Emergency Dentist — Lake Zurich, IL
Quick Dental Care When You Urgently Need It
Severe dental pain and serious oral injuries require urgent treatment. When you call Grand Dental – Lake Zurich for an emergency, we’ll do everything we can to book your visit as soon as possible. You can even reach us after hours for emergency dentistry at our Lake Zurich office. So, you can trust us to provide gentle first-aid that helps your mouth heal! That being said, go ahead and contact us soon!
Why Choose Us for Emergency Dental Care?
- A Dental Team That’s On-Call for Emergencies
- Various Forms of Sedation Dentistry
- Saturday Appointments Available
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
You shouldn’t panic if you’ve never had urgent oral care before. Our team at Grand Dental – Lake Zurich can walk you through its basics. In particular, you should expect four things from an emergency dental visit:
- Same-Day Appointment – After you contact us, we’ll put you down for our earliest available slot. (There’s a good chance you’ll see us for a same-day visit!) From there, our team can offer first-aid tips over the phone while you wait.
- Emergency Exam – Once you’ve arrived at our office, we’ll conduct a quick emergency exam. Doing so confirms the source and extent of your problem. (At the same time, this assessment helps us know how to reduce your pain.)
- Findings Review – Following the exam, our dentists will share preliminary findings. They’ll then suggest possible procedures. Our team will draft a custom treatment plan based on your feedback. (To be clear, we’ll detail your treatment’s price and timeframe before you commit.)
- Needed Care – When the treatment plan is drafted, we’ll begin addressing your issue. You can also expect good results – we’re ready to give you fillings, root canal therapy, or anything else you need. As such, your smile will quickly and thoroughly get back on track!
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Really, a dental emergency pretty much always strike when you least expect it. That means you should see us quickly for urgent oral issues. Thanks to our team’s training, we can treat a wide range of common dental emergencies. Therefore, we’ll definitely help you take control of the situation. In the meantime, our staff can offer personalized advice for your problem until you arrive for care.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
Of course, the cost of dental emergencies varies. We can’t know the treatment price until we see a patient’s mouth and learn the cause of the problem. Even when two individuals come in with the same issue – a knocked-out tooth, for example – the solution used to fix the issue will likely differ in process and price. Our team at Grand Dental – Lake Zurich is here to help all patients better understand the cost of emergency care, so no one should ever hesitate to ask.
Every Dental Emergency is Different
When faced with a serious dental injury, it’s important to remember that treatment will be different for each person. It’s also worth noting that seeking professional help is highly recommended, even if an individual is fearful of how much it might cost. Waiting to see if the problem heals on its own is never a good idea because of the potential issues that can develop, causing worsening symptoms and poor oral health.
The emergency visit itself usually does not cost much, if anything, when using dental insurance. Even without a private plan, seeing a trusted professional is far better than avoiding treatment altogether. Once a complete consultation is provided, a thorough cost estimate can be provided.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Dental insurance companies emphasize preventive care, but they also understand that accidents can happen. This is why many offer one free emergency exam each year. This allows a patient to see their dentist for a sudden dental injury at no cost.
Once an established plan is in place, though, the individual’s dental insurance company will pay anywhere from 50-80% of the total cost, depending on the type of restorative treatment that is needed. The amount provided also depends on whether the person has met their deductible – something that is required before insurers will agree to pay their share.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
At Grand Dental – Lake Zurich, we never want a patient to go without emergency dental care because of the cost. Instead of avoiding an examination because a person is not enrolled in a private dental insurance policy, there is the option of applying for the Grand Advantage Plan, which is a uniquely designed program for Grand Dental patients. By paying an established fee each year, patients gain access to preventive services as well as discounts on all other available treatment options.
There is also the option of applying for flexible financing through CareCredit. With multiple plans to choose from, patients can avoid high upfront costs and instead spread out their payments over several months.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
Although we understand that not all dental emergencies can be avoided, many of the most common ones related to oral health and hygiene can be minimized. Some helpful tips to keep smiles fully intact and free of decay include:
- Practicing a good oral hygiene routine at home that includes brushing twice daily, flossing at least once before bedtime, and rinsing with an ADA-approved mouthwash.
- Keeping regularly scheduled dental checkups and teeth cleanings every six months with our dental team.
- Wearing protective mouth gear while engaging in contact and non-contact sports.
- Eating healthy, nutrient-rich foods that are beneficial for both a person’s oral and overall health.
- Limiting sugars and starches to reduce the risk of dental decay, cavities, and gum disease.
- Never using teeth as tools to open packages and containers.
