Emergency Dentistry West Loop Chicago
We’ll Address Your Urgent Dental Issues Fast
When a medical emergency appears, you don’t think twice about whether you need to get to a hospital emergency room or doctor as soon as possible. The same should be true when it comes to emergencies that affect your smile as well. Dr. Hammes is ready to handle your urgent dental concerns when you call for emergency dentistry in our West Loop Chicago dental office, so don’t put off the essential treatments you need to prevent your emergency from getting worse.
Why Choose Washington Dental Care West Loop for Emergency Dentistry?
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
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Weekend Visit - Highly Experienced Dentists Dedicated to Your Comfort
I Need a Checkup & Cleaning I Need a Dentist for My Child I am Concerned About Bleeding Gums I Have a Cavity or Broken Tooth I am Missing One or More Teeth I Want to Enhance My Smile I Want a Straighter Smile I am Interested in Sleep Apnea I Have Pain in My Jaw View Our Services
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
- Call our dental office for an emergency exam: The moment you get in touch with our dental office, we can get you scheduled for an emergency appointment the same day you call in most cases. Furthermore, even if we aren’t able to get you in immediately, a team member will be ready to offer first-aid tips over the phone ahead of your arrival.
- Get an emergency exam: Once you arrive, our dentists will perform an emergency exam to find out the source of your symptoms. This process may involve digital X-rays or CBCT scans if needed.
- Reviewing our findings with you: After the exam is complete, we’ll break down our findings, recommend a treatment plan, and break down the cost estimates and expected timeline with you directly.
- Scheduling your future care: Depending on the emergency you’re experiencing, we may need to schedule additional appointments after your emergency visit. Common services we may consider include dental fillings, crowns, root canal therapy, and extractions (as a last resort).
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Our dentists are trained to treat a variety of dental emergencies, which is why it’s important to seek professional care the moment you feel something's not quite right with your smile. If you notice any of the following, give us a call and read on to learn how to best manage these situations before you arrive.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
Even if you need urgent dental care, you may hesitate due to the price. More specifically, you might be worried the cost of emergency dentistry in West Loop Chicago is too high. That said, you needn’t worry too much — Washington Dental Care West Loop will only recommend necessary services. (After all, our core goal is to stop your pain and prevent further damage.) Furthermore, Dr. Hammes and the rest of the team will work to ensure any treatment fits your budget. To learn more about such things, read the summary below or call our office today!
Every Dental Emergency is Different
An emergency dental visit isn’t pricey in itself; it only assesses your health and determines the treatment you need. To know the other costs, our office has to see you in person and understand your problem’s source. Based on our findings, we can then suggest procedures like:
- Root Canal Therapy
- Tooth Extraction(s)
- Dental Crown(s)
- Tooth Filling(s)
- TMJ Therapy/Treatment
Still, don’t feel afraid of a diagnosis. Not only will we explain our conclusions, but we’ll also recommend a treatment plan and its estimated costs! That way, you’ll have a chance to review your financial options beforehand.
Smile Care Saves You Money
Some dental emergencies stem from unavoidable injuries, but most result from infections and decay. Investing in regular checkups and at-home oral care, then, could save you lots of money in the long run. Doing so would keep a potential emergency at bay!
At the same time, you should treat a damaged tooth sooner rather than later. Whatever the initial costs, these prices will only grow larger with time. For instance, quickly fixing a toothache could mean the difference between a root canal and an extraction! The former service saves your pearly white, while the latter removes it and involves costly replacements.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Fortunately, most insurance plans offer coverage for dental emergencies. Some policies cover at least one yearly emergency exam, not to mention 50-80% of services like root canals and extractions.
However, every plan is different, and yearly maximums can come into effect. Therefore, confirm matters with your insurance company before committing to treatment. Our team can even help with this process.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
Of course, there’s a chance you don’t have dental insurance. (Or maybe your policy doesn’t cover emergencies.) Even if that’s true, though, Washington Dental Care West Loop has other ways to make emergency treatment affordable. Consider the following:
- Special Offers: As of now, our office is running a special offer for emergency care. By redeeming it, you can get a dental emergency exam for only $99!
- Membership Plan: For a moderate yearly fee, patients can sign up for an in-house plan that includes complimentary services. One such included service is an emergency exam.
- Flexible Financing: Thanks to CareCredit and Alphaeon, patients can pay for treatment in monthly installments. That way, you’d cover the costs over time instead of all at once.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
Preventing an urgent dental situation is typically much easier than having to treat one. While not all dental emergencies are predictable, it never hurts to practice a few key habits to reduce your overall risk. Not only can this save you time and money from needing costly treatments, but it can also help you avoid unsettling and stressful complications in the future. Read on to learn a few tips on how to prevent dental emergencies in West Loop Chicago!
