Emergency Dentistry – San Antonio, TX 

We’re Here to Help Stop Your Dental Pain

Woman looking at smile during emergency dentistry visit

When you have a true dental emergency – such as an extremely painful toothache or a tooth that has been knocked entirely out of your mouth – you need attention from an expert immediately. Putting it off will only make the situation worse. Call our dental office immediately to set up an appointment with Dr. Patel; our team will immediately take steps to help you manage your pain and repair any damage that has been done to your smile with emergency dentistry in San Antonio, TX.

Why Choose HIC Dental - Implant & Family Dentistry for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day, After-Hours, and Weekend Appointments
  • Always Transparent About Your Needs
  • Nitrous Oxide and Oral Conscious Sedation

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Woman in need of emergency dentistry holding cheek in pain
  • Set up a same-day appointment: We can arrange to see you right away if you’re currently dealing with a dental emergency. We offer after-hour and weekend emergency appointments so that you can get the help you need no matter when your emergency strikes.
  • Comprehensive emergency exam: When you arrive at our dental office, we’ll get to work examining your mouth to figure out the source and extent of the emergency at hand.
  • Review findings: After we’ve narrowed down what the problem is, we can consider what treatments are available and discuss our recommendations with you directly. We’ll explain how much a given treatment will cost and how long you can expect it to take so that you can make decisions that are right for you and your smile.
  • Get the care you need: This step is different for everyone. Some people only need fillings or a similarly simple restorative procedure, whereas others might need root canal therapy to get them out of their pain. Whatever the case, we’ll make it our priority to treat the problem as quickly as possible so that you can get your oral health back to normal.

 

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

There are two broad kinds of dental emergencies: those caused by poor oral hygiene and those caused by accidents or trauma. Whatever led to your emergency, you’ll need to get professional help quickly if you want to keep your smile safe for the long term. Below are some particularly common emergencies that you might have to deal with at some point in your life.

 

Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry

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You need to have emergency dental treatment performed as soon as possible, but you should also confirm that you’ll be able to pay for it. When we’re discussing the services that are recommended for your specific dental issues, we’ll answer any questions you might have about the costs you can expect. We’ll make sure that you understand the financial aspect of your care upfront so that you aren’t caught off guard when it’s time to pay later.

Every Dental Emergency is Different

Man visiting emergency dentist in San Antonio, TX

One patient might need a filling as part of their emergency treatment. Others might require root canal therapy. In certain situations, it might even be necessary to have the tooth removed so that it can be replaced. In short, there are many different kinds of emergency treatments that we may recommend; as such, you won’t know for sure how much you can expect to pay until an expert has looked at your mouth.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

Dental insurance form on a crowded desk

When you have an urgent oral health situation, what can you expect from your dental insurance company? Most plans will pay for an emergency exam, and they typically cover a percentage of the cost of a variety of restorative procedures. Many of the treatments that are often part of emergency dental care receive 50% to 80% coverage on average.

Are you not sure how your own dental insurance plan works when it comes to emergency care? Our team can help you navigate your policy so that you’re fully aware of your benefits and how they can be used.

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

Various dental tools next to a calculator

You never want to feel doubtful about being able to pay for dentistry, and that’s especially true when you need emergency care. We work with CareCredit to bring our patients flexible financing for important treatments. Even without insurance, you’ll find it easier to pay for your care with a CareCredit plan that breaks up the cost. One advantage of CareCredit financing is that there are several plans to choose from, and many of them have low interest rates or even no interest at all. 

Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money

Woman in red shirt brushing her teeth

While dental emergencies are unfortunately nowhere near as uncommon as most people would like to believe, many of them are in fact avoidable. If you maintain good oral hygiene practices and visit your dentist for routine care, you can lower your risk for various oral health issues – and therefore may not have to pay to have them treated in the future.

But what if you’re already noticing signs that indicate something is wrong in your mouth? In that case, you should call our office immediately for an emergency appointment. It’s usually less expensive to have dental issues treated while they’re in their relatively early stages; more advanced problems tend to be more complicated to address and thus carry a higher cost.

