Emergency Dentist — Corbin, KY
Helping Our Patients When They Need Us Most
Are you an existing patient of ours dealing with a dental emergency? Whether you just experienced oral trauma and broke a tooth or you developed a toothache out of nowhere, don’t hesitate to reach out to your trusted dental home, Corbin Family Dental Care. We’ll schedule an appointment for you as soon as possible to help get you out of pain and provide you with over-the-phone first aid guidance to minimize any additional damage to your mouth. We’re dedicated to helping our patients when they need us most, so don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Why Choose Corbin Family Dental Care for Emergency Dental Care?
- #1 Experienced Dentist With Advanced Training
- #2 Calming Sedation Dentistry for Maximum Comfort
- #3 We See Patients Of All Ages
What to Do in a Dental Emergency
If you or a loved one experiences a dental emergency, stay calm and follow these steps:
- Step 1: Call us right away. As soon as you are able to, call our office. We’ll schedule an appointment for you as quickly as possible, often within the same day. A team member will walk you through how to handle your situation until you can reach us.
- Step 2: See Dr. Whitaker. Your Corbin emergency dentist Dr. Whitaker will see you for an exam when you arrive. She’ll evaluate your situation, review her findings with you, and fully explain all your treatment options. Then, she’ll work with you to create a custom treatment plan.
- Step 3: Get the professional care you need . As soon as a treatment plan has been made, our experienced team will leap into action to repair your smile and alleviate discomfort. For patients who are feeling particularly nervous, scared, uncomfortable, or sore, we may recommend dental sedation.
Emergency Dental Care You Can Depend On
Dr. Katherine Whitaker is exactly the type of person you want to see in the middle of a dental emergency. As a dentist with over seven years of experience and a mother of two, she knows exactly how to bring calm to even the most stressful situation. She and our team work quickly and effectively to help get patients out of pain as soon as possible. And, to help even the most anxious patient relax, she’s the only dentist in a 40-mile radius who is trained to provide soothing IV sedation.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
Dental emergencies come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes it’s easy to tell you need urgent dental care, such as if you have a broken or knocked-out tooth. Other times, you may feel unsure if your situation qualifies as an emergency, such as if you have a toothache, sensitive teeth, or something stuck in your gums. Whatever the case, if you are experiencing pain, damage, or any other unusual symptoms in your mouth, we encourage you to call us right away. We’ll help you assess your situation over the phone and instruct you on what to do next. Below, you’ll find some important information about handling the most common dental emergencies we treat.
Understanding the Cost of Emergency Dentistry
If you are worried about the cost of emergency dentistry, you can rest assured that our Corbin dental team will provide you with an estimate and explain all of the financial solutions available to you before providing the necessary restorative care. In the meantime, you can read on to learn why the price varies, if dental insurance usually covers a portion of the cost, and more!
Every Dental Emergency is Different
Are you curious why the cost of emergency dentistry varies? The short answer is that every situation is different! For example, one patient may be struggling with a sharp, stabbing pain when they bite down and the next may have lost a tooth while playing sports. In fact, even if two patients visit us with the same symptoms, like a toothache, they might need two different treatments depending on the extent of the dental damage.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Dental Emergencies?
It’s possible that your dental insurance will cover both the emergency exam as well as a portion of the cost of the necessary restorative care. In other words, you should absolutely familiarize yourself with your dental benefits! If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask our Corbin dental team. We have extensive experience working with a wide variety of providers, so we can review your benefits, answer any questions you have, file the claims on your behalf, and help you get reimbursed quickly.
Other Options for Making Dental Emergencies Affordable
If you don’t have dental insurance, don’t stress. After all, that’s just one of the financial solutions we offer! We also happily accept payment plans with CareCredit, which is a trusted third-party financier. All you need to do is determine your monthly budget, take a look at their options, and pick the one that works best for you. That way, you can space out your payments into smaller chunks instead of paying for the entire thing at once.
