Emergency Dentist Rocky Hill

Helping Current Patients Get Out of Pain

There’s no telling what kind of challenges life will bring you sometimes. Dental emergencies like toothaches, lost crowns, and broken teeth can happen at any time. If you find yourself in one of these situations, don’t hesitate to call our dental office right away. Dr. Karpman will do everything she can to see you as soon as possible to evaluate your problem and find a solution for stopping your pain and restoring your teeth. You can trust her to be here when you need her most, offering emergency dentistry in Rocky Hill, CT!

Why Choose Dental Essentials of Rocky Hill for Emergency Dental Care?

  • Down-to-Earth, Patient-Focused Dentist
  • Wide Array of Restorative Treatments
  • Your Dental Insurance Benefits Maximized
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How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Woman holding her cheek in pain while talking to emergency dentist in Rocky Hill
  • Scheduling an appointment: Getting in touch with your dentist should always be your first move once you realize you’re suffering from a potential emergency. As a current patient, we’ll strive to see you as soon as possible. We can help you take control of the situation by offering some simple first-aid tips over the phone while you wait at home.
  • Emergency exam: As soon as you arrive, a team member will bring you to one of our operatories so that a dentist can meet with you and perform an emergency exam. If needed, we may also capture digital X-rays in case the cause and location of your symptoms cannot be easily identified.
  • Reviewing our findings: Once we have helped you stabilize and gotten you out of pain, our team will provide a recommended treatment plan to handle your emergency, prevent symptoms from coming back, and get your oral health back to normal. We will always break down your estimated costs and expected timeline so you’re never taken by surprise and can make an informed decision about your care.
  • Giving you the care you need: The most common treatments we recommend for dental emergencies include dental fillings, crowns, root canal therapy, and extractions, but other services may be suggested, if appropriate.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies come in many forms, all of which have varying symptoms that can be alarming. Knowing is half the battle in any dental emergency, which is why it’s always a good idea to educate yourself on what constitutes one ahead of time. From there, you can call our office, get scheduled, protect your teeth from further damage, and ease any pain you might be experiencing related to these common oral health issues.

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? Broken, chipped, or warped dentures are inconvenient and can take quite a toll on your everyday life. More than that, however, wearing broken dentures can injure the soft tissues in your mouth and cause jaw problems! That’s why we treat broken dentures as a dental emergency, so don’t hesitate to contact us right away.

How to handle a broken denture:  Avoid wearing your dentures until we can see you. Store them in water or cleaning solution and be sure to bring them with you to your appointment. DO NOT try to repair them yourself with household products like super glue. Items like these can make you sick if used on something that goes in your mouth.

How we treat broken dentures: Minor damage or bending of dentures can sometimes be fixed with a simple realignment or dental bonding. We may need to replace the broken parts of your denture, or we may recommend replacing the denture entirely. You may also want to take this chance to consider switching to implant dentures.

Learn More About Dentures

Learn More About Dental Implants

Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a loose permanent tooth a dental emergency? Permanent teeth should always be firmly in place, but a sudden injury to the mouth or the progression of gum disease can knock them loose. Whether your tooth has been shoved partially out of place or has been gradually getting looser over time, you need to call us as soon as you can.

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: Do NOT chew with that tooth or attempt to push it back into the socket, as it could result in further damage. Avoid touching it with your fingers, tongue, or anything else. If needed, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever or use an ice pack to manage swelling and discomfort.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: If the tooth is loose from a traumatic accident, we will do everything we can to stabilize the tooth so it can heal. We may recommend a custom athletic mouthguard. If the tooth is loose due to gum disease, you may need periodontal therapy. However, if the tooth cannot be saved, we may need to extract it and discuss your replacement options.

Learn More About Athletic Mouthguards
Learn More About Periodontal Therapy
Learn More About Your Tooth Replacement Options

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? An injury to the soft tissues in your mouth can be painful, alarming, and bleed a lot, but they are not usually an emergency. If you cannot stop the bleeding within 10-15 minutes or you think your jaw may be broken, go directly to your local emergency room. If you feel concerned about your injury at all, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: Place firm pressure on the area with a clean gauze pad or cloth. If the bleeding is not under control after ten minutes, head to the nearest emergency room. Rinse your mouth with water and use a cold compress to help reduce swelling and ease discomfort.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: We can examine your mouth to ensure there are no underlying issues and that your teeth aren’t damaged. If your injury was the result of a sports accident, we will likely recommend a custom-made athletic mouthguard.

