I Have a Dental Emergency. What Should I Do?

A woman experiencing a dental emergency as she holds her jaw in pain.

Dental emergencies affect millions annually. Some of the reasons you might have a dental emergency include the following:

  • A blow from an object
  • Car accidents
  • Inadequate dental care
  • Poor dental health
  • Slips and falls

When you have a dental emergency, you may wonder what you should do and whether you should go to a hospital emergency room. While ERs can help manage your pain, the best thing to do is to find a dentist who provides emergency dental care.

Call Absolute Dental at (844) 876-4536 to confirm which locations accept emergency walk-in patients. (844) 8‑SMILE‑NOW
(844) 876‑4536

What Is Considered A Dental Emergency? 

Common dental emergencies include the following:

  • A broken tooth
  • Abscesses
  • Broken crowns
  • Cracked teeth
  • Damaged enamel
  • Foreign objects stuck in teeth
  • Loose teeth
  • Lost fillings
  • Knocked-out teeth
  • Soft-tissue damage to your gums
  • Toothaches

Symptoms of dental emergencies include the following:

  • Bleeding gums
  • Breaks or cracks
  • Nerve exposure
  • Pain
  • Swollen gums, jaw, or mouth

Dental emergencies include damage to the surface of a tooth, chipped teeth, and injuries making it possible to touch the root of a tooth. Your teeth help maintain tooth alignment in your mouth and protect your jaw and gums from damage. When you’re missing a tooth, you can develop other dental problems, such as alignment issues and periodontal disease, and increase the risk of severe health issues, such as heart disease.

Is A Broken Tooth A Dental Emergency?

A broken tooth is a dental emergency because the damage may spread without prompt treatment, resulting in tooth loss. The break makes it possible for bacteria to infect the pulp, and this infection can spread to your gums, bloodstream, and heart. 

Is A Loose Dental Implant An Emergency? 

A loose dental implant isn’t always an emergency. Checking the list for common dental emergency symptoms can help you determine whether you need to seek walk-in dental care or schedule a same-day appointment with your dentist.

Even if you aren’t experiencing symptoms of common dental emergencies, you should call your dentist and schedule an appointment to see them as soon as possible. Your dentist may be able to resolve your issues by tightening your implants. However, serious issues could mean your implant needs to be replaced. 

What Can An Emergency Dentist Do About A Knocked-Out Tooth?

Promptly seeing an emergency dentist can make the difference between saving a knocked-out tooth or losing the tooth permanently. Your emergency dentist may be able to reimplant the tooth. Saving the tooth prevents you from facing other dental costs, such as the costs of implants. It also protects your gums and neighboring teeth, preventing future dental pain and dental care expenses.

How Much Does Emergency Dental Care Cost?

Emergency dental care costs vary, depending on the severity of the emergency and the type of treatment required. 

Suppose you have an infected tooth, and the infection spreads to the roots. A root canal can enable you to save the tooth and keep the infection from spreading further. You can expect a root canal to cost anywhere from $500 to $1,500

In some cases, it isn’t possible to save an infected or damaged tooth. Extracting a tooth can cost between $75 and $800, and you may have additional costs if you need a bridge or implant to fill the gap left by the missing tooth. 

Losing a filling is a dental emergency because the filling prevents infection from spreading. When you lose the filling, you have an empty cavity inside your tooth where infection can develop, and the hole allows the infection to spread to the roots and gums. Depending on the filling materials, replacing a filling can cost anywhere from $50 to $4,500

Absolute Dental accepts dental insurance plans from many reputed insurance companies, including the following providers:

  • Aetna
  • Ameritas
  • Boon-Chapman
  • BlueCross BlueShield
  • Cigna
  • Delta Dental
  • GEHA
  • Guardian
  • Health Plan of Nevada
  • HealthSCOPE
  • Humana
  • Liberty Dental Plan
  • MetLife
  • Premier Access
  • The Standard
  • THT Health
  • United Concordia Dental
  • United Healthcare
  • The Zenith

We also accept Medicaid and Care Credit.

Where To Go For A Dental Emergency Without Insurance

Absolute Dental offers multiple financing options to ensure people can afford expert dental care. We offer discounts on standard services, and we also offer our Smile Saver Program. Smile Saver includes the cost of routine dental care and some services while reducing other dental care costs. Signing up for our Smile Saver Program can put affordable medical care within reach if you don’t have dental insurance coverage.

Call us today at 844-876-4536 to learn about our specials. (844) 8‑SMILE‑NOW
(844) 876‑4536

Where Can I Receive Emergency Dental Care? 

A woman in a dental chair smiling after being seen by a las vegas dentist for a dental emergency. The dentist is blurred out in the background.

The best way to address a dental emergency is to seek care from an emergency dentist. Whether you need emergency care in Las Vegas, Reno, or Sparks, Absolute Dental provides the care you need for your dental emergencies. 

Absolute dental's $39 complete exam plus x-rays offer Complete exam plus x-rays offer at absolute dental

Regular Price: $179

Hurry! Offer Expires: 11/30/2024

With this offer, there’s no excuse not to get back on track! Schedule a complete exam and x-rays for only $39 and ensure you have a beautiful healthy smile.

Sources:

Cost of common dental procedures. (2023). 

Emergency department referrals. (2023). 

ER or Not: Toothache. (2021). 

Tooth Loss: First Aid. (2018).

About the Author

Dentists in Las Vegas and Reno

Absolute Dental

Absolute Dental started in the Las Vegas valley with a single office and has been providing industry-leading dental care to our communities ever since.

Now at more than 30 offices across Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks, and Carson City and growing, we remain committed to offering quality affordable dental care and patient education while providing a relaxing and comfortable experience for your entire family, from the young to the young at heart.

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