Emergency Dentist — Broken Arrow, OK

Solutions for Relieving Dental Pain

One moment your smile might feel perfectly fine, the next it could be in extreme pain. Dental emergencies strike when you least expect them to, and they require immediate attention. Our team at Berkshire Dental Group of Broken Arrow will see you as soon as possible to help you find relief and get to the root of the problem. There’s no time to lose when your teeth and gums need urgent care – call us immediately as soon as you notice a significant oral health issue for emergency dentistry in Broken Arrow.

Why Choose Berkshire Dental Group of Broken Arrow for Emergency Dental Care?

  • Dental Office with Advanced Dental Technology
  • Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
  • One Stop for a Full Menu of Dental Treatments

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Woman smiling and giving thumbs up after emergency dentistry

First things first, you should contact us to explain your symptoms. An experienced team member will provide instructions to help you manage your situation at home. Depending on the extent of your emergency, we’ll pencil you in that very same day.

When you get to our office, we’ll conduct an oral examination to determine the best treatment method. Once we identify the root of the problem, we’ll do everything we can to relieve your pain. Don’t worry – we’ll review your options with you and explain the costs involved. After a treatment plan has been created, we will ensure you receive the quick and compassionate care you deserve.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies come in all forms. Some are caused by not brushing and flossing properly while others are the result of sudden accidents. The type of dental trauma you’ve suffered will determine the kind of care you need. We will be sure to give you some tips for managing your situation before you get to our dental office. Below, you can learn about some basic steps to keep in mind for emergencies that a lot of people experience.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies 

Dental team member discussing cost of treating dental emergencies with patient

You should focus on stopping your pain and saving your teeth during a dental emergency; we can discuss the costs once we’ve determined the treatments needed to protect your oral health. The overall cost of care will vary based on what services are recommended, and we’ll take the time to discuss how insurance and third-party financing can be used to help you pay for treatment without breaking the bank or upsetting your monthly budget to a severe degree.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Woman flossing teeth to prevent dental emergencies
  • Focus on keeping the mouth free of plaque by brushing twice a day with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride-based, ADA-approved toothpaste.
  • Use dental floss to clean the spaces between the teeth.
  • Be aware of habits that could damage the teeth like chewing fingernails and avoid them.
  • Do not bite, chew, or crunch hard foods like popcorn kernels, ice cubes, and peppermints.
  • Wear a mouthguard for playing sports or keeping the teeth safe from nighttime grinding.

Root Canal Therapy

Animated tooth through the root canal therapy process

Root canal therapy is the process of removing the central pulp and other soft tissues from your tooth. This is a necessary step if there’s an infection that’s causing severe pain or putting the entire dental structure at risk. Some people are afraid of root canal therapy, but the procedure actually causes very little discomfort, and in the long run it helps ensure that the treated tooth can still be used for eating, speaking, and smiling.

Learn More About Root Canal Treatment

Tooth Extractions

Man sharing smile after tooth extractions

Some teeth are so badly decayed that they cannot be saved even with a root canal. And in some cases, so much damage has been done that a crown cannot be placed at all. These are a few of the circumstances where a tooth extraction might be called for. The decision to remove a tooth is never one we make lightly or hastily; we’ll always consider other options before recommending an extraction as a way to protect your oral health.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Dental Emergency FAQs

Woman with a toothache

Dental emergencies can be alarming and stressful to deal with, so it’s understandable that you have some unanswered questions. We’re here to help! Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we receive about dental emergencies in Broken Arrow. If you don’t see the information that you’re looking for below, don’t worry. Give us a call, and we’d be happy to address any questions or concerns that you have.

Will my toothache go away on its own?

Toothaches don’t usually go away on their own, so it’s best to schedule a checkup with a dentist just to make sure nothing is wrong. There are many different reasons for toothaches, so you will want to rule them out as soon as possible. Doing this can help you to catch underlying problems before they become more serious.

How should I sleep with tooth pain?

