Emergency Dentist — Fort Worth, TX

Every Dental Emergency is Different

No two dental emergencies are alike. They can take many forms and range in severity. As a result, there isn’t a set fee for an emergency visit. Instead, the amount you can expect to pay will depend on your specific needs. Your dentist in Fort Worth will perform an initial consultation to create a treatment plan, such may include:

• Root canal therapy
• Tooth extractions
• TMJ therapy
• And, more!

We’ll take the time to explain the fees associated with your plan, so you’ll know exactly what you’ll need to pay before moving forward with your treatment.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

Every insurance policy is unique, but most dental plans offer coverage for emergency services. After paying your monthly premiums, your policy may include one emergency visit per year. You can use your benefits to offset the amount you need to pay out-of-pocket for certain steps in your treatment, like the consultation and imaging. Once you’ve reached your annual deductible, your dental insurance can pay as much as 50% to 80% of the cost until hitting your yearly limit. We’ll work on your behalf with your insurance company to maximize your dental insurance to lower the amount you will pay.

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

Besides using your dental insurance, our office accepts many payment options to keep your care within your budget, including:

• Traditional Methods: We accept all forms of traditional payments, including cash, check, and most major credit cards.
• Third-Party Financing: You are given the funds required for your treatment based on your credit’s approval. You’ll repay the amount using a flexible payment schedule.

We will explain all your options during your consultation. If you have any questions about using your dental insurance or paying for emergency services, contact our office to speak with a member of our team.

Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money

You can’t always prevent needing an emergency dentist, but you can take certain steps to avoid one. The best way to stop a dental emergency from occurring is with a commitment to your oral hygiene. Caring for your smile at home and visiting your dentist regularly keeps common oral health issues at bay, like tooth decay. It is estimated every $1 spent on prevention can save as much as $50 on restorative and emergency services.

If an issue arises, don’t wait to have it treated. Without quick care, the problem will continue to worsen until it requires immediate attention. Instead of only needing a quick fix, you might require a more costly procedure to save your tooth.

Visit Our Dental Office Regularly

You might actually be headed for a dental emergency right now without even realizing it! That’s because tooth decay and infections often develop beneath the surface for several weeks or months before they start to hurt. By that point, there’s a high possibility that irreversible damage has already been done. Luckily, regular dental checkups can often stop these emergencies in their tracks. Dr. Corbitt’s highly trained eyes can detect the earliest signs of oral health problems and address them before you find yourself having to schedule an urgent appointment at our emergency dental office.

Practice Good At-Home Oral Hygiene

If you don’t brush and floss often enough, it can be all too easy for bacteria-filled plaque and tartar to build up on your gums and teeth, increasing your risk for gum disease and cavities. Daily brushing and flossing can go a long way in keeping bacterial buildup in your mouth to a minimum. For extra protection against decay, we recommend using a toothpaste that contains fluoride.

Stick to a Healthy Diet

Harmful oral bacteria love to feed on sugars in the foods you eat. Unfortunately, this causes them to produce an acid that weakens your tooth enamel and inflames your gum tissue, leading to tooth decay and gum disease, respectively. While you don’t have to give up sugary foods and beverages altogether, be sure to consume them in moderation. Swap some of them out for fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, dairy products, and whole grains. These items contain vitamins and minerals that promote healthy teeth and gums.

Protect Your Teeth from Injury

A teeth grinding habit might not seem like a big deal, but over time, it can gradually wear down your enamel to the point that it breaks much more easily. That’s why you’ll want to ask Dr. Corbitt about a custom nightguard to shield your pearly whites from long-term damage due to grinding and clenching. On a similar note, you should also ask our team about getting a mouthguard if you play any sport where there’s a risk of impact to the face. It can severely reduce the risk of serious injury to your smile.

Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools

If you’ve ever been in a rush to open a package or bottle, you might have used your teeth. Even if it turned out fine in the moment, using your teeth as tools always comes with a risk of breaking a tooth, scratching your gums, and more. Keep your smile safe by taking the time to use the right tool for the job instead.

I Don’t Know If My Symptoms Count As An Emergency—What Should I Do?

Not every dental emergency is as obvious as a cracked or knocked-out tooth. While it’s usually easy to identify injuries that need immediate attention after an accident, dental emergencies that stem from long-term poor oral hygiene or bad habits can be more difficult to identify. If you begin to experience new, uncomfortable, or worrying dental symptoms, give us a call right away. We’ll assess your situation over the phone to determine how urgently you need to be seen, schedule your appointment accordingly, and give you personalized first-aid advice.

When Should I Go to the ER Instead of an Emergency Dentist?

You will almost always save time, money, and hassle by coming to us first for your dental emergency instead of going to the ER. However, there are some circumstances that need to be stabilized at your local emergency room before we repair your smile, such as:

• Dislocated or broken jaw
• Bleeding that hasn’t stopped after 10 minutes
• Swelling in the mouth, face, or jaw that makes it difficult to breathe or swallow

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency?

Your smile should never cause you pain, so any type of dental discomfort should be investigated in a timely manner. Thankfully, most toothaches are the result of small, non-emergency issues like cavities. However, some tooth pain indicates a serious problem that needs immediate attention. Your toothache qualifies as a dental emergency if it is accompanied by:

• Visible damage
• Discoloration
• Severe pain that’s lasted longer than a day
• A small pimple-like bump on the gums
• Discharge between teeth
• Loose teeth
• Signs of infection, such as swelling, fever, or fatigue

Do I Still Need to See the Dentist If My Toothache Goes Away?

If your toothache suddenly goes away, you still need to come in for your emergency appointment. When a tooth goes numb, the nerve inside of it may be damaged or infected. In these cases, even though the pain is gone, the problem is still getting worse. You need to come see us right away to keep the tooth from falling out and prevent the issue from spreading to the rest of your teeth.

How Can I Manage Dental Pain?

There are plenty of ways to manage your dental pain until you can reach our office. Try rinsing your mouth out with warm salt water to clear away bacteria, wash away debris, and ease inflammation. You can also apply an ice pack or cold compress for 10-minute intervals to minimize swelling and numb the discomfort. Over-the-counter pain relievers like Ibuprofen and Tylenol are good choices for managing tooth pain as well, but remember that these are only just temporary solutions. You need to come see us to address the cause of your dental pain and ensure it doesn’t get worse.