Emergency Dentist — Flower Mound, TX

Attentive Care When You Need it the Most

Woman in need of emergency dentistry holding cheek in pain

Toothaches, knocked-out teeth, dental damage, and missing crowns are just a few of the most common dental emergencies that we regularly treat at our dental office. When these shocking and unexpected accidents happen, it can be hard to think clearly and do what’s best for your smile, which is where we come in. Our team is highly experienced in handling dental emergencies and helping patients reduce their risk of sustaining additional oral damage. If you experience any oral pain or discomfort, don’t hesitate to contact our dental office right away for emergency dentistry in Flower Mound.

Why Choose Lauri Barge, DDS for Emergency Dental Care?

  • Same-Day Emergency Appointments
  • Friendly & Helpful Dental Team
  • Sedation Dentistry Available

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Woman holding cheek in pain before emergency dentistry
  • Give us a call right away. The sooner you contact us, the better chance we have of restoring your smile. An experienced team member will provide you with first-aid instructions over the phone to help you manage your situation in the meantime.  
  • Have an emergency exam. When you get to our office, Dr. Barge will conduct a detailed examination to identify the cause of your emergency. Based on her findings, she’ll create a custom treatment plan to get your smile back on the right track.
  • Get the care you need. During your appointment, we might be able to temporarily relieve your pain. However, you may have to return for additional services like fillings, crowns, gum disease treatment, or extraction.

 

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

If you experience a dental emergency, the first step you should always take is to contact our dental office so we can schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible. Our team will provide you with over-the-phone first-aid guidance and tips to ease your discomfort. Below, we’ve also provided some helpful advice on what to do until you reach our dental office for your visit.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies 

Man and child discussing the cost of treating dental emergencies with dental team member

The cost of your emergency visit will depend on what oral health problem is causing your pain and the treatment that we recommend to address it. For example, dental sensitivity caused by a cavity that requires a filling would cost less to address than an infected tooth that needs a root canal and a crown. That being said, our team is dedicated to transparency and wants to ensure that our patients get the high-quality and trusted care they deserve. That’s why we accept dental insurance and offer an in-house dental plan to make paying for your visit a breeze.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Mother and child flossing teeth to prevent dental emergencies

Even though you can’t completely prevent a dental emergency from occurring, there are a few ways that you can drastically reduce your risk of experiencing one, including:

  • Maintain a well-balanced diet
  • Brush and floss your teeth every day
  • Visit Dr. Barge every six months for checkups and cleanings
  • Never use your teeth to open packaging
  • Protect your teeth while playing sports
  • Invest in a nightguard if you grind your teeth

 

Root Canal Therapy

Model of the inside of a healthy tooth and tooth in need of root canal therapy

Root canals are one of the most misunderstood dental treatments around. Many patients immediately become scared when they hear that they need one due to the bad reputation they have caused by rumors and misconceptions. However, this treatment isn’t as scary as everyone makes it sound. We numb the mouth before we even begin the procedure, so you won’t feel an ounce of discomfort throughout the process. Plus, it allows us to preserve your natural dental structure by curing and strengthening your infected tooth, so you can continue enjoying your smile for countless years to come.

Learn More About Root Canal Treatment

More to Explore

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Toothaches

Is My Toothache a Dental Emergency? Although toothaches should never be ignored, there are some situations that warrant a same-day appointment with our Flower Mound emergency dentist. A few examples include: a toothache that’s persisted for more than 24 hours, a toothache that’s stemming from one tooth, and a toothache that results in discomfort when you bite down.

How You Should Handle a Toothache We recommend first calling our office to get an appointment on the calendar. After that, there are a few short-term measures you can take to help keep you comfortable, like taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, not chewing on that side of your mouth, and rinsing your mouth with a mixture of salt and warm water.

How We Treat Toothaches How we treat your toothache will depend on a few factors, including the root of the problem and the severity of the damage. After taking X-rays and conducting an oral exam, we will be able to determine which treatment is necessary to restore your tooth. In some cases, it’s simply a tooth-colored filling or dental crown. In others, the tooth needs to be extracted and replaced with a dental bridge or implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

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Chipped Teeth  

Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? A chipped tooth does warrant a call to our Flower Mound dental office; however, you may not need to come in the very same day. Of course, if you’re unsure, we can learn more about your situation and symptoms over the phone to help determine what the best course of action is.

How You Should Handle a Chipped Tooth We recommend first rinsing your mouth with clean water. This serves two important purposes: removing any shards of your tooth from your mouth and clearing the area of bacteria. The second step is placing some sugar-free gum or a piece of dental wax over the tooth to cover the sharp edge. You can also take additional measures, like taking an over-the-counter pain reliever if you’re experiencing any discomfort.

How We Treat Chipped Teeth There are several factors we need to consider in order to determine which treatment is best, like which tooth got chipped. If it’s one of the teeth that show when you smile, then veneers may be the best option. If it’s one of your molars, then a dental crown might be more ideal.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

Cracked Tooth  

Is a Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Cracked teeth can result in a lot of pain. Plus, if it’s left untreated, it can result in further damage as well as an infection. So, don’t wait to get in touch with our Flower Mound dental team.