It can be difficult to get quality sleep at night when you’re dealing with tooth pain. Until you can see your dentist in the morning m keep your head elevated. This will prevent blood from rushing to your head and intensifying your toothache. Additionally, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed. A cold compress can also help to numb your discomfort.

Can the emergency room remove a tooth?

Only licensed dentists can perform tooth extractions. The procedure is illegal for someone without the training and education required to perform, even in a hospital setting. At best, the emergency room can provide you with antibiotics and pain medication, but that will not address the underlying issue. You will still eventually need to see a dentist. Also, a tooth extraction may not even be necessary. Root canal therapy may be able to rid you of discomfort and prevent the need for an extraction. The only way to know for sure is by visiting a dentist.

Does emergency dentistry cost more?

Generally, emergency exams aren’t particularly expensive. However, the services required to treat and manage urgent dental problems incur their own costs. You certainly don’t want to put off necessary care, as it could lead to higher costs in the future if the issues aren’t addressed as soon as possible. If you don’t have dental insurance, you may want to consider our Dental Membership Plan or CareCredit to make your treatment more affordable.

More to Explore

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Toothaches  

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? If you’ve heard that toothaches can be ignored, please know that’s not the case. On the contrary, your pain receptors are designed to let you know that something is wrong – so don’t dismiss them! Instead, give our team a call, explain your symptoms, and schedule an appointment with our Broken Arrow emergency dentist.

How You Should Handle a Toothache Scheduling an appointment with us is an important first step. We also recommend taking a few other steps to prevent further dental damage, including rinsing with warm saltwater periodically and not chewing anything particularly crunchy on that side of your mouth.

How We Treat Toothaches We have a few options when it comes to treating toothaches, and the one we recommend will depend on the root of the problem and how severe it is. In most cases, we can restore the look, health, and function of your tooth with a dental filling, dental crown, or root canal therapy.

Chipped Teeth  

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? Even if you’re not worried about the aesthetic drawbacks of a chipped tooth, we recommend getting in touch with us. Our top priority is making sure the tooth isn’t at risk of becoming infected or splitting down the middle. With that said, you may be able to wait a day or two for an appointment if the chip is relatively small.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth A chipped tooth can result in some unpleasant sensitivity, which is why we recommend covering it with some dental wax or sugar-free gum in the meantime. This also has another benefit: it helps protect your tongue, lips, and gums from soft tissue cuts.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth To restore the look and function of your smile, we have a few options, including porcelain veneers and cosmetic dental bonding. We can provide you with our recommendation based on important information like the size of the chip and the location of the damaged tooth.

Cracked Tooth  

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? A cracked tooth is a dental injury that should not be ignored, even if the damage seems minor. Remember, that tooth is vulnerable to breaking further and developing an infection. So, it’s of the utmost importance that you call our Broken Arrow dental office right away.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Effectively handling this dental injury comes down to a few important steps: schedule an appointment for treatment, rinse your mouth with clean water periodically, don’t chew on that side of your mouth, and take OTC pain medication as directed.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth Saving your natural teeth is always our first priority. So, if we can protect your cracked tooth with a dental crown, we will. However, if the damage is so severe that it’s better to extract your tooth, we will take that route instead. The good news is that we offer several lifelike tooth-replacement options, including dental implants.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? If you’re experiencing dental sensitivity when drinking your morning cup of coffee or having a scoop of ice cream after dinner, then we do recommend scheduling an appointment with our Broken Arrow emergency dentist. While a same-day appointment may not be necessary, we do want to conduct an oral exam soon to make sure an untreated oral health issue, like gum disease, isn’t the source.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth Until we determine what the long-term solution is, the best thing to do from home is avoid drinking hot/cold beverages as well as hot/cold foods. If your sensitivity is causing extreme discomfort, then you can also take an OTC pain reliever as instructed.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth We won’t have a recommendation until we’ve thoroughly examined your teeth and gums. Once we have, we can determine what the next best steps are, from treating a cavity with a tooth-colored filling to healing your gums with gum disease treatment.