Learn More About Athletic Mouthguards

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? Jaw pain can have numerous causes, and it can interfere with your ability to enjoy your day-to-day life. If you suspect your jaw is dislocated or broken, go directly to the closest ER. Should you experience jaw pain, stiffness, or soreness, particularly in the mornings, you may have bruxism, or grind your teeth in your sleep. Give us a call to schedule an appointment so we can help. In severe cases, you may develop TMJ disorder.

How you should handle jaw pain: You can take over-the-counter pain relievers as directed on the packaging to help manage discomfort. A cold compress or ice pack placed on the jaw can help reduce swelling and numb pain, and a warm washcloth on your face before bed can help your jaw relax. Avoid chewing on hard objects or foods.

How we treat jaw pain: We’ll examine your mouth and listen closely to your symptoms to help you discover the cause of your jaw pain. We may recommend a custom nightguard to protect your mouth from nightly teeth grinding. If TMD is the culprit, we offer TMJ therapy to help you regain a comfortable, healthy smile.

Learn More About Mouthguards
Learn More About TMJ Therapy

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

A common reason for a toothache in Rocky Hill is a piece of food or some other debris getting trapped between your teeth. In this case, your first order of business should be threading a piece of dental floss through the area. Tying a knot on one end of the floss may help to knock the object loose. You can also rinse your mouth out with water to loosen the debris. If that doesn’t work, our team can help dislodge the object. Do NOT use a toothpick, tweezers, or any other sharp tool in an attempt to remove the stuck object! These could easily damage your soft tissues further or scratch your teeth.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies 

Dental patient handing a payment card to a receptionist at front desk

Sometimes, treating your emergency will be simpler than you’d expect. In other cases, though, you might need root canal therapy or another complex procedure. Naturally, the cost of care will be affected by the severity of your case and the kind of treatment you need to undergo. Remember: by having emergencies treated as quickly as possible, you can avoid further complications and thus will save money on additional care.

Why Dental Emergencies are Unique (and Affect Your Cost)

Emergency dental visits are not as expensive as you’d think. When you arrive, you’ll be examined by Dr. Karpman so a treatment plan can be developed. The goal is to get you out of pain as soon as we can, but we won’t be able to do that until we confirm what is specifically causing your dental issue. While every dental emergency has its own unique factors that will determine your final cost, it will mainly depend on the treatment that will best help your situation. For example, we usually perform the following treatments to resolve dental emergencies:

  • Root canal therapy
  • Dental crowns
  • Extractions
  • TMJ/TMD therapy
  • And more!

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

While dental insurance primarily covers preventive care, insurance providers understand that accidents happen, which is why most plans cover one emergency exam a year. The degree to which they’ll cover your treatment, however, varies based on the type of emergency you’re experiencing. Most restorative treatments are covered from 50 to 80 percent once you’ve met your deductible. Our team is more than happy to examine your policy and maximize the benefits you have available.

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

Even if you don’t have dental insurance to use for your emergency treatment, there are other options available to you. This includes CareCredit, a service that makes it possible to pay for dental treatment over the span of several months. When you qualify, you can even expect to pay little to no-interest on your payments, making it easy to accommodate emergency dental treatment into your budget.

Regardless of the situation you find yourself in, Dental Essentials of Rocky Hill is more than happy to help you navigate costs and get the best value possible, so feel free to reach out at any time for guidance!

How Staying Proactive Can Help You Save

Not all dental emergencies are avoidable, such as bad falls or sporting injuries. The good news is most of them are preventable when you take a few key steps in mind. This includes scheduling routine dental exams and cleanings as well as sticking to a strict and consistent at-home oral care routine. These steps alone do wonders for your long-term oral health because they help you prevent plaque buildup, cavity production, gum disease, and dental infections.