Visit Your Dentist Routinely
Your dentist is perhaps your biggest ally when it comes to preserving and protecting your pearly whites. By scheduling checkups and cleanings every six months, they’ll be able to monitor your oral health and address any developing issues they might detect. This means you could effectively prevent more serious complications, such as tooth decay, gum disease, and infections from starting in the first place. They’ll also polish your smile after removing plaque and tartar, which will help lower your risks of an emergency.
Practice Good Oral Hygiene At Home
In between your appointments, you’ll need to implement a solid oral hygiene routine every day. This will typically involve brushing twice a day for two minutes, flossing daily or after every meal, and rinsing with mouthwash regularly. This will help remove debris, food particles, and harmful bacteria from your teeth. Be sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid weakening your gumline and fluoridated toothpaste to preserve the strength of your enamel.
Maintain a Nutritious Diet
The meals you consume play a major part in your oral health. Not only will you want to minimize sugary, starchy, and acidic foods in your diet, but you might consider avoiding hard and crunchy snacks that can damage your teeth. Try maintaining a diet consisting of soft and nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, cooked veggies, dairy products, and lean proteins.
Wear a Mouthguard
Do you like playing contact sports where there’s a risk of getting hit in the face? If so, you should invest in protective mouthguards. These custom-made dental appliances can cushion your pearly whites and significantly decrease your chances of ending up with a damaged or knocked-out tooth. Not only will this keep your teeth safe and healthy, but it’ll also prevent you from needing costly dental treatments later on.
Use Tools, Not Your Teeth, to Open Packages
Do you tend to use your teeth to open bottle caps? Do you bite your fingernails when you’re nervous? While these habits might seem harmless, they can easily land you a visit to your emergency dentist. Instead of risking a cracked or broken tooth, make sure to keep tools handy to avoid the temptation. The only thing your teeth should be used for is eating, talking, and smiling!
Root Canals
In the event that you have an infection inside your tooth, Dr. Hammes can perform root canal therapy to remove your infected tissue, stop your discomfort, and save your tooth as well as prolong its life. Once the infected pulp inside the tooth is removed, Dr. Hammes irrigates and shapes the canal, replaces removed tissue with gutta percha, then places a temporary crown. Over the next week or so, a permanent crown is made so it can be placed at a later date.
Wisdom Teeth Extractions
Those experiencing pain in the back of their mouth may need to have their wisdom teeth removed. Not only is this essential to stop discomfort but it’s also important to remove problematic wisdom teeth because they put you at higher risk for oral infections. The way we approach your wisdom tooth extraction entirely depends on whether it has erupted, is trapped underneath the gum tissue, or is impacted (i.e. trapped underneath an existing tooth).
Learn More About Wisdom Teeth Extractions
Dental Emergency FAQs
How long can a restoration be temporarily attached?
Temporary restorations are designed to last for a week or two – just enough time for your final one to be made. So, even if it feels secure, don’t postpone the next step of the treatment process. Doing so can lead to everything from pain when biting down to an infection or persistent dental sensitivity.
How should I sleep with tooth pain?
Avoiding crunchy foods at dinner, taking OTC pain medication 30 minutes before bed, and keeping your head elevated throughout the night will all help alleviate your discomfort. However, these are only short-term solutions. To get the long-lasting relief you deserve, you should schedule an emergency exam with our team at Washington Dental Care. That way, we can pinpoint both what’s causing your tooth pain and the best way to address it.
Do chipped teeth heal?
Unfortunately, the answer is “no.” Although enamel is incredible in many ways, it is unable to regenerate. So, if you chip a tooth – even if the damage seems minor – you should contact our Chicago emergency dentist. From there, we can restore the missing structure, ensuring the look, health, and function of your smile aren’t compromised for long.
Will my toothache go away on its own?
If your toothache is the result of a chip, crack, or cavity, then it will not go away on its own. In fact, if it does subside after days, weeks, or months of causing you pain, then there’s a good chance that the nerve of your tooth has died. At that point, it’s extremely important that you come in for a same-day exam so we can start the process of restoring your tooth before your surrounding teeth and gums are negatively impacted.
Should I visit the emergency room first for dental emergencies?
There’s a common misconception that dental emergencies can be handled at the ER. However, hospitals rarely have dentists on staff. That’s why it’s best to only go to the ER if you’re experiencing potentially life-threatening symptoms, like trouble swallowing, extreme facial swelling, or difficulty breathing. If you’re dealing with a toothache, a damaged restoration, or something similar, then your first call should be to your dentist.
Can I fix dentures that are broken in half?
You cannot fix dentures that are broken in half at home. That’s because repair kits that are sold online aren’t effective, and adhesives (like superglue) contain toxins that are not safe to ingest. So, if your denture has a hairline crack or it has shattered into multiple pieces, the next best step is the same: give us a call.
Is my tooth pain from an infection?
It’s possible! Of course, it could also be from something else, like decay or a fracture. That’s why we recommend coming in for an emergency exam. That way, we can pinpoint the root of the problem and provide you with a recommendation on how to move forward.
