Emergency Dentist for Dental Injuries and Tooth Damage - Contact Us Now!
We’re Here When You Need Us Most
By nature, dental emergencies never tend to happen at a convenient time. You might wake up on the morning of a much-deserved vacation with searing tooth pain, or maybe an accidental tumble at work leads to a serious tooth fracture. At Casco Bay Smiles, our patients’ well-being is always a top priority – that’s why you’ll never hear “We can see you in a week or two!” from our team members when you call in with an urgent situation. Instead, Dr. McVety will do his best to see you on the same day as your initial call whenever possible to provide much-needed relief and support. Don’t wait – contact us today in Falmouth, ME!
Why Choose Casco Bay Smiles for Emergency Dental Care?
- #1 Relaxing Sedation Dentistry Available for Maximum Comfort
- #2 Same-Day Emergency Appointment Available
- #3 State-of-the-Art Technology for Fast, Precise Diagnosis
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
In a dental emergency it’s easy to panic, but we encourage you to keep a level head. Acting quickly and correctly can make all the difference between losing and saving a tooth! Our experienced team here at Casco Bay Smiles is ready to guide you through your emergency and regain your happy, healthy smile. Just follow these steps:
- Step 1: Call Us As Soon As You Can. We do everything we can to see emergency patients the same day they call us, so the sooner you call us, the sooner we can help you!
- Step 2: Follow Our First-Aid Instructions. Over the phone, one of our team members will walk you through basic first-aid steps to take to manage your situation until you arrive at our office.
- Step 3: See Dr. McVety for an Emergency Exam. When you arrive, your Falmouth emergency dentist Dr. McVety will see you right away to address any pain and learn more about your emergency.
- Step 4: Review Your Treatment Options. McVety will review his findings with you and fully explain all your treatment options. Together, you’ll make a custom treatment plan for getting your oral health back on track that works for you.
- Step 5: Get the Fast, Professional Care You Need. Whether you need a filling, crown, gum disease treatment, root canal therapy, or any other service, our team will jump into action as soon as you’ve created a treatment plan, focusing on protecting your teeth and keeping you comfortable.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Most dental emergencies can be sorted into two distinct categories. First, there are the unexpected accidents, which can involve serious fractures or even teeth that have been completely knocked out. The other major type is the dreaded “toothache,” which left untreated can cause pain and lead to a serious infection. Keep reading below to learn more about what you can do in some of these situations to better manage your symptoms before arriving at Casco Bay Smiles:
Understanding the Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies
Experiencing dental emergencies can be stressful on its own, but when you put money into the mix, the anxiety can really build up! That’s why at Casco Bay Smiles we’re committed to providing transparent pricing and flexible payment options.
Our team will always provide an honest estimate up front so there are never any surprises. Read more below to see how our Falmouth dental practice can help you find relief without stressing your budget.
Every Dental Emergency Is Different
No two dental emergencies are alike, so the cost of treatment depends on your specific needs. For example, dental bonding for a chipped tooth may cost less than repairing a severe fracture. Meanwhile, root canals and crowns involve more time and materials than treating a cavity, and severe infections or extractions may require advanced care.
At Casco Bay Smiles, our team will assess your case carefully to provide a tailored treatment plan and cost estimate. Our goal is to prioritize your relief, restore your smile, and provide the tools you need to finance your treatment, no matter the situation.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Dental insurance often covers a portion of emergency care, but the exact amount varies by provider and plan. Most plans include benefits for necessary procedures like extractions, root canals, or temporary restorations. However, it’s important to review your policy or contact your insurance provider to get the details.
At our Falmouth office, we’ll be happy to work with you and your insurer to maximize your benefits and reduce out-of-pocket costs. Just contact us before your appointment and we’ll set aside some time to help you sift through your policies' emergency coverage.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
We understand that unexpected dental emergencies can strain your budget. That’s why we proudly partner with CareCredit, a trusted third-party financing provider. This flexible program works like a credit card for health coverage, allowing you to pay for all your treatment at once. Then, you can break down the balance into manageable monthly payments, often with low or no interest!
Our team can help you apply for CareCredit right in our office or guide you through the online process. With CareCredit, you can prioritize your oral health without delaying the care you need!
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
As the old saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Preventive care is the best way to avoid costly dental emergencies! Here are a few tips for protecting your smile:
- Wear a mouthguard during sports or a nightguard if you grind your teeth while you sleep.
- Keep up with your oral hygiene routine by brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing every night.
- See us at least twice a year for dental checkups and cleanings to check on your smile and keep it clean.
- Use any insurance benefits you have as early as possible, especially for preventive care that is often covered 100 percent a certain number of times per year.