 

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Digital illustration of dental implant

Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to avoid the accidents that can lead to dental emergencies. There are, however, plenty of steps that you can take to keep your smile as safe as possible. Keep reading to learn a few we recommend to our San Antonio patients!

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

To keep your teeth and gums healthy, you need to make time for at least two dental visits every year. This ensures that serious oral health concerns are caught in the initial stages and that others are prevented with periodic, thorough cleanings. Of course, if you’re experiencing any abnormal symptoms between visits, like a persistent toothache or inflamed gums, then we recommend coming in much sooner. That way, we can treat the root of the problem before it necessitates emergency dentistry.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home

Your at-home oral hygiene routine is crucial, so make sure you’re brushing and flossing every day. Remember, the products you use and timing matter. In addition to using a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste with fluoride, you should be brushing for a full two minutes each morning and evening. It’s also worth noting that taking care of your smile at home extends to being gentle with your teeth and avoiding habits that could damage them. That includes not biting your nails, chewing on ice, or engaging in any other unhealthy dental habits.

Stick to a Nutritious Diet

In short, what you eat matters. Foods that are starchy or high in sugar can lead to tooth decay, which can be painful and leave your teeth vulnerable to cracks and chips. Similarly, tortilla chips, peanut brittle, raw nuts, and other crunchy foods can cause damage. That’s why we recommend filling your plate with nutrient-dense, smile-friendly foods as often as possible, including yogurt, cooked vegetables, oatmeal, and fresh fruit.

Wear a Mouthguard

If you participate in sports, then you should have a custom mouthguard for practices and games. This appliance may be small, but it can provide your teeth and gums with just enough protection to help prevent common dental emergencies, like knocked-out teeth.

Note: if you chronically grind or clench your teeth, then a mouthguard may be helpful as well!

Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth

If your teeth are strong and sharp, you may be tempted to use them to open things, like a bag of chips. However, this can introduce unwanted bacteria to your mouth and put immense pressure on your teeth. So, you should always locate the proper tool instead. It may seem inconvenient at the time, but it’s much better than having to drop everything to have a cracked or fractured tooth treated!

Dental Emergency FAQs

Blocks spelling FAQ sitting on a keyboard

How can you make sure that you remain calm enough to make the correct decisions while you’re dealing with an urgent dental problem? One way is to learn as much as you can about dental emergencies and how they’re treated, which makes it easier to feel prepared if something goes wrong. Our patients often ask us various questions about emergency dentistry; here are a few of the most common examples along with some helpful answers. Contact us for assistance if you have a question that isn’t listed here.

Are knocked-out baby teeth a dental emergency?

Baby teeth are different from permanent teeth in that they are supposed to come out. That means if a baby tooth is knocked out of its socket by accident, there’s no need to try and reimplant it. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a non-issue. You need to set up an appointment with us quickly so that we can make sure that there wasn’t any damage to your child’s jaw or their remaining teeth. We may also need to intervene to prevent dental issues like overcrowding.

My chipped tooth doesn’t hurt. Do I still need to visit?

You won’t always feel pain when your tooth has been damaged, and if it has been chipped it’s likely okay to wait a day or two to see a dentist. That said, ignoring it altogether is never an option; you still need a professional to check the tooth to make sure that the inner pulp is safe from infection. Furthermore, having the tooth restored could be essential for stopping further breakage. In short: you should always call us if you have a chipped tooth regardless of whether it hurts or not.

What does chronic bad breath mean?

Plenty of people have bad breath early in the morning or after eating garlic and certain other foods. Bad breath that’s constantly present, on the other hand, is not normal. Oftentimes, it’s a side effect of some manner of dental issue, such as advanced tooth decay.

If bad breath lasts for more than a few days, it could potentially mean something is wrong with your smile. Call our office as soon as you can to schedule a consultation.

Can superglue be used to repair broken dentures?

