Emergency Dentistry Glastonbury
High-Quality Dental Care When You Need It Most
We know that life is unpredictable and dental emergencies can strike at any time. Whether it be a toothache, an infection, a lost crown, or a broken tooth, our team is standing by to help. If you are experiencing a dental emergency in Glastonbury, please don’t hesitate to give our office a call! We will make an appointment for you as soon as possible to evaluate your issue and provide you with the prompt relief you deserve. At Glastonbury Dental Associates, our doctors are available to help existing patients 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our answering service will contact the doctor on call, who will call you back immediately to help you out. We are committed to our patients!
Why Choose Glastonbury Dental Associates for Emergency Dentistry?
- Same-Day Dental Emergency Appointments
- Decades of Professional Experience
- Insurance-Friendly Dental Practice
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
- Contact us right away. As soon as you get in touch with our office, we’ll work quickly to get you scheduled for a same-day appointment. We’ll provide you with first-aid instructions over the phone to help you handle your situation while you wait to see us.
- Visit our dental team for an emergency exam. One of our dentists will see you as soon as possible to assess your condition.
- Get the care you need. We work diligently to get emergencies under control. Our team will recommend a treatment (i.e., dental fillings, crowns, root canal therapy, extraction) to best address your symptoms and prevent your issue from worsening.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
When a dental emergency occurs, you should always give our dental office a call first. This allows you to schedule an emergency appointment with our dental office, ideally for the same day. Before you arrive for your appointment, you’ll still need to properly manage your situation. Below, you’ll find useful information for multiple emergencies our dental office typically sees. Doing so can dramatically improve your situation and in some cases even save your tooth, so take a moment to review them!
Toothaches
Chipped
Tooth
Cracked
Tooth
Sensitivity to
Hot & Cold
Knocked-Out
Tooth
Lost Filling
or Crown
Broken
Denture
Loose
Tooth
Jaw Pain or
Clenching
Something Stuck
Between Teeth
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
Usually, patients who are visiting us due to a chipped, cracked, or knocked-out tooth have the same question: How much does the treatment I need cost? Rest assured, we will provide you with an estimate once we have determined the type of dental injury you’ve sustained and how severe the damage is. If you’re interested in learning some helpful information on the topic in the meantime, feel free to read on!
Every Dental Emergency is Different – This Is Why
Depending on the type and severity of your emergency, your treatment may be far simpler than you’d think. For example, some dental emergencies may only require a single prescription, while others need more complex restorative work, like root canal therapy and a crown. With all of that said, the best way to confirm the cost is by visiting our dental office for an exam. This will also ensure that your dental issue gets handled properly and that you avoid future complications.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Good news: many dental insurance providers cover a portion of the cost of essential restorative treatments, like fillings, crowns, and root canals. Plus, our Glastonbury dental team is in-network with both Delta Dental and Cigna, so we can help you utilize your available benefits. All you need to do is provide us with your membership information! From there, we can read the fine print, discuss your coverage, and provide you with an estimate of your out-of-pocket expenses.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Are you part of the roughly 50% of patients who don’t have dental insurance? If so, you’ll be happy to hear that there’s another way to make the cost of emergency dentistry in Glastonbury more affordable: CareCredit. Their flexible and convenient payment plans allow you to break up the total price into smaller monthly chunks that fit within your budget comfortably.
How Taking Care Of Your Smile Can Save You Money
There’s a reason we’re always encouraging our patients to incorporate healthy habits into their routine: it helps keep teeth decay-free and gums infection-free. So, if you aren’t already, commit to a solid oral hygiene regimen at home. Then, look for other ways you can protect your smile from harm, like wearing a mouthguard during sports and scheduling a dental cleaning every six months.
