In exchange for a reasonable fee, our in-house discount plan covers preventive services and provides savings on virtually all other procedures performed in our office. Signing up is easy, and you can start to use your benefits right away.
Our team does not want you to be stressed about paying for your care, so do not hesitate to ask if you have questions about our financial policies.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
One of the best things you can do to save money on emergency care is simply to be proactive about your oral health. Rather than waiting until a minor symptom becomes unbearable, visit us at the first sign of a dental problem. Often, early care is much more conservative (and more affordable) than more extensive treatments. For example, filling a cavity might cost a few hundred dollars. However, if that cavity becomes too large, you might need root canal therapy and a crown, which could cost thousands.
You should also be diligent about preventive measures. Regular dental checkups and good daily habits can protect your oral health and greatly reduce the risk that any problems will occur.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Our Prestonsburg team is ready to assist you if you experience a dental emergency, but we are sure that you would prefer to prevent such a situation from occurring in the first place! Of course, you cannot completely eliminate your risk; accidents can happen to anyone at any time. However, you can be proactive about your oral health and implement precautions that might just spare you from visiting us for urgent care. Here are some helpful tips to that end:
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Make it your goal to visit us twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. These regular visits can go a long way toward preventing an emergency. During your appointments, we can identify early signs of oral health problems before they develop into serious issues; we may even diagnose them before you notice any symptoms at all. Regular dental cleanings are also key; our team can remove harmful buildups of plaque and tartar that could otherwise lead to cavities and gum disease.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
Your daily oral hygiene routine plays a major role in whether you will face dental emergency. You should:
- Brush at least twice a day: Be sure to clean the backs of your teeth and the area along your gumline.
- Floss daily: Ask our team if you want tips on proper technique. If floss is difficult for you to use, a water flosser can provide effective interdental cleaning.
- Care for your dental treatments: If you have crowns, dentures, a bridge, or braces, clean them and the surrounding dental tissue as instructed by your care team.
Be Careful With Your Diet
Smart dietary choices can protect your teeth from damage. Try to:
- Enjoy sweet treats only in moderation.
- Limit your intake of acidic foods and beverages.
- Sip water after consuming anything sugary or acidic.
- Be cautious with very hard foods; do your best not to bite into bones or other items that could break or chip a tooth.
You should also do your best to consume lots of healthy foods. Calcium, vitamin D, and other key nutrients support both oral and overall wellness.
Wear a Mouthguard
If you are an athlete, you should invest in a custom mouthguard. It can greatly reduce the risk of dental injuries, and it is much more comfortable than over-the-counter gear. Acquiring one of these devices is especially important if you play contact sports like football or any sort of martial arts.
If you tend to grind your teeth at night, you may need a different type of mouthguard — one that places a protective barrier between your upper and lower dental arches to prevent your teeth from causing mutual harm.
Use Tools, Not Teeth, to Open Packaging
Your teeth might seem like a convenient means of opening packages, clipping the tags off of new clothes, or even trimming your fingernails. Your teeth are not designed for such purposes! Misusing them could easily cause breakage or premature wear and tear. Try carrying a small multi-tool with you so you can protect your teeth from damage.
Root Canals
If you’re experiencing a lot of pain or pressure in a single tooth, then it’s likely that the sensitive interior nerve, called the dental pulp, has been damaged or developed an infection. Fortunately, Dr. Griffith can save the tooth and relieve any discomfort with a root canal. For this procedure, he simply removes the compromised tissue and rebuilds the tooth using a custom-made restoration. Thanks to his expert touch, local anesthesia, and our sedation options, this often-feared procedure can be as easy as getting a small filling.
Tooth Extractions
We prefer to help our patients keep their natural teeth for as long as possible, but sometimes, it is necessary to remove a problem tooth. Dr. Griffith may recommend an extraction if:
- A tooth has a cavity too large to be repaired with a filling or crown
- A tooth has been broken beyond the point of restoration
- Severe periodontal disease is present
- Decay in one tooth is beginning to threaten neighboring teeth
Should you ever need an extraction, our team will make sure you’re comfortable the entire time. We can also recommend replacement options to fill in the space.
Wisdom Tooth Extractions
The wisdom teeth are actually just a third set of molars that usually start to come in around the late teens or early twenties. Unfortunately, most people simply don’t have enough room in their mouth for them, so they can cause all sorts of problems as they try to come in. Jaw pain, teeth crowding, and even infections are very common, which is why these teeth are often removed. This can sometimes require referral to a specialist, but often Dr. Griffith can perform safe and effective wisdom tooth extractions right here at Brookside Dental Care.
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