Emergency Dentist— Kansas City, MO

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

If you’re facing a dental emergency for the first time, please don’t panic. We’ll walk you through the treatment process so you’re prepared for your visit. In fact, expect these four things when you see us:

• A Same-Day Appointment – Once you call our office, we’ll book your visit as soon as possible. It’s even likely that we’ll see you the same day! In the meantime, our staff can provide you with first-aid tips over the phone.
• An Emergency Oral Exam – You’ll undergo an oral exam (and perhaps X-rays) once you arrive for care. That way, Dr. Byars can learn the source of your problem and the best way to relieve your pain.
• A Review of Findings – Our team will review their findings with you after the oral exam, suggesting suitable procedures while doing so. Dr. Byers will then use your feedback to draft a custom treatment plan. Rest assured, we’ll outline the cost and time of your care before you commit.
• The Dental Care You Need – After diagnosing your issue and drafting a treatment plan, we’ll quickly fix your oral issue. Our team has the high level of skill and experience needed for practical work. To that extent, we’ll fix your smile whether you need a filling, dental crown, root canal, or something else.

Root Canal Therapy

Many people hear “root canal” and panic, but if you knew how crucial this procedure is to preserving damaged tooth structure, you may see it in a different light. We use modern tools to treat inflamed nerve tissue within a decaying tooth, relieving pain and stopping an infection from spreading. After we carefully remove the nerve tissue, we fill the interior of the tooth to keep the structure intact. Special patient comfort measures, such as anti-anxiety medications, make getting a root canal just another dental visit. You can be sure that our gentle, compassionate staff will make your experience pleasant and rewarding.

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Tooth Extractions

Dr. Byars and our team will do our utmost to help you avoid tooth loss. However, there are some instances where removing a tooth is the best option to help a patient keep their smile healthy. We may recommend an extraction in the following situations:

• Severe decay or damage
• In preparation for orthodontic treatment
• Prior to creating and placing partial or full dentures
• To prevent potential crowding or impaction (inability of a tooth to erupt) that may occur due to the late appearance of the wisdom teeth

Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry

In the end, the cost of dental emergencies varies widely from one patient to the next. You’ll need to consult Dr. Byars for a precise estimate of your final treatment. However, rest assured that our team will work to make your care more affordable and budget-friendly. We’ll even walk you through your procedure’s pricing factors, the role of dental insurance, and our office’s payment options. That way, you won’t have to “break the bank” to help your smile recover.

Every Dental Emergency Is Different

No two dental emergencies are the same, so there isn’t a set price associated with emergency visits. It depends on multiple factors, like whether you require diagnostic imaging, the treatment you need, and if you choose to receive dental sedation. Based on all of these factors, our team will be able to provide you with a cost estimate after you have received a diagnosis.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

In most cases, dental insurance providers agree to cover emergency dental appointments, the amount that they cover is based on the type of treatment needed. However, every plan is a little bit different. We are proud to be in-network with Delta Dental, and we will also file out-of-network claims with your insurer as a courtesy. If you have any questions about your specific policy, give us a call.

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

If you don’t have dental insurance, this doesn’t mean that you are completely out of luck. We are happy to accept payments through CareCredit – a third-party financing company that can split the cost of your treatment into manageable monthly installments with little to no interest.

Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money

Not all dental emergencies are preventable, but when you implement an excellent oral hygiene routine and eliminate bad dental habits, like crunching on ice and smoking, you can reduce your probability of encountering a dental emergency. It is also a good idea to bring up any changes with your dentist. Even if something seems minor, it could become a bigger, more expensive issue to resolve later. By handling minor problems now, you can avoid the costs of extensive emergency treatment in the future.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Since accidents happen from time to time, it’s not possible to fully prevent dental emergencies. Fortunately, if that happens, our emergency dentist in Kansas City is just a phone call away! As your dental team, we will also do what we can to help protect your smile from harm, like sharing the steps you can take to greatly reduce your odds of sustaining a serious dental injury. For example, we recommend:

Visit Your Dentist Regularly

Patients often underestimate just how important their routine dental checkups and cleanings are. In addition to allowing us to remove built-up plaque and tartar, these visits ensure tooth decay, oral cancer, damaged restorations, and other conditions are diagnosed early on. This is crucial because the sooner we can catch problems like these, the sooner we can treat them!

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home

Maintaining a solid oral hygiene regimen will dramatically reduce your risk of several common dental problems, including cavities. So, if you want to avoid a painful dental injury and a stressful visit, it’s crucial that you brush, floss, and rinse with mouthwash consistently. Make sure to replace your toothbrush every quarter and use an ADA-approved mouthwash, too!

Stick to a Nutritious Diet

All it takes is one bite into something crunchy, like a popcorn kernel, for your tooth to crack. Similarly, sugary foods can eat away at your enamel, and sticky ones can pull one of your restorations out of place. For all of these reasons, it’s of the utmost importance that you stick to softer, more nutrient-dense foods, like bananas, oatmeal, cottage cheese, and plain yogurt.

Important reminder: You should avoid chewing on ice and other non-food items as well!

Wear a Mouthguard to Protect Your Smile

Simply put, if you’re active, you need a mouthguard. This is crucial because all it takes is one bad fall, a rogue ball, or an accidental elbow to your face to sustain a serious dental injury. If you don’t have a mouthguard already, don’t buy a one-size-fits-all one online or at a local sporting goods store. Instead, schedule an appointment at our Kansas City dental office so we can have a custom one made.

Don’t Use Your Teeth as Tools

Lastly, avoid using your teeth as tools, whether it’s to remove plastic wrapping or loosen a bottle cap. It’s also of the utmost importance that you steer clear of poor lifestyle habits, like tobacco use and heavy consumption of alcohol. Quitting isn’t always easy, but it’s well worth it, especially when it comes to something as important as your oral and overall health.