Dental emergencies can make your life miserable. Not to mention, they can occur at the most inopportune times. Fortunately, right when you need dental care the most, we’ll have you covered. Dr. Mihran Asinmaz is an emergency dentist in West Palm Beach, trained in all facets of urgent dental care. Should you experience a sudden dental injury or have questions about what to do, don’t hesitate to call our office so that you can speak to a member of our team at Palm Beach Dental Excellence.
Why Choose Palm Beach Dental Excellence for Emergency Dental Care?
1-On-1 Attention from Our Caring & Experience Team
Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
Advanced Technology & Sedation Dentistry for Comfortable Treatment
Step 1: Call Our Dental Office. No matter when or what your emergency is, call us. If it’s after hours, we’ll give you instructions on what to do. For daytime emergencies, we’ll schedule you a same-day appointment and provide personalized first aid.
Step 2: Get an Emergency Exam with Dr. Asinmaz. As soon as you arrive, Dr. Asinmaz will see you and begin investigating your situation. He’ll also work on getting you out of any serious pain.
Step 3: Make a Treatment Plan. Once your situation has been stabilized, Dr. Asinmaz will review his findings with you and discuss which treatments he recommends.
Step 4: Get the Fast, Professional Care You Need. If possible, we’ll get to work right away treating your emergency, whether that’s with a filling, root canal, or something else entirely. For anxious or uncomfortable patients, we offer sedation dentistry so you can sit back and relax while we repair your smile.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
There are many different types of dental emergencies. Some come about suddenly due to an injury or accident, while others develop slowly over time until they become unbearable. No matter which category your situation falls into, our talented team is ready and able to help. Even if you’re unsure if you need urgent treatment, give us a call so we can help you determine what to do next. Below, you’ll find some of the most common dental emergencies we treat.
While in the middle of a dental emergency, most people can’t help but wonder how much it’ll cost to get relief. However, that shouldn’t have to be a factor you stress over. Stopping your pain and preventing further damage should be the primary goal, regardless of cost. For that reason, Dr. Asinmaz will only recommend treatment options that are deemed necessary for your care. If you’d like to learn more about what to expect during your visit with our emergency dentist in West Palm Beach, continue reading or give our office a call today!
No Two Dental Emergencies Are the Same Price
It may surprise you to learn that visiting our emergency dentist in West Palm Beach is relatively inexpensive. During your appointment, Dr. Asinmaz will conduct an oral examination to determine the extent of the damage. Based on his findings, he’ll create a treatment plan to get your smile back on the right track.
Since the procedures you’ll need will depend on the type of emergency you’re experiencing, it’s impossible to know how much your care will cost until you come in for an exam. Rest assured – our team will thoroughly explain the pricing information beforehand, so you know exactly what to expect.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Thousands
Did you know that most dental emergencies are the result of untreated infection or damage? By taking proper care of your teeth and gums, you can maintain a healthy smile and save thousands of dollars on urgent dental care over the years. Also, you should always contact Dr. Asinmaz as soon as you notice something wrong with your mouth. Early intervention can help you avoid needing more expensive and invasive procedures down the line.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Most dental insurance plans offer some level of coverage for emergency care. For example, at least one annual emergency exam is eligible for coverage along with the treatments associated with hurting teeth (i.e., root canal therapy, dental crowns, tooth extractions). Of course, every policy is unique, which is why you should confirm the details of your plan with your insurance provider. Our team is more than happy to help should you need additional assistance.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Don’t have dental insurance? We offer third-party financing through CareCredit to help make your bills much easier to manage. This program allows you to finance your dental care with no upfront costs, annual fees, or pre-payment penalties. You can split up the entire cost of your emergency treatment into smaller monthly installments. Plus, there’s often little to interest attached!
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Although it may seem as if dental emergencies pop up out of nowhere, the truth is that many of them are the result of tooth decay, damage, or infection that has been steadily worsening until it has reached the point of being unbearable. This means that it’s actually possible to prevent dental emergencies in West Palm Beach (at least, most of them) if you take the proper precautions. Here are a few easy ways to minimize your risk.
