Emergency dental care
Emergency dentist in Bradenton
If it hurts now, call now on 941.322.7711. We hold slots every open day for exactly this.
Straight answers
What people actually want to know
What counts as a dental emergency?+
Pain that wakes you up or does not respond to over-the-counter painkillers, facial swelling, a knocked-out tooth, a broken tooth with a sharp edge or exposed nerve, a lost crown or filling, and bleeding that will not stop after an extraction. Facial swelling that reaches your eye or makes swallowing difficult is a hospital emergency, not a dental one. Go to the emergency room.
Do you see emergency patients who are not registered with you?+
Yes. You do not need to be an existing patient at Lake Dental to be seen in an emergency. Call 941.322.7711 and describe what happened.
My tooth has been knocked out. What do I do right now?+
Pick it up by the crown, never the root. If it is dirty, rinse it in milk or saline for no more than ten seconds. Put it straight back in the socket if you can and bite gently on a clean cloth. If you cannot, keep it in milk and get to us inside an hour. The first hour matters more than anything else you do.
What if it happens when you are closed?+
Call 941.322.7711 and follow the instructions on the message. For uncontrolled bleeding, facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, or trauma involving the jaw, go to the nearest emergency room rather than waiting for us to open.
The longer answer on emergency dental care
What to do before you get here
Toothache
Ibuprofen taken with food works better than paracetamol for dental pain because the problem is inflammation. Follow the label. Cold on the outside of the cheek helps. Heat does not, and can make a swelling worse. Do not put an aspirin against the gum, it burns the tissue.
Broken or chipped tooth
Rinse with warm salt water. Keep any pieces in milk. If there is a sharp edge cutting your tongue, sugar-free chewing gum pressed over it is a reasonable temporary cover until you get to us.
Lost crown or filling
Keep the crown. Do not superglue it. Temporary cement from a pharmacy is fine for a day or two. Avoid chewing on that side, as the underlying tooth is unprotected and can fracture.
Swelling
A swelling means an infection is spreading, and it does not resolve on its own. Call the same day. If it spreads towards the eye, under the jaw, or affects swallowing or breathing, go to the emergency room immediately.
What it costs
An emergency exam with the necessary x-ray is $95 to $180 depending on what is needed. Treatment cost depends on what we find and is quoted before we start. Bite Club members get one emergency exam a year included in the membership, plus 15 percent off treatment.
Step by step
How it works
Talk it through
What is bothering you, and which option actually fits.
Look properly
Examination, x-rays where needed, and a digital scan.
Agree the plan
Written costs before anything starts.
Treat
Booked at a time that suits you.
Questions about emergency dental care
Asked and answered
How quickly can I be seen?+
We hold same-day slots on every day the practice is open. Call as early in the day as you can, because those slots do fill.
Can you just give me antibiotics over the phone?+
No, and no responsible practice will. Antibiotics do not fix a tooth and prescribing without an examination is neither safe nor legal. Come in and we will treat the actual cause.
Do you treat children in an emergency?+
Yes.
Will you take my insurance for an emergency visit?+
We are in-network with DNOA, GEHA, Aetna II and Careington PPO plans, and we will happily bill other plans as out-of-network. Nobody is turned away for a conversation about payment.
In pain right now?
Call 941.322.7711. Describe what happened and we will tell you what to do in the meantime and when we can see you.