It’s important to remember that your teeth cannot heal on their own. So, while taking the “wait and see” approach may seem like a good way to save money, the outcome is usually the opposite. After all, the worse the root of the problem gets, the harder it is to treat. The harder it is to treat, the more complex the care.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Preventing a dental emergency starts with practicing daily oral care and attending regular visits to our dental office. While committing to these habits can prevent a majority of dental emergencies, you may still need additional protection. For example, those who play contact sports or have bruxism need to wear mouthguards and nightguards to avoid damaged teeth. With these points in mind, you can avoid cracked or damaged teeth via forced trauma as well as most tooth decay and oral infections.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Brushing and flossing at home is only half the battle in keeping your teeth clean enough to avoid dental emergencies. You should also visit us at least twice a year for a routine checkup and cleaning. These appointments allow our dentists to thoroughly examine your mouth. If they find any early warning signs of possible emergencies, they can take care of them while treatment is still simple and inexpensive.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
Taking a few minutes to brush and floss daily can go a long way in preventing the buildup of plaque and bacteria that can lead to painful decay and infections. Make sure to brush twice a day for two minutes each time and floss at least once a day, preferably in the evening.
Be Careful with Your Diet
Sugary foods and drinks are not only detrimental to your general health, but they can wreak havoc on your smile. Your mouth is home to an abundance of bacteria. When you eat or drink lots of sugar, some of these bacteria feed on the sugar particles on your teeth. Then they produce an acidic waste that inflames your gums (causing gum disease) and erodes your tooth enamel (causing cavities). To prevent these bacteria from damaging your smile, swap sugary snacks and beverages with healthier alternatives, like water and fresh produce.
Wear a Mouthguard
If you’re an athlete, chances are you’ve already heard that you should wear a mouthguard to shield your teeth from injury. Similarly, you should wear a nightguard if you habitually grind your teeth at night, which is called bruxism. We can provide you with a custom-made guard that fits more comfortably and provides more protection than store-bought options.
Dental Emergency FAQs
Do you have more questions about dental emergencies? At Glastonbury Dental Associates, we strive to provide all our patients with relevant, easy-to-understand information. That is why we have collected some of the most common questions we encounter regarding dental emergencies and answered them below. If you still have doubts or concerns after reading this FAQ section, please do not hesitate to give us a call!
Should I Go to the Emergency Room Instead of a Dentist?
Local emergency rooms are not always equipped with the right tools or have personnel with the specialized knowledge needed to treat dental trauma. For this reason, we recommend calling an emergency dentist first if you suffer a serious injury to your teeth or mouth.
At Glastonbury Dental Associates, we are always prepared to respond quickly and accurately to dental emergency phone calls. One of our expert dentists will carefully listen to the details of your situation and advise you on whether you need immediate dental care or if you should instead seek medical attention.
What is in a Dental Emergency First Aid Kit?
Dental emergencies can happen when you least expect them – including when you are on the go! That is why we recommend preparing a small first aid kit specifically designed to help you respond to unexpected dental trauma outside the home. This first aid kit can be kept in your desk at the office, in the glove compartment of your car, or even in your purse.
Here is a list of what you should include in your dental emergency first aid kit:
- Small container with a secure lid (to hold a knocked-out tooth)
- A small bottle of acetaminophen
- Gauze
- Handkerchief
- Piece of paper with the contact information for an emergency dentist in Glastonbury
Will My Toothache Go Away on Its Own?
Unfortunately, it’s rarely if ever the case that your toothache will disappear and the underlying problem causing it will go away. In fact, in more cases than not, a toothache going away could mean that the nerve within the tooth is no longer alive, meaning it can’t be preserved and may need to be extracted instead. That’s why it’s crucial that you schedule an appointment with an emergency dentist in Glastonbury as soon as you experience dental pain that’s out of the ordinary.
How Do I Know if I Need a Root Canal?
Many patients are fearful that if they visit the emergency dentist, they will hear that they need a root canal. However, root canals are nothing to be scared of! They have the ability to erase painful toothaches as well as preserve natural teeth, allowing you to maintain a complete and functional smile. That being said, these are some of the most common signs that you may need a root canal:
- Persistent pain in a single tooth that may go away for a short period of time but returns.
- Dental sensitivity to foods and beverages that are hot or cold.
- A discolored tooth.
- Gum inflammation or swelling around a specific tooth that may look like a pimple.
- Pain when you eat.
- A tooth is cracked or severely damaged.