Visit Us for Regular Dental Checkups & Cleanings
Often, you can avoid an excruciating toothache by having the issue diagnosed and treated before it progresses that far. The best way to do that is to visit Dr. Asinmaz for a checkup every six months at most. He’ll be able to detect signs that a potential emergency is brewing and stop the problem in its tracks right then and there. Additionally, our hygienists can clear away any plaque and tartar that you may have missed at home, which significantly reduces the chance of cavities, gum disease, and other oral health problems.
Maintain a Daily At-Home Oral Hygiene Routine
Of course, your smile also needs to be kept clean in between your routine checkups! Good oral hygiene habits are your first line of defense against preventable oral issues. Make sure to brush your teeth every morning and every evening, spending two full minutes each session brushing. You should also floss at least once a day to get rid of any food particles or bacteria that may be lingering between your teeth.
Eat a Balanced, Nutritious Diet
Generally, foods that are good for your overall wellness also benefit your teeth and gums. Fruits, vegetables, and dairy products contain nutrients that promote a healthy smile. Conversely, a diet filled with processed sugars and starches increases the chance that harmful bacteria in your mouth will infect your gums and erode your tooth enamel, potentially leading to painful emergencies. Your smile will thank you if you make healthier dietary choices!
Protect Your Teeth with a Mouthguard
Research suggests that almost half of all dental emergencies are sports-related, but just because they’re common doesn’t mean they can’t be prevented. An athletic mouthguard can greatly reduce the impact on your teeth in the event of a blow to the face during a sports game or practice. Therefore, you’re less likely to deal with a knocked-out tooth. You can and should also wear a mouthguard if you grind your teeth at night. Chronic teeth grinding (also known as bruxism) can weaken your teeth over time, leaving them increasingly susceptible to fracture. While you can find over-the-counter mouthguards for cheap, a custom-made guard from a dentist will be much more protective, not to mention comfortable.
Avoid Using Your Teeth as Tools
If you’re like most people, you’ve used your teeth to pop the lid off of a bottle, crack nuts, or open a long-awaited package. These habits may seem harmless at first, but they can all too easily break a tooth, especially if you do them regularly. Don’t put your smile at risk by doing something that can be done with the right tool. Taking a few moments to grab the right object for the job can save you a whole lot of trouble!
Dental Emergency FAQs
How Do I Know When to Go to the ER and When to Go to the Dentist?
Even though you may think that visiting the emergency room is a foolproof plan when addressing a dental emergency, it actually isn’t. While the ER can prescribe you antibiotics and medication to ease your discomfort, there are rarely dentists in these settings who specialize in oral healthcare, limiting the treatments that they’ll be able to provide you with. In many cases, patients who visit the ER just need to turn around and go to an emergency dental office the following day. That’s why we recommend calling your emergency dentist in West Palm Beach first if you’re wondering who can provide you with the care you need.
That being said, we recommend visiting the ER if you’re experiencing any symptoms that affect your ability to breathe or swallow because these can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention.
How Can I Bring Down Facial Swelling?
If your face is swollen due to trauma, you can place a cold compress on it for 10 minutes on, 10 minutes off, for up to an hour.
Will My Toothache Go Away on Its Own?
As much as you want your toothache to just disappear on its own, this isn’t likely to happen without treatment. In cases where a tooth is severely infected, the pain may go away, but that’s because the nerves within the tooth have died, not because it has healed. In this case, you may need to have a tooth extraction. Our team recommends visiting our dental office as soon as you notice any oral discomfort to avoid worsening oral health problems like this.
My Chipped Tooth Doesn’t Hurt. Do I Still Need to Visit an Emergency Dentist?
Even though your chipped tooth may not hurt, it’s important to have it examined and, if necessary, repaired to prevent it from becoming infected. When the enamel is no longer covering the outer layer of a tooth to protect the more vulnerable inner layers, you’ll be at a higher risk of developing an infection because harmful oral bacteria will have direct access to the inner portion of your pearly white.
