Emergency Dentist — Juno Beach, FL

Every Dental Emergency is Different

If you knock out a tooth or lose a dental filling, you’ll unlikely pay the same for treatment as someone needing to fix a chipped tooth. At Juno Beach Smiles, we personalize every patient’s dental care according to their individual needs, so you cannot expect to walk in and immediately know how much you will pay in out-of-pocket expenses.

Only until our team is able to examine your mouth and determine the appropriate method of treatment will we be able to discuss the financial aspects of your care and how you can go about payment.

Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?

You will find that most dental insurance companies do agree to cover one emergency exam each year. This is not always the case, but it’s worth reviewing your plan to find out. Even if they do not, the actual initial visit is not as costly as you might think. The real cost comes with the type of restorative care you will need. Fortunately, this is where your dental insurance plan will be highly effective. Depending on the type of treatment you need, there’s a good chance your insurer will pay 50-80% of the total bill as long as you’ve met your deductible and have remaining annual maximum funds.

Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable

Because we know not every patient has dental insurance, we’re also pleased to offer two alternative payment options:

• In-House Savings Plan: If you’re uninsured, you can apply for our in-house savings plan through Kleer. Whether you choose to pay an annual or monthly fee, you can receive access to basic preventive care as well as one emergency exam each year and pay nothing out of pocket.
• Flexible Financing: If you prefer to finance your treatment, you can enroll in flexible financing with CareCredit. Offering low-to-no-interest payment plans, you can set up your monthly installments on a timeline that works for you and adheres to your budget.

Taking Care of Your Smile Can Save You Money

Worried about that nagging toothache? If so, don’t wait to see professional help. Your emergency dentist in Juno Beach is here to offer immediate care so you can avoid extensive treatment down the road.

When caring for your teeth day-in and day-out, it’s important to remember that brushing, flossing, rinsing, and seeing our team every six months for checkups and cleanings will put you in a better position to minimize your risk of a dental emergency. Your proactive approach to oral healthcare will save you money in the long run and allow you to keep more of your natural teeth for longer.

But should you experience any pain, swelling, or other discomforts, make sure you don’t wait to get in for an appointment. Seeing your dentist early on will prove far more beneficial than waiting to see if it goes away on its own.

Get a Dental Checkup Twice a Year

You should visit us for your routine dental checkup and cleaning every six months, even if your teeth look and feel fine to you. Most oral health issues creep up unnoticed until they cause damage, pain, or a dental emergency, but seeing us twice a year lets us catch these problems and treat them as early as possible. Plus, thorough cleanings and personalized preventive tips will help keep issues from developing in the first place!

Brush, Floss, and Rinse Every Day

If you want to keep your enamel strong and avoid toothaches, it’s time to brush up on your daily dental hygiene routine. Brush your teeth for two minutes every morning and evening, making sure to use a fluoridated toothpaste and soft-bristled toothbrush. You should also floss at least once a day and rinse your mouth out with mouthwash regularly. These simple habits are essential for protecting your smile from dangerous plaque and bacteria.

Avoid or Minimize Problematic Foods

If possible, avoid or limit your intake of very hard foods that can wear down your enamel or break a tooth, such as nuts, meat on the bone, and pits in fruits. Additionally, steer clear of sticky foods like taffy and dried fruit, which can pull out a dental filling or crown. Instead, make sure you’re getting plenty of calcium and vitamin C in your daily diet to keep your teeth strong and your gums healthy.

Protect Your Teeth with a Mouthguard

Your teeth are harder than your bones, but they’re not indestructible. If you play sports, your custom-made mouthguard is a key piece of protective gear that you shouldn’t hit the field or court without. If you grind your teeth or clench your jaw at night, make sure to wear your personalized nightguard for bruxism every night. We’re happy to provide professional-grade mouthguards of either type to make sure your smile is as safe as possible.

Don’t Use Your Teeth to Open Things

No matter how excited you are to get into that package or impatient to take the price tag off of your new shirt, never use your teeth as tools. Teeth aren’t designed to rip and tear plastic, cardboard, paper, and other inedible objects. Doing so can significantly wear down your enamel, and in the blink of an eye, this simple habit can send you to our office with a chipped or broken tooth! Don’t put your pearly whites at risk and always use the proper tools for the job instead!

WHEN SHOULD I VISIT THE ER INSTEAD OF THE DENTIST?

There are only a few instances that should have you visiting your local emergency room instead of your dentist. These include:

• Increased swelling that is affecting your ability to breathe and/or swallow
• Continuous bleeding from the mouth
• Severe facial trauma (i.e. broken/fractured jaw)

If dealing with any other type of dental emergency, our team is trained and equipped to handle your problem. We won’t only treat your symptoms, but we will provide start-to-finish treatment so that you can get back to your normal activities as soon as possible .

IF MY TOOTHACHE GOES AWAY ON ITS OWN, SHOULD I STILL COME IN?

Just because your toothache pain goes away doesn’t mean you should avoid seeing our emergency dentists. The reason is that an infection can exist deep down inside your tooth, and you may never feel any discomfort as a result. Even if you do, the pain can dissipate, but this doesn’t mean the infection will suddenly clear up. As a rule, if you have a toothache not caused by a lodged object or sinus infection, call our office to set up an appointment. It’s always better to let us take a look than let your situation worsen.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I NEED A ROOT CANAL?

The only real way to know if you need a root canal is to let Dr. Keuning and Dr. Riley examine your oral cavity. When the pulp of your tooth becomes infected, the only way to save it from possible extraction is to perform root canal therapy. This includes cleaning out the various canals to remove the infection and relieve any pain. 

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY FACE BEGINS TO SWELL?

The most important thing to remember is if you begin to notice serious swelling that is impacting your ability to breathe and/or swallow, get to your local emergency room as soon as possible. You will need immediate medical attention. Otherwise, if you notice some minor swelling, you can use a cold compress or ice pack and place it against the affected area for 10 minutes. After that time, remove it for 10 minutes. You can continue this process for one hour. Not only will it encourage the swelling to go down, but it will also help to relieve any pain you might be experiencing.