Additionally, you should always get in touch with our office as soon as you notice something is not quite right. This could include tooth pain, sensitive gums, loose teeth, oral bleeding, facial swelling, or any other issues related to your mouth. Putting off emergency care when you need it most is only going to increase the risks of your dental issue getting worse. If you want to reduce the number of treatments needed to protect your oral health, you don’t want to take the risk and assume your dental problem will go away on its own.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Woman smiling while flossing her teeth

Unfortunately, as we might, the risk of a dental infection or injury will never be zero. However, there are plenty of healthy habits and simple precautions that go a long way in minimizing your risk of encountering a dental emergency! Read on as we cover the five most important things you should be doing to avoid a dental emergency in Rocky Hill.

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

The American Dental Association recommends getting a dental checkup and cleaning every six months, and we heartily agree! These routine visits allow us to monitor your oral health and spot any small issues as early as possible, long before they pop up suddenly as a dental emergency. Plus, with thorough cleaning and personalized preventive care twice a year, we aim to keep these problems from developing in the first place!

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Habits at Home

Between your dental checkups and cleanings, you need to keep your teeth and gums strong and healthy with excellent oral hygiene. Cavities and gingivitis are more than annoying: these simple nuisances can grow into serious oral health issues that need immediate care. Thankfully, you can keep your oral health on track by:

  • Brushing for two minutes twice a day
  • Flossing every day
  • Rinsing with mouthwash regularly

Be Careful With Your Diet

You already know that eating too many sweets can give you a cavity. But did you know that untreated cavities can lead to dental infections and abscesses? What’s more, that same cavity-causing bacteria can attack your gums and cause a serious condition known as gum disease! Keeping sugary snacks to a minimum will be good for both your smile and your waistline. Instead, eat more foods with calcium and vitamin C, which are important nutrients that will keep your smile strong and sparkling.

Wear a Mouthguard

Are you active or play sports? Then you need a mouthguard! These simple little appliances can make all the difference when it comes to preventing broken or knocked-out teeth, and some studies suggest they can lower your risk of a concussion as well.

You may need a mouthguard while you sleep as well if you grind your teeth at night. This condition is called bruxism, and it exerts excessive wear and tear on your teeth. Aside from causing routine headaches and jaw pain, you may suddenly find yourself with a chipped or fractured tooth because of bruxism! Thankfully, a custom nightguard can give your smile the protection it needs while you sleep.

Use Tools, Not Teeth to Open Packaging

When you’re feeling lazy, rushed, or excited, it’s easy to think that using your teeth to open a package or container will save time. Though it may seem convenient at the moment, using your teeth as tools to open bags, bottles, mail, and packaging of any other sort can cause a dental emergency in the blink of an eye! Instead of putting your smile at risk, consider keeping tools like scissors somewhere easy and convenient to reach.

Dental Emergency FAQs

Will my toothache go away on its own?

Toothaches do not typically go away on their own. Because of this, it is best to schedule a checkup with a dentist to ensure that nothing serious is going on. There are many potential causes for toothache, so you’ll want to rule them out with a professional as soon as you can. By catching issues now, you can prevent them from becoming more severe in the future.

How should I sleep with tooth pain?

When you have a toothache at night, it can be frustrating to get quality sleep. Until you can see your emergency dentist, keep your head elevated. This prevents blood from rushing to your head and intensifying your toothache. Try taking over-the-counter pain relievers as directed and avoiding foods that are particularly acidic, cold, or hard before bed. Using a cold compress can also help to numb your discomfort.

Should I visit the emergency room first for dental emergencies?

Most emergency rooms are unable to address dental emergencies effectively, but there are a few exceptions. You should head to the emergency room if you have a jaw fracture or dislocation, a serious cut or laceration to the face, or an abscess or infection that has become swollen to the point of affecting breathing or swallowing. In virtually any other circumstances, you should visit a dentist for treatment instead. If you are suffering from a dental emergency, we will always do our best to see you on the same day.

Is my tooth pain from an infection?

If you have a toothache, there is a chance that you could have an infection. The only way to know for sure is to see a dentist who can capture X-rays and provide a detailed diagnosis, but here are some of the common signs of an infected tooth:

  • A tooth that feels sore
  • A throbbing toothache
  • Bitter taste in the mouth
  • Tooth sensitivity
  • Chronic bad breath
  • Red or swollen gums
  • Loosening of the teeth