Emergency Dentist — Eugene, OR
Reliable Relief When You Need It Most
If you or a loved one develop a painful toothache or sustain a dental injury, the last thing you want to do is waste precious time trying to find an emergency dentist. Fortunately, you don’t have to look far to find the fast and professional care you need—just give For Beautiful Smiles a call, and we’ll work to see you right away. We’ll quickly solve your problem and put a stop to any pain so you can get back to your life as soon as possible thanks to emergency dentistry in Eugene, OR. For reliable relief when you need it most, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Why Choose For Beautiful Smiles for Emergency Dental Care?
- Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
- Dentist Who Has Been trusted By Eugene for Decades
- Flexible Payment Options That Make Emergency Dental Care Affordable
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
Hopefully, you never have to deal with a dental emergency. However, we want you to be prepared as possible! Should you or a loved one need urgent dental treatment, follow these steps:
- Step 1: Call us as soon as you can. We do everything we can to schedule our emergency patients for same-day appointments, so don’t delay giving us a call! We’ll make room in our schedule for you and walk you through first-aid for handling your symptoms until you reach us.
- Step 2: See Dr. Sutter for an emergency exam. When you arrive, your Eugene emergency dentist Dr. Sutter will see you right away to examine your mouth and alleviate your pain. Once he’s gathered enough information, he’ll fully explain which solution(s) he recommends and work with you to create a custom treatment plan.
- Step 3: Get the gentle, fast dental care you need. Our team is ready and well-equipped to handle nearly any dental emergency, so we’ll get to work repairing your smile and protecting your teeth right away. For patients who are nervous or in a lot of pain, we offer calming sedation dentistry for maximum comfort.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
It can be easy to panic during a dental emergency, but you only need to remember to do one thing: contact our dental office. This will allow our team to evaluate your situation, give you first-aid tips over the phone, and schedule you for an immediate appointment if necessary. Until you can reach us, here are a few things you can do at home to provide some temporary relief:
Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies
Before Dr. Sutter provides any emergency treatment, he will quickly examine your mouth and go over your options, and our team will talk to you about the costs associated with each. Different emergencies call for different procedures, so prices vary from patient to patient. If you’re worried about being able to afford this type of care, our dental office is willing to work with your insurance and offers financing to help you get what you need while staying on budget.
Every Dental Emergency is Different
It is impossible to predict the cost of emergency dentistry in Eugene before we are able to perform a thorough examination. Some situations require a fairly quick and inexpensive treatment, like a small filling or prescription mouthwash. In other cases, more extensive — and more costly — treatment is necessary. For example, you might need root canal therapy or a crown. When it is used, sedation presents a separate cost. If more than one procedure might be able to relieve your pain and improve your oral health, we will help you understand the pros, cons, and cost of each option.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
Many dental insurance policies cover at least one emergency exam each year. It is also common for them to pay for a portion of the price of the restorative procedures that an emergency dentist in Eugene commonly performs. Things like fillings and simple extractions may be up to 80% covered, while major treatments may be just 50% covered. Our team is in-network with several major policies, and we can help patients take advantage of virtually any PPO insurance plan.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
We don’t want you to hesitate to seek emergency care when you need it. That is why, in addition to helping you with insurance, we are proud to partner with CareCredit. CareCredit is a third-party lender that specializes in providing low-interest and no-interest payment plans for medical and dental services. Most patients qualify for financing through it, and you may be able to choose from a range of plans so you can find a payment structure that works with your budget.
If you have any questions about CareCredit or your other payment options, our team will be happy to guide you. We strive to provide personalized, attentive service to every patient who relies on us for help.
Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money
Some dental emergencies are the result of unavoidable accidents. In most cases, though, they occur due to longstanding dental problems that suddenly begin to cause significant pain. Because insurance covers minor services at a higher rate, you can actually save money by getting such issues diagnosed and treated while they are still in their early stages. Your diligence could potentially save you thousands of dollars over the years.
Of course, it is best to completely prevent dental problems if possible. Insurance usually covers 100% of the cost of cleanings and checkups, and these routine appointments can do much to keep your smile problem-free. Thorough at-home oral hygiene can also contribute to your plan to save money on emergency dentistry.