Trying to fix dentures on your own typically isn’t advisable, and using superglue to do so is an even worse idea. It contains a number of highly toxic chemicals, making it a hazardous substance to put in your mouth. And even if you ignore the health risks, it’s not a very effective solution. Superglue doesn’t have a very long lifespan when it’s kept in a moist environment (which includes a mouth filled with saliva), so any repairs you make are extremely unlikely to last in the long term.

Instead of using superglue on your dentures, call us to see about having them replaced or fixed. 

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Toothaches  

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Toothaches are often dismissed by patients. However, the pain is often the result of an untreated oral health issue. That’s why we encourage you to keep an eye out for symptoms that warrant same-day treatment, including a pimple-like bump on your gums, severe discoloration on the tooth, or pain when biting down. 

How You Should Handle a Toothache In addition to calling our San Antonio dental team, there are a few other ways you can handle a toothache from home: place a cold compress against the outside of your cheek, avoid crunchy, acidic, and sugary foods, and take an OTC pain reliever. Together, these proactive measures will help alleviate swelling, prevent further damage to the tooth, and keep you comfortable until your appointment.

How We Treat Toothaches Toothaches can be the result of numerous dental problems, from a small crack to a large cavity. That’s why we will begin your appointment by conducting an exam and taking X-rays. After pinpointing the root of the problem, as well as the severity of it, we will review the available treatment options, like a tooth-colored filling or dental crown.

Chipped Teeth  

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Even if you aren’t worried about the aesthetics of a chipped tooth, you should call our team to schedule an appointment. We need to make sure that the tooth isn’t at-risk of splitting further and that your other teeth and gums didn’t get damaged during the incident.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth There are three simple steps we recommend taking. First, use some clean, room-temperature water to thoroughly rinse your mouth. Second, place some sugar-free gum or dental wax over the edge of your tooth. Third, visit our team for an appointment so we can determine what the next best steps are.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth The treatment we recommend will depend on a few factors, including your smile goals, the location of the tooth, and the severity of the chip. Most often, patients choose to restore their smile with dental bonding or veneers.

Cracked Tooth  

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? A cracked tooth is absolutely a dental emergency, even if the damage is relatively minor. Not only is the tooth not at risk of breaking further, but it can also develop an infection. So, it’s important that you schedule an appointment with Dr. Patel sooner rather than later.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth The best thing you can do until you arrive at our San Antonio dental office is do what you can to protect your tooth from further damage. That’s why we encourage our patients not to eat anything crunchy, hard, or chewy until we’ve treated the tooth. You should also rinse periodically with warm saltwater to help prevent an infection from developing.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth In many cases, we can restore the look and function of a cracked tooth with a dental crown. However, that isn’t always possible. If the crack is so severe that the tooth can no longer be saved, then we may recommend extracting it. Then, we can fill the gap with a lifelike and durable tooth-replacement solution, like a dental implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth  

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? While some patients struggle with naturally sensitive teeth, others are experiencing discomfort because it’s stemming from an untreated oral health problem. That’s why we encourage you to schedule an appointment with us, especially if there are other abnormal dental symptoms present.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth The only thing you can do until we determine the root of the problem is avoid spicy, acidic, and sugary foods and beverages as well as not drinking anything hot or cold. You can also take additional measures, like switching to a desensitizing toothpaste.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth If your teeth are, in fact, just prone to sensitivity, then we can recommend a desensitizing toothpaste and provide you with a prescription mouthwash to help. If, on the other hand, gum disease, tooth decay, or another dental issue is the root of the problem, then we will need to intervene with the appropriate restorative care.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GUM DISEASE TREATMENT

Knocked-Out Tooth  

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? If you’ve knocked-out a tooth, then you should call our San Antonio emergency dentist immediately. That way, we can schedule an appointment within 60 minutes (which will increase our chances of being able to save your tooth).