Toothaches
Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Tooth pain comes in many different forms. Sometimes, it’s a minor issue, and in other cases, it’s linked to a severe, urgent dental problem. Your toothache needs immediate attention if:
The pain refuses to go away and increases in severity.
You feel pain when you touch the tooth or use it to bite or chew.
You notice bleeding gums or inflammation (signs of periodontal disease or infection).
There is a weird taste or persistent bad odor in your mouth.
Your jaw has become swollen.
If you’re not sure whether your tooth pain constitutes an emergency, it’s best to err on the side of caution and call for an appointment right away.
How You Should Handle a Toothache: Clean out your mouth by rinsing it with warm water. Floss to remove any food caught between your teeth. Take ibuprofen or another kind of over-the-counter medication to reduce the pain. Do not apply aspirin directly to the aching tooth or the gum tissues. Use an ice pack to reduce swelling around the affected tooth.
How We Treat Toothaches: There are different ways to treat a toothache based on what caused the pain in the first place. We might need to place a filling or a crown if there’s a cavity or extensive dental damage. Root canal therapy can be performed if there’s an infection. Sometimes pain is linked to gum disease, in which case periodontal therapy is recommended. Tooth extraction is only performed as a last resort if there’s no other option.
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? A chipped tooth may not be considered an emergency, but it’s not something that should be ignored either. We need to see how bad the damage is firsthand to make sure it doesn’t get worse. Try to make arrangements to visit our office within a couple of days so that we can perform a full examination.
How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth: Gather any pieces that might have broken off. Even a small chip can allow bacteria to infiltrate the tooth, so rinse with warm water immediately. Chipped teeth are often accompanied by swelling, but you can keep it down by applying an ice pack to the area for 10 minutes at a time.
How We Treat Chipped Teeth: Fixing a chipped tooth is usually relatively simple. A little bit of composite resin is generally all it takes. Veneers are also a viable option, but it depends on whether the tooth in question is visible when you smile as well as how serious the damage is. We can give you a more definite answer once we examine the actual tooth.
Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? A minor crack doesn’t have to be treated right away, but you should still have it looked at as soon as possible so that we can determine how serious it is. Severe damage, on the other hand, should always be treated as an emergency, especially if there’s pain or tooth sensitivity.
How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth: As soon as you realize the tooth has been damaged, recover the broken pieces, then rinse with warm water to clean the area. Sometimes, the area around a cracked tooth can become swollen. If you notice such swelling, put a cold compress on your face for 10-minute intervals.
How We Treat Cracked Teeth: We’ll look carefully at the damage and determine whether it can be repaired with composite resin or a dental crown. It’s always preferable to save a cracked tooth, when possible, but if we find that the damage cannot be repaired, we can extract the tooth and help you find a replacement.
Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Tooth sensitivity can be a sign of weakened enamel, exposed tooth roots, or dental damage. Mild sensitivity can be caused by overaggressive brushing or a highly acidic diet; it’s not an urgent problem, but steps should be taken to stop it from growing worse. Severe, long-lasting sensitivity that affects only one or two specific teeth should be treated as an emergency until we can figure out what’s causing it.
How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth: Call us and describe your sensitivity (how bad the pain is, what triggers it) so that we can decide if you need an appointment right away. While at home, drink lukewarm water to keep your mouth clean and avoid spicy or acidic drinks that are known to make sensitivity worse.
How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth: We may recommend using desensitizing toothpaste or prescription mouthwash to strengthen weakened or eroded enamel; we can also perform a topical fluoride treatment if needed. Sensitivity caused by gum disease or a tooth infection may call for periodontal therapy, root canal therapy, or other treatments.
Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? A knocked-out tooth is always an issue that requires immediate attention. You might lose the tooth while playing sports or as the result of an accident. It is possible to save a tooth that has been knocked out of its socket, but there’s generally very little time to do so. Waiting more than a couple of hours could mean an otherwise salvageable tooth is lost for good. In other words, you can’t afford to waste any time when you lose a permanent tooth. Call us immediately and make arrangements to be in our office in less than an hour.