How to Prevent Dental Emergencies
Dr. Sutter and our team are always ready to help you when you require urgent dental care. However, wouldn’t it be better to prevent the need for such care in the first place? While some dental emergencies are inevitable, most can be prevented if you take some simple precautions. Here are a few tips that can greatly reduce your chances of suffering a sudden and severe oral health problem:
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
You should make it your custom to visit your dentist every six months for a cleaning and checkup. During these appointments, our team will remove plaque and tartar from your teeth, thereby reducing your risk of decay. We will also look for any signs that you have a developing oral health problem. If we see any cause for concern, we can provide treatment before the situation develops into an emergency.
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home
Good oral hygiene habits can reduce your risk of cavities and gum disease. You should:
- Brush your teeth twice a day. Use a soft-bristled brush, and be careful not to miss the area along your gumline.
- Floss once a day. If you have questions about how to floss effectively, ask your hygienist during your next appointment.
- Drink plenty of water. Water can rinse away food particles and encourage saliva production, which is important for maintaining a clean mouth.
Be Careful with Your Diet
Overconsumption of sugary foods and beverages can easily lead to cavities, while acidic items like soda and sports drinks could erode your enamel. Extremely hard foods, such as jawbreaker candies, might cause your teeth to chip or break. It would be best to center your diet on foods that promote oral health, such as those that are rich in calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin C.
Wear a Mouthguard
If you play sports, you should wear a mouthguard to protect your teeth and other oral tissues from injury. Over-the-counter mouthguards are moderately effective, but a custom one from a dentist will prove to be more comfortable and provide a higher level of protection.
If you tend to grind your teeth at night, you might need another type of mouthguard — one that is specifically designed to prevent the upper and lower teeth from harming one another.
Do Not Use Your Teeth as Tools
It can be tempting to use your teeth to open packages, trim your fingernails, or rip the tags off of new clothing. However, doing so is unwise because teeth are not designed to handle that kind of extra stress. You could easily cause premature wear and tear on your enamel. You might even end up chipping a tooth! It would be best to use scissors or other appropriate tools for any task that you have on-hand.
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
Dr. Sutter and our team are ready to help you get your oral health back on track as quickly as possible. Before you save our number in your phone, however, you might have questions about emergency dentistry and how to handle various situations. That is why we have put together the following list of FAQs, along with their answers. If your specific question isn’t addressed here, please feel free to reach out to us directly.
SHOULD I VISIT THE EMERGENCY ROOM FIRST FOR DENTAL EMERGENCIES?
Most hospital personnel do not have the training nor the equipment to address a dental emergency in Eugene. In some places, it is even illegal for anyone other than a dentist to perform procedures like tooth extractions. In many cases, if a hospital doesn’t have an on-call dentist, the most they can do is provide some pain medication and encourage you to visit a dentist as soon as possible. However, there are exceptions to the rule. Some dental emergencies, such as broken facial bones, uncontrolled bleeding, and other life-threatening symptoms, certainly call for a trip to the ER. After the hospital provides initial care, you can visit us later for follow-up treatment.75-100 Words]
MY CHIPPED TOOTH DOESN’T HURT. DO I STILL NEED TO SEE A DENTIST?
A chipped tooth can easily worsen over time, and its jagged edges might irritate the soft tissues in your mouth. Plus, the only way to get an accurate understanding of the damage to your tooth is to visit a dentist. They can let you know if the chip is just a superficial injury or if it is affecting the inner layers of the tooth. If the chip goes beyond the enamel, you might require root canal therapy or another significant restorative treatment. Generally speaking, you should visit a dentist for a chipped tooth within a day or two if possible.
SHOULD KNOCKED-OUT TEETH BE PLACED IN WATER?
It is important to keep a tooth moist after it gets knocked out. However, it is generally best not to use water. Water could damage the fragile root surface cells of the tooth, lowering the chances that replantation will be possible. However, you can and should rinse the tooth with water to remove any debris that might be clinging to it. Thereafter, it would be wise to attempt to place it back in its socket or tuck it between your gums and cheek.
WHAT IS CAUSING MY JAW PAIN?
Jaw pain can have quite a few different causes; you should visit an emergency dentist in Eugene to gain a deeper understanding of what is happening. In many cases, jaw pain is simply the result of chronic bruxism (teeth grinding and clenching). However, it can also stem from facial injuries that never healed properly, TMJ dysfunction (TMD), and other issues. Dr. Sutter has in-depth knowledge of how both the jaw and the TMJ work, so he is well-qualified to diagnose and address your pain.
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