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Accidents happen, even if you do everything in your power to avoid them. During dental emergencies, the shock of the situation may prevent you from making the best decisions for your oral health. That’s why we recommend that our patients have our number pre-programmed into their phone in case they ever need professional advice in these crucial moments. When you call us, we’ll provide you with over-the-phone first-aid guidance and schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible for emergency dentistry in Franklin Park.
No matter whether you chipped a tooth, got a popcorn kernel lodged in your mouth that’s causing you pain, or have a mysterious toothache, if you’re experiencing anything out-of-the-ordinary, call our dental office. We’ll assess your situation and schedule an appointment for you. While you’re on your way to our dental office, you can follow some of these tips to help relieve your discomfort.
To determine what treatment you require, you’ll need to first let us examine your mouth, teeth, and gums to determine the root of the problem. From there, we can create a plan and walk you through it. We’ll be sure to let you know the price and discuss all of your financing options to make sure that it’s within your budget. Don’t hesitate to ask us any questions that you may have while you’re here. We’re always happy to answer them!
An emergency dental visit is unlikely to cost much, as they are usually quite inexpensive. When this type of appointment is required, you can expect our Grand Dental – Franklin Park team to evaluate your needs and decide which method of restorative care is necessary to improve your situation. We cannot predict how much you will spend until we examine your injury and evaluate the severity of the damage.
The most common methods of treatment for dental emergencies include:
You can avoid additional worry, as our team will make sure you understand our findings as well as which method of treatment we recommend. We’ll go over the estimated costs during the consultation phase so that you experience no surprises along the way.
Most dental insurance companies provide one free emergency exam each year, and many offer some form of coverage for these types of situations. Depending on the type of treatment you require, your insurer may agree to cover anywhere from 50-80% of the total cost, but this is dependent on whether you’ve met your deductible and how much of your annual maximum remains available. We’ll review your plan and discuss how much coverage you can expect to receive. We’ll also go over any out-of-pocket expenses you will incur and how to manage these payments moving forward.
Since dental insurance is not a possibility for all patients, our Grand Dental – Franklin Park team is pleased to provide additional payment options to minimize any worries associated with emergency dental care.
We are pleased to provide an in-house Grand Advantage Plan that offers a 20% discount on various dental services. We also partner with CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit to make it easy for patients like you to enroll in a flexible financing plan that breaks up your payments into smaller, more manageable monthly installments.
You cannot avoid all dental emergencies, as many are unpredictable (i.e., an accidental fall or sports-related injury); however, those that occur because of poor oral health and hygiene can be avoided. By seeking regular preventive care and practicing good at-home oral hygiene, you can reduce the chances of developing an infection that requires immediate attention.
The moment you recognize dental pain or a similar issue, do not wait to seek help. Getting to the root of the problem early on is essential if you want to avoid worsening oral health and costlier treatment. Failing to see a member of our team will only cause you to spend additional time and money in the future. If caught in its early stages, we may be able to treat it with antibiotics or a more minimal form of restorative care. However, waiting too long can lead to more invasive and expensive treatments, like tooth extractions and dental implants.
Preventing dental emergencies in Franklin Park requires diligence and being proactive about taking care of your smile. While not all injuries are avoidable, maintaining good oral hygiene can reduce some of the most common problems that require emergency treatment. If you want to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to keep your teeth fully intact and free of infection, here are some tips to consider:
Continuing to see your dentist in Franklin Park every six months will help ensure the health and longevity of your smile. The specialized instruments they use as well as professional-grade oral hygiene products allow for a deeper clean and more thorough examination of your smile. Not only can they more easily identify signs of decay, disease, and infection, but they can propose timely treatment should they discover minor or major damage.
Maintaining a good oral hygiene routine at home is equally important, as daily brushing, flossing, and rinsing can help eliminate harmful bacteria and food debris from your teeth and gums. By brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush twice daily for two minutes, flossing at least once before the end of the day, and rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash, you can reduce the number of germs inside your mouth and better protect your smile against gum disease and tooth decay.
Consuming the right kinds of food can make a difference when it comes to the health of your smile. Eating lots of sugar and starch can be detrimental to your oral health, as these contents often result in dental decay, cavities, gum disease, and more serious infections. However, choosing healthier options, such as lean proteins, calcium-enriched dairy products, leafy greens, fresh fruits and vegetables, and other foods containing vitamins A, D, and C can help better protect your smile.
Whether you enjoy playing sports (contact or non-contact) or you tend to grind your teeth while you sleep, make sure that you ask your dentist about a custom mouthguard. While you can buy a one-size-fits-all version at your local sporting goods store, it’s unlikely to be comfortable or effective. Opting to invest in one that is designed using impressions of your mouth will ensure it fits perfectly inside your mouth. Not only will your teeth remain safeguarded against excessive pressure, but you’ll also avoid unnecessary trips to your emergency dental office in Franklin Park.
Scissors, pliers, knives, and bottle openers are all appropriate tools you should use if you plan to open a container or package of any kind. Under no circumstances should you try to use your teeth. Although they are strong and highly durable, they can break under extreme pressure. Instead of damaging your smile and spending the majority of your day sitting in the dentist’s chair, take the extra time to find the right tool for the job.
When dealing with a toothache at night, we recommend the individual sleep with their head propped to avoid blood rushing to the head and causing an intense throbbing. A person can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever to minimize discomfort. It should also be noted to avoid acidic, spicy, cold, or hard foods immediately before bedtime. It is also helpful to use a cold compress to minimize soreness and pain.
A person’s tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the body, but it cannot heal on its own. This is why when a person chips a tooth, it will not grow back. A tooth can remineralize but not grow back.
Instead, our team of dentists at Grand Dental – Franklin Park must use bonding or a dental crown to cover the chip. It is also possible to discuss the potential for customized veneers to hide a person’s chipped tooth. The decision will be made by the individual and the dentist after meeting for an emergency examination.
Dentures that are broken in half should only be treated by a skilled prosthodontist. Continuing to wear a damaged denture can cause lacerations and other cuts and scratches on the gums or teeth. Depending on the severity of the break, it’s highly likely we will need to replace them altogether. Our team can go over the details of a new prosthetic or discuss if the preference is to switch to dental implants for a more permanent and stable fit.
The only way to know for sure if a person’s tooth pain is caused by an infection is to schedule an appointment with a member of our team. If the tooth is throbbing or sore, there’s a good chance it is a dental emergency. If a person complains of a bitter taste in their mouth, bad breath, tooth sensitivity, swollen gums, loose teeth, or a draining sore near the gums, it can also signal a tooth infection.
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