Emergency Dentist — Fort Lauderdale, FL
Helping Relieve Your Pain & Restore Your Smile
When the unexpected happens, it can be stressful to handle. That’s why our dental team at Seaside Family Dentistry is happy to be by your side and offer first-aid guidance as well as same-day dental care, whenever possible. If we’re unable to immediately see you, we’ll schedule your appointment as soon as we’re able to. Many emergency dentistry patients are unsure as to whether or not their situation requires urgent care. If you’re in doubt, we can let you know over the phone. Typically, if you feel as though something is serious, it likely is. In any case, our experienced and friendly emergency dentist in Fort Lauderdale, FL is here for you, so don't hesitate to get in touch!
Why Choose Seaside Family Dentistry for Emergency Dental Care?
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments
- Advanced Dental Technology
- Dental Insurance Welcome & Flexible Financing Available
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
- Call our dental office right away. If you ever find yourself experiencing a dental emergency in Fort Lauderdale, make sure you call our dental office right away. We’ll get you seen as soon as possible, likely on the same day as your injury. Plus, we’ll gladly share tips to help you manage your situation in the meantime.
- See Dr. Kellner for an emergency exam. As soon as you get to our dental office, Dr. Kellner will perform an emergency exam. He’ll thoroughly evaluate your condition to identify the root cause.
- Get the care you need. Patient comfort is our utmost priority, which is why we’ll work quickly to relieve your pain. Our team will create a custom treatment plan to restore the health of your smile. Some common solutions include fillings, dental crowns, root canal therapy, and tooth extraction.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Thinking clearly in the middle of a dental emergency can be difficult, especially if you become easily overwhelmed. In any case, you should immediately contact our dental office so we can offer you advice on how to handle the situation and help minimize any pain and the possibility of additional oral damage. While you wait for your appointment, here are some tips to help you out.
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies tend to come out of nowhere. Whether you’re chewing on your favorite food or simply going for a walk, you could bite the food the wrong way or take the wrong step and next thing you know you’ve got a broken, chipped or even completely knocked-out tooth! Regardless of the circumstance, you’re unlikely to be thinking of cost when you’d rather just get your emergency issue settled as soon as possible. At Seaside Family Dentistry, we want to not only help you get out of discomfort, but make your care as affordable as possible. Our team is happy to go through your financial options, speak with insurance companies on your behalf, and get you on the path towards treatment!
What Affects the Cost of Emergency Dental Care?
Emergency dental treatments are generally more complicated to perform, which is why they often cost more to complete compared to a traditional exam or cleaning. However, there are certain factors to keep in mind as you get prepared to visit:
- When visiting a dental office in a larger city, the cost of living tends to be higher. This will likely be reflected in the price you pay for your care.
- The type of restorative care you receive will influence how much your dental insurance plan will cover that treatment. For example, dental fillings are often more affordable than dental crowns.
- If you have dental insurance in general, you’re more likely to pay less out-of-pocket for care.
Financial Options at Our Dental Office
There are multiple ways to pay for your emergency care, whether it’s through insurance, third-party financing, or our in-house plan! At this time, we are currently in-network with the following insurance providers:
- United Healthcare
- Delta Dental
- MetLife
- Aetna
Even if you do not currently have dental insurance, you can always take advantage of third-party services like CareCredit and Compassionate Finance. These two companies offer flexible payment plans that are paid in smaller chunks, rather than all in one lump sum.
Additionally, our dental office provides an in-house membership plan that does away with the pitfalls of traditional insurance, helps you save money on treatments, and allows for smaller payments over the course of several months.
Why Scheduling a Consultation Now Matters
When you have a dental emergency, the last thing you want to do is put off care. Since urgent dental issues do not get better on their own, it’s essential that you don’t skip emergency visits to the dentist when you need care. Not only will your issue continue to worsen over time, but the costs you’ll need to pay to get it handled are likely to increase the longer you wait. Remember, if you only need minor services to address your emergency and you have insurance, your plan is likely to provide more coverage.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Although you probably never expect one to happen to you, dental emergencies are quite common. Unfortunately, they often occur without any warning, but there are some ways you can help prevent an unplanned trip to your emergency dentist. You can take a proactive approach to help lessen the likeliness of a dental emergency by following 3 simple tips.