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Knocked-Out Tooth

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? If you’ve knocked out a tooth – whether in a car accident, a sports accident, or something in between – you need to call our Broken Arrow dental office and come in for treatment within the hour. That way, we have the highest chance of saving your tooth.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth Amid a serious dental injury like this, it can be difficult to know what to do, which is why we recommend calling us ASAP. In addition to setting aside time for you to come in for treatment, we will walk you through what to do until your appointment. A few examples include picking the tooth up by the crown and storing it in a small container of milk for safekeeping.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth When you arrive at our office, we will examine your mouth as well as the condition of your tooth to determine if we can reinsert it. If we can’t, don’t worry – we offer multiple advanced tooth-replacement solutions, including dental implants. As a result, we can effectively restore the look and function of your smile even if we can’t save your natural tooth.

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Lost Filling or Crown

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Yes, both a lost filling and a lost dental crown are dental emergencies. As with the previously mentioned oral health issues, we recommend calling our Broken Arrow dental team right away to explain your situation and schedule an appointment.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown To keep your restoration safe, we recommend placing it in a small, clean container or bag. Additionally, you shouldn’t eat anything crunchy to protect the tooth from damage, like a chip or crack. Lastly, rinse your mouth thoroughly with lukewarm water periodically and take an OTC pain reliever if needed.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns If you don’t have your restoration or it was damaged in the time it took you to get to our office, that’s okay – we can replace your dental filling or crown with a new one. If, on the other hand, you have your dental crown and it’s in good condition, then we will also see if re-cementing it back in place is an option.

Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? It is! Although you may not be in pain, a broken restoration can severely limit your day-to-day activities, like eating. For that reason, we recommend scheduling an appointment ASAP with our Broken Arrow emergency dentist.

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture It’s very important that you don’t wear your dentures when they are broken. Instead, place them carefully in a clean container or bag for safekeeping.

How We Treat Broken Dentures When you come in for your appointment, we will assess the damage. If we can, we will repair your dentures. If we can’t, then we will have a new one made or replace yours with dental implants.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTURES

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes, a loose permanent tooth is a dental emergency! Call us ASAP so we can intervene before the tooth falls out completely.

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth Don’t touch your tooth with your finger, eat anything crunchy, or do anything else that can cause it to loosen further. If needed, take an OTC pain reliever to alleviate discomfort until your appointment.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth Fortunately, there are some cases where a loose permanent tooth can be saved. If the damage is so severe that that’s no longer an option, don’t worry – we can use a dental bridge or implant to restore your smile.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Usually, soft tissue injuries like these can be handled from home. However, you’re still welcome to call our Broken Arrow dental team with any questions you have!

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue Once you realize you’ve injured your gums, lips, or tongue, go to the sink and rinse your mouth with clean water. Then, use a washcloth that’s been dampened with some water to apply pressure to the cut.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue Although we typically don’t treat soft tissue injuries, you should go to the ER if your cut has been bleeding for more than 10 minutes, even after applying pressure.

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Sometimes. We often encourage patients to get in touch with us once it’s persisted for more than 24 hours, if it’s making it difficult to eat, or if it’s present in tandem with other abnormal dental symptoms.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain For short-term relief, you should stick to soft foods, use a cold compress for 10 minutes at a time, and take an OTC pain reliever.

How We Treat Jaw Pain Jaw pain could be a symptom of a variety of issues, which is why our Broken Arrow emergency dentist needs to take X-rays and conduct an oral exam first. Then, we can determine the best way to proceed.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Having something lodged between your teeth can be incredibly uncomfortable. Fortunately, you should have everything you need to handle this situation from home! Start by dissolving some salt in warm water and swishing the mixture around in your mouth for about 30 seconds. Then, grab some floss and gently clean between your teeth. If this doesn’t work, call us – we can schedule a time for you to come in.