By investing in prevention, you save money, time, and discomfort while keeping your smile healthy and strong.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
It’s no secret that dental injuries can be painful to experience and stressful to handle. That’s why we do our best to help our patients avoid them altogether! With this in mind, keep reading to learn some helpful tips for how to minimize your odds of experiencing a dental emergency as you go about your daily life:
Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year
At your biannual visits, Dr. McVety covers a lot of ground – from screening for oral cancer to examining the condition of any existing dental work. The goal? To pinpoint any concerning issues, like decay, and successfully prevent the need for more extensive treatment down the road.
It’s also worth noting that the cleaning portion of your visits allow our hygienists to remove harmful substances, like plaque, before they build up and wreak havoc on your oral health. So, if it has been more than six months since your last checkup and cleaning, call us to get your next appointment on the calendar!
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
A solid oral hygiene regimen will go a long way in preventing common oral health problems, including tooth decay and gum disease. So, if you want to keep your smile healthy, you need to incorporate healthy habits into your daily routine, like brushing twice a day and flossing daily.
Tip: Unsure which toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, or mouthwash to use? Let us know! We can share our recommendations with your unique dental needs in mind.
Break Bad Habits
Smoking is a habit that can lead to everything from bad breath and stubborn stains to oral cancer, which is why we strongly recommend quitting. We also encourage our patients to break other habits that have the potential to negatively impact their teeth and gums, like chewing on ice cubes, biting their nails, or using their teeth as tools to open things.
Be Mindful of What You Eat
As we mentioned above, chewing on ice cubes can lead to a serious chip, crack, or fracture. For that same reason, we don’t recommend eating extremely crunchy foods or ones that are overly tough, sugary, or sticky. Instead, fill your plate with foods that benefit your oral health, like seasonal fruits, fresh vegetables, and lean protein. It’s also important to drink lots of water (this will help you stay hydrated while also preventing dry mouth)!
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
Whether you prefer running, riding your bike, or lifting weights, it’s important that you wear a mouthguard when you’re active. That way, your teeth and gums are protected from unforeseen impact – whether from an unexpected fall or chronic grinding/clenching. If you don’t have one already, let us know! We can have a custom mouthguard made for you.
Important note: If you grind or clench your teeth at night, you should also wear a mouthguard to prevent chips and cracks as well as premature wear and tear.
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
Keeping a cool head and making the right decisions when every second counts could end up saving your smile during a dental emergency. Each bit of information helps during an urgent situation, but you may not be in the right frame of mind to ask questions when you’re actively dealing with a toothache or a dental injury. Thus, we have provided the answers to some of the questions that are most frequently asked of emergency dentists.
Should I Visit the Dentist or the Emergency Room?
Dr. McVety has training and experience treating a variety of oral health issues that many doctors at a hospital emergency room won’t be as well-equipped to deal with. Call Casco Bay Smiles if you’re suffering from common problems such as persistent toothaches, broken or lost teeth, and infections that do not affect your ability to breathe or swallow. That said, some cases are more life-threatening and should be brought to the attention of the nearest emergency room right away. This might include a deep cut that is causing unstoppable bleeding, any kind of breathing difficulty, or a fractured or dislocated jaw.
Do I Need to Visit the Dentist Right Away?
There are two main reasons why dental emergencies require immediate attention. First, they will not get better on their own; in fact, they will only get worse. Infections will continue to grow and spread, and teeth that were already injured will likely break further from daily use if not treated. The fact that the situation will only become more severe over time leads right into the second reason: if you wait for too long, you could end up needing a more expensive or complex treatment to salvage the function of your mouth. As such, as soon as you realize that something is wrong, you should get in touch with Casco Bay Smiles immediately.
Why Should Knocked-Out Teeth Be Kept In Milk?
While it’s best to keep an avulsed tooth in its socket whenever possible, there are situations where it might be difficult or impossible to do so. Fortunately, a glass of milk is often a great alternative in these situations. The ultimate goal is to keep the roots of the tooth moist so that they have an easier time reattaching to the jaw later. Milk is usually ideal for this purpose because it contains proteins that will help keep the cells of the tooth roots alive and protect them from further damage.
Do I Need a Root Canal?
We might suggest emergency root canal therapy if we examine your tooth and find signs of an infection. Removing the diseased tissue along with all the harmful bacteria present inside of the tooth is usually the most reliable way to stop the infection from spreading beyond the roots. Do not worry about discomfort; the procedure will actually stop the pain caused by a toothache, and in the long run it will let you save a tooth that would otherwise have needed to be Extracted.