How You Should Handle a Cracked Tooth Between now and your appointment, we recommend taking proactive measures to keep your mouth clean and your tooth safe from further harm. You can accomplish this by rinsing your mouth periodically with lukewarm water, not chewing on that side of your mouth, avoiding hard/crunchy foods, and taking OTC pain medication as directed.

How We Treat Cracked Teeth For many patients, the solution for their cracked tooth is a dental crown. This restoration is both durable and lifelike, which ensures the look and function of your tooth aren’t compromised in any way. Of course, if the crack is significant enough that the tooth can no longer be saved, then we may need to extract it and fill the open space with a dental crown or bridge.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL BRIDGES

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? Not always. However, as with any abnormal dental symptoms, we recommend calling our Flower Mound dental team if it persists for more than 24 hours. This could be a warning sign that an untreated oral health issue is the source.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth For long-term relief, we recommend scheduling an appointment with us so we can pinpoint the source and create a game plan from there. For short-term relief, you should avoid hot and cold beverages (and foods) as well as take an OTC pain reliever as directed.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth To determine the answer, we will first conduct an oral exam and take X-rays. This will give us insight into the root of the problem, like the early stages of gum disease or more extensive decay. At this point, we will review our findings with you and create a treatment plan together.

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Knocked-Out Tooth

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Out of all of the dental emergencies on this list, a knocked-out tooth is probably the most obvious one. What you may not know, however, is that we need to intervene within 60 minutes of the incident to have the highest chance of saving your tooth. So, call our Flower Mound emergency dentist ASAP.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth Handling a knocked-out tooth really comes down to three steps: schedule an appointment, find the tooth, and preserve the root. To accomplish that last step, we recommend submerging it in a small container of milk or saliva. Of course, you can also try to put the tooth back in its socket. However, if you would need to apply force to do so, don’t do it.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth If we can save your tooth by reinserting it back in place, then we will. However, if it’s too damaged to do so, then we will need to use a dental bridge or dental implant to fill the gap in your smile.

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Lost Filling or Crown

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? It is! So, if one of your restorations comes loose, schedule an appointment with us right away.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown There are a few things you should do across the board, like scheduling an appointment, not chewing on that side of your mouth, and taking OTC pain medication if you’re experiencing discomfort. For dental crowns specifically, we also recommend storing your restoration in a small, clean container and bringing it with you to your appointment.

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns Replacing a lost filling is a quick process, which is why this restoration is typically replaced instead of repaired. With dental crowns, however, we may be able to re-cement the one that fell out back in place. If you don’t have it or it’s damaged, then we will have a replacement made and adhere a temporary crown over your tooth in the meantime.

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Broken Denture

Is My Broken Denture a Dental Emergency? Since a broken denture can negatively impact your oral health as well as the look and function of your smile, the answer is a resounding yes!

How You Should Handle a Broken Denture First, don’t wear your broken dentures. Instead, store them somewhere safe, like a small, clean container, and use your backup pair in the meantime.

How We Treat Broken Dentures Sometimes, the damage is so minor that we can repair your dentures at our office. Other times, we need to restore your smile with a new set or dental implants.

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Loose Permanent Tooth

Is a Loose Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? Yes. After all, if left alone, the tooth can become more and more loose until it falls out completely. So, don’t wait – contact our Flower Mound dentist right away!

How You Should Handle Loose Permanent Teeth The top priority is taking proactive steps to prevent additional damage, like not chewing anything crunchy or touching the tooth with your tongue or fingers.

How We Treat Loose Permanent Teeth First, we will see if we can save your natural tooth by using a dental splint. If that’s not possible, then the best choice for your oral health may be removing the tooth and putting a dental bridge or implant in its place.

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Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue a Dental Emergency? Although soft tissue injuries can result in a bit of discomfort and a lot of blood, they typically can be handled at home.

How You Should Handle an Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue First, go to the sink and rinse your mouth thoroughly with clean, cool water. Once you can clearly see where the cut is, apply pressure to the area with a damp washcloth or clean gauze until the bleeding stops.

How We Treat Injuries to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue If the cut continues to bleed after 10 minutes of applying pressure, then you should seek medical attention at the ER.

Jaw Pain

Is Jaw Pain a Dental Emergency? Jaw pain doesn’t usually warrant a same-day visit to our office for treatment. With that said, we do recommend scheduling an appointment with us if your discomfort has persisted for more than 24 hours.

How You Should Handle Jaw Pain Until your appointment, there are a few ways you can alleviate your discomfort, including eating soft foods, using a cold compress, and taking OTC pain medication as directed.

How We Treat Jaw Pain That depends! If your jaw pain is the result of an impacted wisdom tooth, then we will need to remove it to provide you with long-lasting relief. If it’s due to chronic teeth grinding, then we will have a custom mouthguard made to protect your teeth.

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

First, let’s discuss what not to do, like use tweezers, a toothpick, or any other sharp objects. Instead, try rinsing your mouth thoroughly with warm saltwater before cleaning between your teeth with floss. If the debris isn’t budging, that’s okay – schedule an appointment with us so we can help!