How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth: After calling our office, your top priority should be preserving the tooth. Pick it up by the chewing end instead of the root, rinse it off (but do not scrub it), and try to put it back in its socket. You can also keep it in a container of milk or saliva; just don’t use water to store it, or you could end up damaging the roots.
How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth: If the tooth is still alive and hasn’t been damaged too badly, we’ll try to put it back in its socket so that it attaches to the jaw and gums. Some teeth cannot be saved and must be replaced with a dental bridge, dentures, or dental implants. We’ll do whatever is necessary to make sure you can continue to eat, speak, and smile with a full set of teeth.
Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Dental restorations such as crowns and fillings have a finite lifespan. They can become worn down, break, or fall off the tooth altogether. Call us right away if you lose a restoration; it may not be an urgent emergency, but it still needs to be corrected before your tooth becomes infected.
How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown: Keep the restoration so that we can determine whether it can be reused. Gargle with salt water to keep the area clean. Brush the area where the restoration came out very gently. Crowns can be temporarily reattached with a small amount of toothpaste. Do not chew with the exposed tooth.
How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns: We will either recement the restoration back into place or – if you’ve lost it or it has been too badly damaged – we will get a new filling or crown. In any case, it’s important to act quickly so that the tooth doesn’t suffer additional damage before we can restore it.
Is a Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Wearing a broken denture in West Palm Beach could injure your mouth, but not wearing your denture at all could prove to be a major inconvenience. You should certainly ask your dentist for help as soon as possible.
How to Handle a Broken Denture: Do not try to repair the denture on your own, and do not try to wear the broken prosthetic. Store it somewhere safe until you can visit our practice.
How We Treat Broken Dentures: In some cases, Dr. Asinmaz can repair broken dentures right here in our office. More commonly, though, it is necessary to design an entirely new prosthetic. If the latter is true in your case, you might consider this an opportunity to upgrade to implant dentures.
Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? A loose tooth in West Palm Beach may fall out altogether. You should certainly seek care as soon as possible, even if the tooth does not hurt.
How You Should Handle a Loose Permanent Tooth: Avoid doing anything that might cause the tooth to loosen further. For example, do not use it to chew hard foods, and do not wiggle it with your tongue or fingers.
How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth: In some cases, we can splint a lost tooth into place so it can firmly reattach to the patient’s body. In other cases, the best thing to do is remove the tooth and look into future tooth replacement options.
Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Cuts in the mouth’s soft tissues can bleed a lot, but they are not always serious. Depending on their severity, they may or may not require emergency professional care.
How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: Clean the cut gently with water, and use a cold compress to control any swelling. Apply gauze or a clean washcloth to stem the bleeding. If the bleeding is severe or does not stop after 10 minutes, go to the local ER.
How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue: We may clean the wound and stitch it closed. If you were injured during sports, the recommendation may be that you purchase a mouthguard to prevent similar injuries in the future.
Jaw Pain
Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Jaw pain can have various causes, ranging from minor issues to severe problems that require the help of an emergency dentist in West Palm Beach. Any new or worsening discomfort is a good reason to seek professional care.
How You Should Handle Jaw Pain: Call us and we will give you instructions over the phone. Depending on what we believe to be the cause of the pain, we may recommend that you do facial exercises, take pain relievers, or temporarily modify your diet. If you believe your jaw is broken or dislocated, go to the ER.
How We Treat Jaw Pain: You might need something simple, like a mouthguard to prevent teeth grinding. It is also possible that you will require wisdom teeth extractions, TMJ therapy, or another treatment. After we examine you, we will be able to recommend your next steps.
It can be tempting to use something sharp, like tweezers or a toothpick, to remove the object. However, doing so could injure your teeth or gums. Instead, swish vigorously with water. You can also use dental floss. Tie a knot in the floss, insert it between your teeth, and move it backward and forward, attempting to use the knot to knock the object out of place. If your own efforts to remove the object prove to be unsuccessful, give us a call. We will do everything we can to help you find relief.
