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Emergency Dentist — Virginia Beach, VA

Urgent Dental Care Right When You Need It

At Smile by Design of Virginia Beach, we offer urgent dental care right when you need it. Our compassionate team always gives priority to patients experiencing a dental emergency in Virginia Beach. Whether you’re dealing with a broken tooth or painful toothache, we’ll do everything possible to schedule your emergency visit the same day you call us. If you or a loved one’s teeth need help right now, don’t hesitate, give us a call today, and we’ll be ready to help right away.

Why Choose Smile By Design of Virginia Beach for Emergency Dental Care?

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Dental emergencies are often sudden and overwhelming, which is why it’s important to know how to handle them beforehand. Should you face one of these scary situations, we encourage you to keep calm and follow these steps:

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

To minimize damage to your smile, it helps to know what to do in the event of a dental emergency. If you’re unsure what steps you should take next or whether your situation counts as an emergency, don’t hesitate to call our emergency dental office in Virginia Beach. Our experienced team can provide first-aid tips over the phone and schedule you an emergency appointment as soon as possible. In general, it’s best to remain calm, reduce pain, and protect the tooth. Below, you’ll find some important information on the most common dental emergencies we treat.

Toothaches

Chipped Tooth

Cracked Tooth

Sensitivity to Hot & Cold

Knocked-Out Tooth

Lost Filling or Crown

Broken Denture

Loose Tooth

Gums, Lips or Tongue Injury

Jaw Pain or Clenching

Something Stuck Between Teeth

Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry

Man with toothache learning about the cost of dental emergencies in Virginia Beach

Before we can determine the cost of your emergency dental care, several factors must be considered, including the extent of the damage and which procedures are required. Whenever possible, our dentists always strive for conservative, cost-effective treatments so that you don’t pay a cent more than you need to. Our practice is in-network with many of the country’s leading dental insurance plans and can even help you with the claims process. If you want to learn more about the cost of emergency dentistry in Virginia Beach, continue reading or make an appointment with our team today!

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Every Dental Emergency is Unique

patient visiting emergency dentist in Virginia Beach

Contrary to popular belief, your initial visit with an emergency dentist in Virginia Beach is relatively inexpensive. During this appointment, our team at Smile by Design of Virginia Beach will conduct an oral examination and assess your needs to determine which treatment is needed to get your smile back to normal. Since the specific procedures you need will depend on the type of emergency you’re experiencing, it’s basically impossible to know how much your emergency dental care will cost until you come in for an exam. Rest assured – we’ll thoroughly explain the estimated costs beforehand to ensure you know exactly what to expect.

Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money

young woman brushing teeth

Did you know that most dental emergencies are the result of untreated decay, infection, or damage? By investing in routine dental checkups and practicing good oral hygiene, you can potentially save thousands of dollars over the years! Another way you can save money is by contacting your emergency dentist in Virginia Beach as soon as you become aware of dental pain or a damaged tooth. It’s worth noting that the costs for treatment will only grow larger the longer you wait to address the problem. If you get your issue looked at right away, you can avoid needing more expensive and invasive procedures down the line.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

dental insurance form on table

Short answer: yes, most dental insurance plans do offer some form of coverage for emergency dental care. Typically, at least one annual emergency exam is fully covered under certain policies. Common services often associated with dental emergencies (i.e., tooth extractions, root canal therapy, dental crowns) are also eligible for partial coverage, ranging anywhere from 50-80% in most cases. Of course, every plan is different, and you must consider yearly maximums and deductibles. That’s why you should confirm the details of your coverage with an insurance provider before committing to treatment. If needed, our team at Smile by Design of Virginia Beach will be more than happy to help you with that part of the process.

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

professional explaining financing options in Virginia Beach

We understand that not everyone has dental insurance, which is why we offer an additional financing option to make the cost of emergency dentistry in Virginia Beach a bit easier to manage. At Smile by Design of Virginia Beach, we work with CareCredit, a third-party financier that offers low-cost payment plans. The best part? Many of them have little to no interest! With this option, you can split up the total cost of your treatment in smaller monthly installments to make even the most expensive procedures affordable.

Are you or someone you know experiencing a dental emergency? Don’t hesitate to contact our team at Smile by Design of Virginia Beach for assistance. Not only can we get your smile back on the right track, but we’ll work with you to create a treatment plan that suits your budget perfectly!

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Woman with healthy smile after toothache treatment in Virginia Beach

It’s always a good idea to know how to handle dental emergencies, but you’ll be even better off if you can avoid these situations in the first place. While dental emergencies cannot be prevented entirely, you can take a few simple precautions to dramatically reduce your risk. The good news is that these are things you should already be doing to maintain a healthy smile. Below, you’ll find the five easiest ways to prevent dental emergencies in Virginia Beach.

