Aching, broken, or knocked-out teeth can be nerve-wracking to say the least. If you’re dealing with a dental emergency, you need prompt care, and our dental team at My Dentist Midtown is here to provide that! We try our utmost to see emergency dental patients the same day they call, so rest assured we’ll give you the peace of mind and pain relief you need during an urgent situation. Don’t hesitate to call us to schedule an urgent dental care visit with our gentle emergency dentist in Tulsa, OK!
Why Choose My Dentist Midtown for Emergency Dentistry?
Same-Day Appointments for Dental Emergencies
Calming Sedation Dentistry Options Available
Insurance-Friendly Dental Office
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
No matter what type of dental emergency you’re facing, the first thing you should do is call our dental office as soon as you can; our team will take it from there! Here are the steps we’ll follow to handle the situation:
Over the phone, we’ll ask you questions about your symptoms to determine how quickly you need to be seen. Then, we’ll schedule an appointment accordingly. We can also give you tips for reducing your discomfort until then.
When you arrive at our dental office, Dr. Flinchum will conduct a detailed exam to pinpoint the source of the problem. In addition to capturing any necessary X-rays, she’ll work to get you out of any immediate pain.
Following the exam, Dr. Flinchum will share her findings with you and recommend a treatment plan to eliminate your symptoms. You’ll also be given an estimated cost and timeline for your care. Then, we’ll get to work to quickly address the issue and prevent it from coming back in the future.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
With so many possible dental problems that can occur, it can sometimes be difficult to tell what constitutes as
a “real” emergency. Even if your situation doesn’t seem like a big deal, we urge you to call
us just to be on the safe side. Our team can handle a variety of dental emergencies, including the following:
Toothaches
Chipped Tooth
Cracked Tooth
Sensitivity to Hot & Cold
Knocked-Out Tooth
Lost Filling or Crown
Broken Denture
Loose Tooth
Gums, Lip or Tongue Injury
Jaw Pain or Clenching
Something Stuck Between Teeth
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
Once we have figured out the kind of treatment you’ll need, we can start discussing the cost of your emergency care. Of course, the number we give you won’t be the same as another patient’s; after all, “dental emergency” can refer to many different kinds of situations. We’ll be sure to explain how we arrived at our estimate. Also, if you’re worried about your out-of-pocket costs, we can review the financial options that are available at our practice in Tulsa.
Every Dental Emergency is Different
It simply isn’t possible to put a price on emergency dental care without first knowing what the emergency is. Severity matters as well; sometimes an issue like tooth decay can be resolved with a simple filling, but a root canal might be needed in more advanced cases. We’ll have a better idea of what your treatment will cost after we’ve figured out what your smile needs.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Dental insurance policies usually pay for one emergency exam each year. As for the actual treatment, your coverage may vary based on the policy you have. Coverage for restorative procedures that may be part of your emergency treatment plan will usually fall between 50% and 80%.
Our team will gladly review the fine print of your dental insurance plan with you, and we can handle the claim-filing process for you. Delta Dental, Cigna, Guardian, Humana, and MetLife are just a few examples of the plans that our practice accepts.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Not everyone has dental insurance, but when a dental emergency strikes, you can’t avoid professional care for too long without putting your smile at serious risk. So what can you do if you don’t have a dental insurance plan? Our team is here to help you figure out the best answer to that question.
One approach is to sign up for a financing plan courtesy of CareCredit. Sometimes the full cost of care might be too much for your budget if you try to pay it all at once, but you can simplify things by breaking it into smaller installments instead. And with CareCredit, the interest rate on your plan will often be very low – and in certain cases, there might not be any interest period.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
Good oral hygiene and other preventive measures can help lower your chances of experiencing a dental emergency. You could potentially save hundreds – perhaps even thousands – of dollars on urgent dental care simply by not needing such treatment in the first place.
Of course, you can’t expect to be able to avoid every dental issue. However, if you do notice a problem with your smile, there is still a strategy you can use to try and save money: visit your dentist immediately. The sooner you make an appointment, the less likely you are to need more complex treatments that tend to have higher costs.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Most dental emergencies occur seemingly out of the blue, so it can be hard to prepare for them in advance. However,
reducing your chances of experiencing one is possible as long as you take some basic precautions. Read on to learn
five that our Tulsa emergency dentist recommends!
Prioritize Your Biannual Checkups and Cleanings
There are several ways your routine visits to our office help reduce your chances of experiencing a dental
emergency. To begin, we conduct an oral exam at each visit to find cavities, gum disease, and other serious oral
health issues in the early stages (before they warrant a same-day appointment). Furthermore, the
cleaning portion allows us to clean the hard-to-reach areas of your mouth, removing stubborn plaque and built-up
tartar along the way. This process can feel tedious, but it goes a long way in preventing decay and infections
from developing.
Commit to Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Each day, you need to take proactive measures to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Otherwise, they will slowly
decay, leaving you vulnerable to substantial chips, cracks, and fractures. To prevent that from happening, use a
soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride to brush your teeth each morning and evening (or after
each meal, if possible). You should also consistently floss and rinse with mouthwash since this will help
prevent plaque buildup as well as gum disease.
Stick to a Nutritious Diet
In short, if your diet is filled with loads of added sugar, your teeth won’t be their healthiest. To help
reduce your chances of experiencing tooth decay, do your best to stick to well-balanced meals that are filled
with nutrient-dense foods. Zero-sugar yogurt, oatmeal, and scrambled eggs are a few examples of foods that are
delicious, satiating, and good for your smile!
Wear a Mouthguard
Sports accidents are one of the number one causes of knocked-out teeth. A rogue ball or accidental elbow to your
jaw can also result in a cracked, chipped, or loose tooth, which is why it’s of the utmost importance that
you protect your smile with a mouthguard. We can provide you with a custom one so you don’t have to rely
on the one-size-fits-all sportsguards that are bulky and uncomfortable too!
Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth
Your teeth may be sharp, but they aren’t tools. No matter how tempting it might be, you should never use
your teeth to open a package, bottle cap, or the like. This is a recipe for a cracked tooth, which cannot be
saved if the damage is too extensive. So, always use the right tools instead. It may take a few extra minutes,
but it will save you from a dental emergency.
