Having a dental emergency can be extremely stressful. There is the obvious pain and discomfort that comes with an emergency, but there is also a lot of stress. You are probably in a hurry to get the issue addressed, and if you have lost a tooth or a filling, you may even be panicking. But what do you do in case of an emergency?

The best thing to do if you are having a dental emergency is to contact an emergency dentist. With that said, you may be concerned because it’s a weekend. While this sometimes makes things more difficult, it may not be as big of an obstacle as you may think…

Below is more information about what is considered an emergency, what to do, and how to find the right provider for your dental emergency needs.  

What is Considered a Dental Emergency?

Understanding what is and isn’t a dental emergency is important. There are some services that can wait for a general appointment. Other services, however, need to be addressed immediately.

Below are a few examples of dental emergencies: 

  • Cracked, chipped, broken, or knocked out tooth, teeth, or dental restoration
  • Sore and swollen gums
  • Damaged orthodontics 
  • Extreme or sudden sensitivity 
  • Damaged or loose crowns
  • Dental infection
  • Oral bleeding
  • Painful teeth or jaw
  • Broken fillings
  • Broken or bent dentures

If you have any questions about what is and isn’t an emergency, reach out to 24/7 Dental. We’ll discuss the issue you are having and help you to determine if what you are having is a dental emergency.

Search For an Emergency Dentist

If you are having a dental emergency on the weekend, do a quick search for emergency dentists in your area. Because it’s a weekend, you’ll need to specifically find a dental office that provides 7-day services. If you have a dental emergency at an odd hour, you’ll have to find a dentist that provides emergency dentistry throughout the day and even in the evening.

24/7 Dental offers dental emergency services 7 days a week from 8 AM to Midnight. If you believe you are having a dental emergency, give us a call. We’ll discuss the problem you are having with you and let you know if you need to visit 24/7 Dental immediately. If not, we’ll schedule you an appointment for as soon as possible.

Payment Options and Insurance

A big concern people have when they have a dental emergency is cost. This is understandable—the cost of handling a dental emergency can be quite high. With that said, some dental insurance providers offer emergency coverage.

If you find that your coverage isn’t enough or you simply don’t have dental insurance, you may have some difficulty paying for the service. If this is the case, let us know. We partner with a few companies that help to provide assistance to those that need additional help with payments. These include CareCredit, sunbit, and Alphaeon Credit. Let us know if you need financial support and we’ll help you to find the right company to provide you with the support you need.

Choosing the Right Emergency Dentist

Now that you know what to look for to see if you need an emergency dentist, it’s important to understand what to look for in an emergency dentist. Below are some of the top considerations when choosing the right emergency dentist.

Experience

Even when you are having an emergency, you want to make sure you choose an office that is staffed with top professionals in their field. You can also check the reviews for the office to see what others think. While reviews don’t always tell the whole story, they’re a good place to start.

Availability

Emergency dentists often have pretty open hours, but not all do. This is especially so for nights and weekends. You’ll need to look for an office that is available for emergencies all hours of the day and every day of the week. 24/7 Dental offers services 7 days a week, for most of the day and evening.

Coverage

If you have dental insurance, you’ll want to check with your insurance provider about coverage. If the procedure isn’t covered, then you can check to see what payment options are available. Don’t skip a trip to the dentist because it isn’t covered by your insurance, or you don’t have insurance. The problem will only get worse if it isn’t addressed.

Preventing an Emergency Service

The best thing you can do is to take action to avoid emergency services entirely. While you can’t always avoid an emergency, there are a couple of simple things you can do decrease the chances of an emergency.

One thing you should always do is where a mouthguard when playing contact sports. Even if it seems like contact is minimal and you are just practicing, accidents happen. A mouthguard can help to keep the teeth in your mouth.

The other main thing you can do to ensure you don’t have any dental emergencies is to visit your dentist every six months for a general cleaning and checkup. It is during this time that your dentist will be able to take a look at your teeth, gums, jawbone, and tongue to see if there are any issues. If they find anything, they can address the issue immediately.

Going to the dentist regularly will help with issues like infections, fillings falling out, discomfort, pain, and more. Many issues can be caught early, which means no dental emergency and no emergency appointment.

Reach Out To 24/7 Dental

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, stay calm and contact 24/7 Dental. We’ll discuss the issue you are having with you and see whether emergency care is required. If it is, we’ll provide you with any information you need to ensure your safety and we’ll get you scheduled for an emergency appointment.

If you have a dental emergency on the weekend, contact us! We are open 7 days a week and we are here to help.