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Visit Your Smile by Design of Virginia Beach Regularly for Checkups

Man visiting his Virginia Beach emergency dentist for checkup

Ideally, you should visit us for routine checkups and cleanings at least twice a year. That way, our dentists can detect potential emergencies early enough that we can stop them in their tracks. Believe it or not, many dental problems are practically unnoticeable in their earliest stages. Our dentists’ highly trained eyes and advanced dental technology can spot these issues and address them before they result in a painful emergency down the line.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home

Woman smiles while brushing to prevent dental emergencies in Virginia Beach

Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time to keep your pearly whites healthy. We highly recommend using a toothpaste that contains fluoride, as this mineral strengthens your tooth enamel and makes you less susceptible to cavities. Flossing at least once per day is a great way to remove pieces of food from between your teeth that might otherwise attract harmful bacteria. If you really want to go the extra mile, consider rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash as part of your oral hygiene routine. It could clean parts of your mouth that your floss and toothbrush can’t reach.

Eat a Nutritious Diet

Man eating a watermelon to prevent dental emergencies in Virginia Beach

Eating and drinking too much sugar makes it easy for oral bacteria to produce acids that cause gum disease, tooth decay, and more. Sweets are fine in moderation, but be sure to consume plenty of mouth-healthy foods too. Fruits and vegetables like apples, celery, and carrots are good choices because their fiber-rich skins clean your teeth as you chew them. Additionally, dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese contain calcium, which strengthens your teeth and jawbone.

Protect Your Pearly Whites

Woman wearing a mouthguard to prevent dental emergencies in Virginia Beach

Everyone knows to wear a helmet when playing contact sports, but did you know you should wear a mouthguard as well? This appliance fits over the teeth and minimizes the damage if impact should occur. Our practice can make a custom mouthguard that fits the unique contours of your teeth and provides more effective protection and a more comfortable fit than store-bought options. Similarly, you should wear a nightguard if you tend to clench and grind at night; it will protect against long-term wear and tear.

Always Use the Right Tools for the Job

Closeup of patient using bottle opener to prevent dental emergencies in Virginia Beach

Opening bottles or cracking nuts with your teeth might seem like a smart idea, but it’s actually anything but. One little slip and you could seriously damage your teeth or gums, sending you straight to an emergency dental office in Virginia Beach. To protect your smile, it’s worth taking a few moments to grab the bottle opener, nutcracker, or any tool specifically made for what you’re doing. Teeth aren’t designed to do anything more than chew food, so tasks like these can quickly spell disaster.

Dental Emergency FAQs

Smiling female patient visiting emergency dentist in Virginia Beach, VA

Learning more about dental emergencies and how they’re treated can help you make the right decisions when every second counts. We encourage you to let our team at Smile by Design of Virginia Beach know if there’s anything you want to ask about our emergency services as well as what to do when a dental emergency strikes. To help you get started, check out the FAQs below. They cover many of the topics that our patients ask about regarding urgent dental care.

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Do Toothaches Ever Go Away on Their Own?

There are different causes of toothaches. While some issues take care of themselves (such as irritated gum tissue near the tooth root), generally speaking, you shouldn’t expect a toothache to go away on its own. Oftentimes, the problem lies in an infection that will only get worse unless it’s properly addressed by a dental professional. The best thing to do if you have a toothache is to schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible so our team can narrow down the cause and figure out if any issues need to be treated before the problem becomes more serious.

Should I Call the Emergency Room for a Dental Emergency?

For most dental emergencies such as toothaches or missing teeth, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our office. An emergency room likely won’t have doctors trained in dealing with these specific problems, and they often lack the equipment necessary to treat them effectively. That said, you should call the emergency room for life-threatening emergencies such as:

  • Fractured or dislocated jaw
  • Severe cuts or lacerations in your face or mouth
  • Swelling that affects your ability to breathe or swallow

Are Knocked-Out Baby Teeth an Emergency?

Some parents aren’t sure whether to call the dentist if baby teeth are knocked out, as they’re supposed to fall out at some point anyway. In some cases, it may not be a problem, but you’ll want to schedule an appointment as soon as possible so that we can check to see if there was any damage to the jaw. Furthermore, if a baby tooth comes out before it’s supposed to, it could lead to problems like a permanent tooth erupting too early or with the wrong alignment. If a child has lost a tooth and is also suffering from excessive bleeding or damaged jaw, take them to the emergency room first; once the immediate danger has been dealt with, we can address the missing tooth.

What Does Chronic Bad Breath Mean?

If bad breath doesn’t go away, it’s often a sign of a larger oral health issue. This can include cavities, gum disease, dental infections, and other conditions that put your oral health at risk. We recommend calling our office if you have bad breath that lasts for more than a few days; even if you aren’t experiencing any dental pain, it’s still a good idea to have an expert check to make sure there aren’t any problems that need to be addressed.

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