Commit to Your Dental Hygiene
Many dental emergencies are the result of an untreated issue, like tooth decay. You can help prevent the unexpected by keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Your toothbrush and floss are your first line of defense against preventable complications, like cavities and gum disease. It’s best to brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes each session. You should also floss in between each tooth and around the gum line nightly.
Besides caring for your smile at home, it’s also recommended you see your dentist at least twice a year for a cleaning and checkup. This allows us to remove harmful buildup while also detecting concerning areas sooner to prevent them from worsening.
Eat a Balanced Diet
A healthy diet is essential for more than just a trim waistline. It also influences your smile. It’s best to limit your consumption of sugary foods and drinks to lessen the risk of tooth decay. If you give in to your sweet tooth, be sure to brush and floss your teeth. If you can’t get to your toothbrush, rinse your mouth with water.
It’s best to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, and proteins. If you need a snack, choose low-fat dairy products, like yogurt or cheese. You should also drink plenty of tap water instead of juices, sodas, or sports drinks.
Protect Your Teeth from Trauma & Grinding
Many dental emergencies occur suddenly, like from a fall or accident, which can lead to a knocked-out, broken, or dislodged tooth. Sadly, you can’t predict when an injury will occur, but you can help protect your smile during certain situations, such as when playing sports. An athletic mouthguard creates a protective barrier for your teeth and oral structures in case there’s an impact on the face or mouth. Research also shows an athletic mouthguard can help reduce your risk of concussion.
Besides accident or injury, you can also protect your smile from bad habits, like grinding and clenching. They place unnecessary strain on your teeth, leading to enamel erosion that can cause a broken, fractured, or loose tooth. A nightguard prevents friction between the upper and lower teeth to prevent damage that can lead to a dental emergency down the road.
Dental Emergency Frequently Asked Questions
Even under the best of circumstances, dental emergencies are never ideal. If you’re like most people, you probably don’t really know how to handle the situation. As a result, you might be at least slightly panicked. Fortunately, your dentist in Fort Lauderdale, Dr. Kellner, has more than a decade of experience treating dental emergencies. For your benefit, we’ve taken the time to answer some of our most frequently asked questions about emergency dentistry. If you have a question that you don’t see answered on this page, just give us a call and ask!
What Constitutes a Dental Emergency?
There are a wide variety of dental problems out there that could be considered emergencies. Because of this, it can be difficult to discern which ones warrant urgent care. The most common signs that you have a dental emergency on your hands are:
- Serious pain
- Bleeding from the mouth
- Broken, loose, or missing teeth
You may not be sure whether your situation counts as an emergency. Just to be on the safe side, it’s best to give our dental office a call anyway. We can determine whether you’re dealing with an emergency and administer treatment if necessary.
Should I Call the Emergency Room?
In an emergency, you may be tempted to call the hospital instead of your emergency dentist. This is usually the right thing to do if you have a broken or dislocated jaw, experience uncontrollable bleeding, or have difficulty breathing. For most other emergencies, though, you’re much better off contacting our dental office.
Most emergency rooms don’t have a dentist on staff to deal with specific oral health concerns. The best they may be able to do is prescribe antibiotics or pain medication. Dr. Kellner can actually get to the bottom of your discomfort and effectively treat it.
Will My Tooth Have to Be Removed?
If you’re suffering from an intense toothache, you might be under the impression that the best way to alleviate the pain is to pull the tooth. However, tooth extractions are typically only done after we have exhausted all other treatment options. This is because missing teeth come with a whole host of oral health problems, like jawbone deterioration that increases your risk of further tooth loss. Not to mention, missing teeth can be costly to replace. For this reason, we will try to save your tooth at all costs. If we are unable to do so, we will make sure the extraction process is smooth sailing for you.
Do I Still Need Treatment If My Toothache Goes Away?
At first, you might be relieved if your tooth pain subsides on its own. However, if your toothache was due to an infection, your problem is far from over. It typically means the decay has spread to the center of the tooth and infected the nerve, damaging it to the point where it no longer sends pain signals to the brain. We will try to save your tooth with root canal therapy, but if that proves unsuccessful, we may need to extract the tooth altogether.