Emergency Dentist – San Ramon, CA
Here to Provide High-Quality & Fast Emergency Care
It’s hard to prepare for a dental emergency, because they always seem to happen at the most unexpected and inconvenient times. If you experience a knocked-out tooth, toothache, or any dental trauma that leaves you questioning the health of your smile, never hesitate to call our dental office. We recommend that patients keep our number pre-programmed in their phone just in case they need emergency dentistry from our San Ramon, CA dentist and dental team. Read on to learn more about what issues need emergency care, what to do in a dental emergency, and how to protect your smile from damage. If you have a dental emergency, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Why Choose Oak Ridge Dental for Emergency Dental Care?
- Calming & Relaxing Dental Sedation Available for Comfortable Care
- Same-Day Appointments & Late and Weekend Hours
- Dental Insurance Welcome & Flexible Financing Available
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
So what should you do in a dental emergency? Your first step should always be to call our office. From there, here’s how you can expect us to treat your dental emergency:
- We’ll schedule your same-day appointment: In urgent cases, we try to see all of our emergency patients the same day, so you won’t have to worry about sitting and waiting in pain until you’re able to get treatment. We’ll also provide you with over-the-phone first-aid guidance to make sure that the issue doesn’t get any worse.
- Your emergency examination: When you arrive at our dental office, Dr. Deol will conduct a thorough examination of your mouth to see what the underlying issue is and its extent.
- Creating your treatment plan: Once we’ve diagnosed the problem, we can develop a treatment plan to solve it and provide you with lasting relief. Before we conduct any procedures, we’ll walk you through the cost of your treatment and discuss financing options with you, such as dental insurance coverage. If you have any questions at any point during your emergency examination, don’t hesitate to ask!
- Get the care you need, fast: As soon as you’ve chosen which treatment you’d like to move forward with, we’ll get to work right away. We’ll focus on relieving your pain, preserving your smile, and getting your oral health back on track.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
There are numerous situations that qualify as a dental emergency, but not all of them are as obvious as a broken or knocked-out tooth. A good rule of thumb is that if you are experiencing pain, swelling, or any other symptoms that are concerning you or interrupting your daily life, you should give us a call right away. Here are some of the most common emergencies we treat.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies are never 100% preventable, but it’s always better to protect yourself before they can even happen. By investing in a few checkups and cleanings each year, combined with a great at-home routine, you can minimize your risk of an urgent situation occurring. Read on to learn how you can prevent dental emergencies in San Ramon.
Visit Our Office Regularly
Maintaining biannual appointments with our office allows Dr. Deol to catch dental problems early on, keeping you from more expensive and severe problems. Better yet, these visits can prevent dental emergencies from happening in the first place. Many emergencies are caused by poor dental hygiene, which is also why professional cleanings are vital. Our hygienists can clean away plaque that you’re not able to remove at home.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
Make sure that you’re brushing and flossing each day. Brush your smile twice a day for two minutes each session, paying close attention to your gumline. Angle your brush at 45-degrees and gently massage each tooth in a circular motion for the best results. Additionally, floss once a day to remove lingering food debris and plaque between the teeth. The right way to floss is to give yourself enough string to work with. Then, create a “C” shape and slowly move the floss up and down in between each tooth.
Watch What You Eat
One of the main culprits of dental emergencies is infection, which is often caused by cavities. You can lower your risk of tooth decay by limiting your consumption of extra sugary foods. Specifically, acidic beverages like sodas and sports drinks can eat away at your teeth, causing weakened enamel and sensitivity. Instead, try to work in healthy fruits and veggies. They’re not only great for your body, but they naturally scrub away plaque and stimulate saliva to keep your mouth clean.
Wear a Mouthguard
Are you affected by bruxism? If so, Dr. Deol recommends that you wear a nightguard. This prevents teeth grinding that can often lead to weakened, chipped, cracked or broken teeth. Additionally, you should always wear a mouthguard if you play sports or participate in physical activity. Dr. Deol offers custom mouthguards that are more comfortable, effective, and long-lasting compared to store-bought products. Wearing a mouthguard during sports also reduces concussion on your jaw if you experience trauma.
Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging
Habits like using your teeth to open bottles or packages dramatically increases your risk of damage. To avoid painful dental emergencies, only use your smile for eating and speaking. Also, try to avoid chewing on non-food items, including ice cubes. Fingernails, pens, and other popular items to chomp on can often lead to chips and cracks. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our emergency dental office in San Ramon.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
Dental emergencies can be difficult to provide a specific cost for until we’ve had the chance to examine your symptoms more closely. Not only can they come in many forms, but some emergencies are more severe or complex than others. During your exam, we’ll perform a comprehensive review of your symptoms and will be better able to create a customized treatment plan (and provide a cost estimate) from there.
All Dental Emergencies are Unique
While tooth pain, damaged or knocked-out teeth, and physical injuries to the mouth while playing sports tend to be the most common types of dental emergencies we see, all dental emergencies are considered unique. Some dental emergencies are relatively simple to treat and manage, while others require complicated restorative treatments that can take multiple appointments to fully resolve. This could include procedures like root canal therapy, dental crowns, or extractions. Keep in mind that we will always review all potential options with you first before performing any treatment.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
The majority of dental insurance plans offer some level of coverage for emergency dentistry. For example, they may allow you to visit the dentist for an emergency exam once a year. Some of the most common services used for urgent dental problems include dental crowns and root canal therapy, both of which can receive anywhere between 80% and 50% coverage depending on the plan. Remember, annual maximums can come into effect and affect how much coverage you can receive before having to pay out-of-pocket. All plans are unique, so confirm the details of your plan directly with your insurance provider. Our team can also help you complete this process.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
In certain cases, dental emergencies can be more expensive to treat. If your dental insurance does not provide the coverage you expected it to, you may want to consider other third-party financing solutions to make your care more affordable. For example, CareCredit allows you to enroll into a payment plan to cover your care, rather than pay for it in one lump sum. Oftentimes, you may not need to pay any interest on these monthly installments.
Take Care Of Your Smile to Save Money
It’s fair to say that some dental emergencies are unavoidable, but most of the time they can be prevented. This is because many dental emergencies develop as a result of untreated tooth decay or infections. Preventive dentistry is by far one of the most effective ways to avoid dental emergencies and save money on urgent dental care. By investing in routine dental exams and cleanings, you can catch problems early and get them handled before they become emergencies.
With that said, you should not delay getting your emergency handled if you discover symptoms. The longer you wait, the more likely your symptoms will worsen. For example, as soon as you notice tooth pain, call us to set up a visit. It could mean the difference between needing a small filling vs. root canal therapy at a later date.
Dental Emergency FAQs
If you’re still curious about dental emergencies in San Ramon, you’re in the right place. We always want our patients to have the information they need, which is why we encourage you to contact us with any specific concerns you may have. Until then, we’ve included the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about dental emergencies. Read on to satisfy your curiosity!
Should I visit the emergency room first for dental emergencies?
A visit to an urgent care facility is necessary for issues like jaw fractures, difficulty breathing, deep facial wounds, or any other problems that may be life-threatening. For all other dental-related emergencies, you should always go to our office first. Most emergency rooms do not have the proper equipment and technology to address the condition of your smile. Dr. Deol will be able to assess the situation and provide all the necessary services you need to get out of pain and back to normal.
My chipped tooth doesn’t hurt. Do I still need to visit?
Even if your dental injury doesn’t hurt, it’s vital that you schedule an appointment with our office. Unlike many medical conditions that can get better with time, dental problems will usually get worse without treatment. If the inner portion of your tooth is exposed, it can eventually become painful and/or infected. That said, you can probably afford to wait a day or two to see us – for example, if the emergency occurs on a weekend. However, this issue should be addressed soon to prevent the possibility of the tooth becoming even more broken.
Can I fix dentures that are broken in half?
If your dentures are broken in half completely, you must contact our office right away – only a skilled professional can fix them. In many cases, repair won’t be an option and you’ll need a replacement. In the meantime, you can use your spare denture if you have one, but don’t let it become your regular prosthetic. Even if your denture isn’t fully broken, it’s a good idea to avoid trying to fix it yourself. Usually, this will only lead to more damage and discomfort when wearing them.
Can I pop a dental abscess on my own?
No – do not under any circumstances try to do this on your own. An abscess is a dental infection that is considered an emergency, which is why you should contact our office as soon as you notice that you have one. Popping this pimple-like bump will only expose your mouth to the bacteria that caused the infection and make it worse. Also, prolonging necessary treatment can allow the infection to spread within the mouth and even other areas of your body like the throat, neck, and head. To avoid any complications, it’s best to visit our emergency dentist in San Ramon.
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