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Emergency Dentist — Denver, CO

Fast Treatment for Dental Injuries

Dental emergencies are normally sudden and unpredictable, but you can be sure that they’ll cause you a lot of pain, anxiety, and inconvenience – especially if you don’t have an expert take care of the problem in time. Dr. Luke and Dr. Kingsberg will see you as soon as they can and put their years of experience to good use figuring out the root issue of your dental emergency. That way, you can return to your routine as quickly as possible. Call us right away if something is wrong with your smile for emergency dentistry in Denver, CO!

Husband and wife laughing together after emergency dentistry

Why Choose Riviera Family Dentistry of Denver for Emergency Dental Care?

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Man with a toothache in Denver touching his face

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

What should you do during a dental emergency? Unfortunately, the term “dental emergency” is so broad that there isn’t really just one answer to that question. Some emergencies are caused by a severe infection while others are the direct result of an accident. Below are some tips that can help you perform basic first aid during some particularly common emergencies. No matter what kind of issue you’re suffering from, your first move should always be to call our dental office to schedule an appointment.

Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry

Man with a dental emergency in Denver touching his face

Naturally, emergency dental care comes with a price. It’s important to be aware of the costs involved before you agree to any sort of treatment. Sometimes only a minor filling will be required while in other situations treatments such as root canal therapy may be necessary. At Riviera Family Dentistry of Denver, the cost of your chosen form of care will be explained to you ahead of time so that you know what to expect when the time comes to pay.

Every Dental Emergency is Different

man with dental emergency in Denver

Believe it or not, visiting your emergency dentist in Denver is actually relatively inexpensive. During your appointment, our team will evaluate the extent of your condition and determine which treatments are necessary to get your smile back on the right track. Since every case is unique, it’s impossible to provide an accurate cost estimate until you come in for an exam. However, some common solutions for dental emergencies typically include root canal therapy, extractions, dental crowns, and more.  

Caring for Your Smile Can Save You Big

young woman brushing teeth

Not every dental emergency is entirely avoidable. Although some happen because of accidental injuries, the majority are the result of unchecked infection or damage. Fortunately, you can keep your smile healthy and save thousands of dollars over the years by investing in routine dental checkups. On top of that, you can avoid breaking the bank by visiting our team as soon as you notice something wrong with your mouth. Taking care of a problem right away will help you avoid needing more expensive and

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

dental insurance form on table

The good news is that most dental insurance plans offer some level of coverage for emergency situations. At least one yearly emergency exam is typically fully covered, while common services associated with hurting teeth (i.e., root canal therapy, extractions, dental crowns) are eligible for 50-80% of coverage. Of course, every policy is unique, which is why you should confirm the details with your insurance provider before committing to anything. Our team is more than happy to help with this process if needed!

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

professional explaining financing options

Don’t have dental insurance? No problem! At Riviera Family Dentistry of Denver, we offer third-party financing with CareCredit to help make your urgent dental care as affordable as possible. With this option, you can split up the total cost of your care into smaller monthly installments to make your dental bills much easier to manage. Plus, there’s often little interest to worry about, if there’s any!

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Emergency dentist in Denver smiling with a patient

In some circumstances, a dental emergency is completely unpreventable. However, most of the time, if you make the right decisions and habits in your lifestyle, you can avoid quite a few of these stressful, painful situations. The good news is that taking care of your smile can be fairly simple! With just a little bit of time and effort, you can protect your teeth and gums from damage and spare yourself the trouble and pain of a dental emergency.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Patient smiling while visiting Denver emergency dentist

Along with the American Dental Association, Riviera Family Dentistry of Denver strongly encourages everyone to come in for dental checkups and cleanings at least every six months. Even if you are diligent in your daily oral hygiene, over time, plaque can build up and solidify. At that point, only a professional can remove it. If you already have a cavity or other problem developing, then frequent checkups enable us to catch it and take care of it before it causes you pain.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home

Family preventing dental emergencies in Denver by brushing their teeth

To protect your teeth and gums from the decay and damage that can be caused by oral bacteria, you need to brush and floss every day. These daily habits may seem small, but they are essential for keeping your smile healthy and strong because they clear out food debris, bacteria, and plaque from your teeth. Fortunately, they only take a few minutes, which means anyone can fit brushing and flossing in their busy schedule!