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth As we mentioned above, the first step is calling our office to get an appointment. Before you arrive, there are a few things you should do. In addition to locating the tooth, you should store it in a container of milk or saliva. If neither of those are available to you, then you can also place the tooth back in its socket to preserve the root. However, this should only be done if you don’t have to force it back into place.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth Once you arrive at our office, we will see if saving your tooth is a possibility. If it’s not, don’t worry – that doesn’t mean you’ll have a huge gap in your smile from this point forward. Instead, we will discuss all of the treatment options available to you, including dental implants.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Lost Filling or Crown  

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Without the restoration securely in place, your tooth is now vulnerable to numerous issues, including an infection. So, yes, a lost filling or dental crown is a dental emergency and warrants a call to our San Antonio dental office.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown If you are able to locate the restoration, then you can store it safely in a small, clean container and bring it with you to your appointment. It goes without saying that you shouldn’t chew on that side of your mouth until you’ve received treatment as well.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns It basically comes down to two options: recementing your restoration back in place or replacing it with a new one. Our recommendation will be based on a few important factors, including if you have your dental crown and if it’s in good condition.

Broken Dentures  

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Patients often assume that a broken denture isn’t a dental emergency since it doesn’t typically result in any pain. Although that may be the case, it can still negatively impact your day-to-day life, including your ability to chew effectively. That’s why you shouldn’t wait to schedule an appointment with our San Antonio emergency dentist.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture Handling a broken denture is relatively simple: schedule an appointment, don’t wear your dentures in the meantime, and protect any broken pieces by placing them in a small, clean container. Never, under any circumstance, use super glue or another household adhesive to attempt to put them back together.

How We Treat Broken Dentures If we can, we will repair your dentures when you arrive at our office. If that’s not feasible because the damage is too severe, then we can repair your dentures or upgrade them to implant dentures.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Loose Permanent Tooth  

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, it is! There are a few reasons for this, including that a loose permanent tooth could be the result of advanced gum disease and it’s at risk of falling out entirely.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth The best thing to do (after calling us to schedule an appointment) is avoid touching the tooth. Don’t wiggle it with your finger, move it with your tongue, or use it to chew. Instead, rinse periodically with clean, lukewarm water, take an OTC pain reliever, and visit us for treatment ASAP.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth If your tooth became loose due to an infection in your gums, then we will need to intervene with gum disease treatment. If we can’t save your tooth in the process, then we will also need to remove the tooth and review your tooth-replacement options, such as a dental bridge or dental implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT GUM DISEASE TREATMENT

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue  

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Typically, injuries to the gums, lips, and tongue don’t require treatment from our San Antonio dental team.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue At home, we recommend rinsing the wound thoroughly with clean water before applying pressure to the area with a damp washcloth. Within 10 minutes, the bleeding should stop. At this point, you can reduce puffiness around the cut with a towel-wrapped icepack.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue Although patients with soft tissue injuries don’t usually need to visit us for treatment, you should head to the ER if you’ve been applying pressure for 10 minutes and the wound continues to bleed.

Jaw Pain  

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? That depends. Has it lasted for more than 24 hours? If you answered “yes,” then we recommend calling us so we can learn more about your symptoms and determine if a same-day appointment is necessary.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain From home, you can use a cold compress or towel-wrapped icepack to minimize swelling and alleviate discomfort. You can also take an OTC pain reliever, and we recommend not eating anything particularly crunchy or chewy.

How We Treat Jaw Pain To provide you with the long-term relief you deserve, we need to first pinpoint the source. Most often, it’s TMJ dysfunction, impacted wisdom teeth, or chronic teeth grinding/clenching.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TMJ TREATMENT

LEARN MORE ABOUT WISDOM TEETH REMOVAL

Something Stuck Between the Teeth  

While having something stuck between your teeth may not seem like much of an issue, it can negatively impact your oral health if the debris isn’t removed in a timely manner. That’s why we recommend not waiting to rinse with warm saltwater and clean between your teeth gently with floss. If this doesn’t work and the debris remains firmly in place, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.