- Giving up smoking and other unhealthy habits like chewing on ice or one’s fingernails.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
There are a few ways you can reduce the chance of a dental emergency. Good oral hygiene and regular dental checkups are a must, of course, but you can also protect yourself from dental accidents by wearing a mouthguard while playing sports (or at night if you grind your teeth). You should also drop bad oral habits like using tobacco or chewing on ice. To get a better idea of what you can do to minimize your risk and keep your smile looking and feeling healthy year after year, read below.
Keep Your Regular Dental Appointments
Meeting with your dentist in Lake Zurich for regular six-month dental checkups and teeth cleanings is essential. Identifying decay at its earliest signs as well as gum disease and oral cancer will improve your chances of enjoying greater oral and overall health in the future. Otherwise, you may be left with a diseased or decayed smile that causes toothaches, infections, and even tooth loss – all considered dental emergencies.
Keep Brushing and Flossing
Whether you’re 5, 55, 5, or 105, good oral hygiene is highly effective in reducing the chances of a dental emergency. Brushing for two minutes each morning and night as well as flossing once daily and rinsing with an antimicrobial mouthwash will eliminate bad oral bacteria, reducing your chances of dental decay, cavities, gum disease, and the need for restorative care.
Be Mindful of What You Eat
It can be tempting to reach for snacks filled with sugars and starches, but if you want to avoid a serious toothache that is the result of plaque and tartar accumulating on your teeth and around the gumline, stick to a nutrient-rich diet. Lean meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy, leafy greens, and more are all positive foods to choose from that will benefit your smile and body, helping you to remain energized, healthy, and eager to approach each day.
Wear a Mouthguard to Protect Your Teeth
Sports-related accidents are some of the most common reasons people need to see an emergency dentist. Knocked-out, chipped, and even broken teeth can occur because of a lack of protection around the mouth. With an athletic mouthguard, these potential injuries can be avoided. Also, with a custom nightguard, our team at Grand Dental – Lake Zurich can reduce the chances of worn tooth enamel caused by teeth grinding at night.
Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth
Waiting to find the scissors to cut open a bag might seem like a waste of time, but the truth is that allowing this type of tool to do its job minimizes the risk of you damaging your teeth by trying to tear it open yourself. Teeth are not meant to be used for anything other than eating a meal or speaking. Attempting to bite down, tear open, or use your teeth in any other way increases your risk of injury.
Dental Emergency FAQs
An emergency dentist in Lake Zurich is a person’s go-to ally in the battle against decay, infection, and damage. They’re also prepared to equip patients with the tips and techniques necessary to avoid further damage to their smiles and overall health. This is why we’ve pulled together questions asked by our patients. If after reviewing these dental emergency FAQs patients still have concerns, we invite everyone to contact our office. Our team will be happy to help.
Will My Toothache Go Away On Its Own?
It’s unlikely that a toothache will go away on its own. To avoid worsening symptoms, it’s always best to schedule an appointment with a member of our dental team. This will allow us to rule out any other issues that may be the cause of the pain. By identifying problems early on, we can mitigate the chances of more timely, costly, and serious restorative dentistry. If we discover there is damage to the inside of the tooth, we will likely recommend root canal therapy as a way to alleviate the risk of undergoing an extraction.
Can the Emergency Room Remove a Tooth?
Only licensed dentists can extract problem teeth. It is actually illegal for individuals without the proper training and education to perform this type of dental procedure. If a person goes to the emergency room because of tooth pain, the only solution received will be antibiotics or pain medication; however, this does not address the underlying cause of pain. Depending on the severity of the issue, either a root canal or extraction may be required.
Do Chipped Teeth Heal?
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, but it is not strong enough to heal itself. When chipping a tooth, it is necessary for individuals to schedule an appointment with their dentist to ask about available solutions designed to treat a chipped tooth. Over time, the tooth might begin to remineralize, but this cannot be mistaken as the tooth growing back.
Should Knocked-Out Teeth Be Placed in Water?
No, it is never a good idea to place a knocked-out tooth in water. Why? Because the tooth’s root surface cells can become damaged. This type of dental emergency in Lake Zurich requires the help of a professional, but until a person reaches our office, they must either place the tooth back in its socket and hold it in place or place the tooth in a container of milk. If a person opts to use water instead, there is a good chance the dentist will be unable to save it and reintegrate it with the bone tissue.
What Does Chronic Bad Breath Mean?
Commonly referred to as halitosis, bad breath cannot be cured by brushing, rinsing, flossing, or even mints or chewing gum. Smoking, tobacco use, and dental infections are all common causes of chronic bad breath – things that can only be treated by our team at Grand Dental – Lake Zurich. The best way to know if it’s time to see a dentist about bad breath is if the smell does not dissipate after several days. If it does, it’s best to call and make an appointment with a dentist right away.