Stick to a Nutritious Diet

Smiling woman holding an apple in her kitchen

Believe it or not, what you eat can greatly affect the kind of environment your mouth provides. Too much sugar or carbohydrates encourage bacterial growth, which increases your risk of cavities and other oral problems. On the other hand, if you drink plenty of water and have a diet filled with nutritious, whole foods, your mouth can be friendly to your smile.

Wear a Mouthguard

Person holding a mouthguard

Get a protective mouthguard for playing sports, especially those that are likely to involve contact. But even non-contact sports like soccer or basketball may involve a hit to the face and pose a threat to your smile. Although you can find generic mouthguards at any sporting goods store, these one-size-fits-all products often don’t feel comfortable, or they slip easily. Fortunately, our custom mouthguards are fabricated to fit your mouth perfectly, which means no more slipping or discomfort.

Use Tools to Open Packages, Not Your Teeth

Woman using her mouth to open a bottle

When opening packages and bottles, it can be tempting to use your teeth. However, they weren’t designed to experience this kind of stress, and they could crack or chip. Instead, find the appropriate tool and open the packaging or bottle properly. You also need to drop other bad habits like crunching on ice, biting your fingernails, and chewing on pen caps to protect your teeth from unnecessary damage.

Dental Emergency FAQ’s 

Woman with a toothache in Denver holding her cheek

When you need fast treatment for dental injuries, you can always count on our experienced team here at Riviera Family Dentistry of Denver. We know dental emergencies can be alarming, so we want to help you have as much information ahead of time as possible. That’s why we’ve gathered some of the most common questions we get about dental emergencies below. And of course, if you don’t see the answers you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to give us a call and we’ll be happy to help.

Should I go to the emergency room for a dental emergency?

Most ERs don’t have a dentist on staff at all times and they often lack the proper dental equipment. As such, they usually treat dental emergencies with pain relievers or antibiotics and then tell you to see a dentist anyways. To save a tremendous amount of time, money, and headache, you should give us a call first instead. We’ll likely be able to see you much sooner than a busy ER doctor and we have the specialized training you need to thoroughly treat your oral health emergency.

That being said, there are several situations where you should head to your local emergency room first, then give us a call once you’ve been stabilized to fix up your smile. A few of these situations include:

  • Bleeding that doesn’t stop after 10-15 minutes
  • A dislocated or fractured jaw
  • Swelling in the mouth that’s making it hard to swallow or breathe

Will my toothache go away on its own?

Teeth cannot heal themselves, so no, your toothache will not simply go away on its own. In fact, the longer you wait, the worse the pain and damage is likely to get, so it’s important to see us for tooth pain right away instead of taking a “wait and see” approach. If your toothache suddenly goes away out of the blue or your tooth goes numb, don’t cancel your appointment. In these cases, the nerve of your tooth may be irreparably damaged by dangerous bacteria. This means that even though your tooth no longer hurts, it’s in danger of falling out and spreading infection to the nearby teeth. If you have a toothache, give us a call right away so we can help you decide what to do next.

Do I need to visit the dentist if my chipped tooth doesn’t hurt?

Chipped teeth don’t typically hurt, but that doesn’t mean they should be ignored. While they don’t require immediate emergency attention, they do need to be repaired within the next few days. Tooth enamel doesn’t repair itself, and once a tooth is chipped, it’s vulnerable to further damage. An untreated chip could turn into a cracked or infected tooth, which would require more invasive and expensive treatment than simply repairing a chipped tooth. Even if your chipped tooth isn’t bothering you, you should see us right away.

What does throbbing tooth pain mean?

Throbbing tooth pain is most often a sign of inflammation inside the tooth, which is likely caused by a bacterial infection. A cavity or crack in the enamel exposes the sensitive inner layers of your teeth to debris and bacteria. Irritation, decay, or infection around or in the pulp of your tooth will cause inflammation and throbbing pain. In rare cases, a throbbing pain could be caused by excess pressure from teeth grinding or something lodged between the gums and teeth. Regardless of the cause, it’s important that you call us as soon as you can for throbbing tooth pain so we can get you the fast relief you need.

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