Taking Care Of Your Smile Can Save You Money
It’s important to remember that many dental injuries – from toothaches to knocked-out teeth – can typically be prevented. In that way, adopting healthy habits can save you money in the short and long-term! If you’re unsure where to start, your at-home oral hygiene regimen is a great place to begin. Then, work on adopting other good habits, like getting a checkup and cleaning twice a year and wearing a mouthguard when you’re playing sports.
Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies
If you’re worried about the pain, stress, and cost that come with dental emergencies, we have good news: many of them are largely preventable! If you are interested in learning how you can protect your smile from harm, then keep reading to learn a few of our team’s recommendations.
Schedule a Dental Visit Every Six Months
Routine dental visits aren’t optional; they are essential when it comes to the health of your smile. Why? To start, these appointments allow Dr. Katherine Whitaker to diagnose common dental problems in the early stages, including tooth decay and gum disease. The cleanings ensure plaque and tartar are removed and that the often-overlooked areas of your mouth are cleaned as well. To put it simply, biannual checkups and cleanings help catch and prevent oral health problems!
Maintain Good Oral Hygiene At Home
Another key to keeping your smile happy and healthy is committing to a solid oral hygiene regimen. The first step is using a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste to brush your teeth (for a full two minutes each time, too!). Then, either in the morning or before you go to bed at night, floss and rinse with an ADA-approved mouthwash. Together, these habits will dramatically reduce your risk of dental trouble.
Cut Back on Added Sugar
Sugary foods are one of the leading causes of cavities, which is why it’s so important that you don’t overindulge on ice cream, caramel-filled candies, and other sweet treats. It’s also a good idea to steer clear of hard pretzels and other extremely crunchy foods since that can cause your enamel to chip or crack. Basically, sticking to healthy, well-balanced meals as much as possible will benefit both your oral and overall health.
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
Whether you like to lift weights, ride your bike, or play football, you need to wear a mouthguard when you’re active. That way, you’re significantly less likely to sustain dental damage from chronic clenching, an accidental fall, or unforeseen impact, like an elbow to your face.
Important reminder: Your teeth can also chip or crack from grinding or clenching your teeth at night. So, if you have Bruxism, you should have a nightguard made as well!
Break Bad Habits
Another way to prevent dental damage that warrants a visit with our emergency dentist in Corbin is by breaking bad habits, like smoking. It’s also important not to use your teeth as tools, chew on ice cubes, bite your nails, or put the back of your pen or pencil in your mouth. It may be inconvenient to grab the proper tools, like the scissors, but handling a painful dental injury is significantly more inconvenient, so it’s worth it!
Dental Emergency FAQ’s
DO YOU SEE PATIENTS AFTER HOURS?
We do see patient afterhours, but an additional fee may apply. Please don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions or concerns.
SHOULD I VISIT THE ER OR AN EMERGENCY DENTIST?
When you find yourself dealing with a dental emergency, it can be hard to determine whether you should visit your ER or an emergency dentist. Situations such as broken or fractured jawbones, deep facial lacerations, and difficulty breathing or swallowing should all be addressed at your local emergency room by a medical professional, because these can all be life-threatening issues. Once you receive urgent attention, you can contact our office to schedule an appointment to get your dental needs addressed. Otherwise, be sure to visit your emergency dentist if you experience any out-of-the-ordinary oral health symptoms or pain.
I’M IN SO MUCH PAIN THAT I’M SCARED TO BE TREATED. HOW CAN AN EMERGENCY DENTIST HELP?
At Corbin Family Dental Care, one of our first priorities is the comfort and safety of our patients. Dental emergencies are stressful and oftentimes painful, which is why we offer several sedation options to help you feel comfortable and relaxed as soon as you reach our office. In fact, Dr. Whitaker is one of the few specially trained dentists in the area to administer IV sedation. As soon as you reach our office, we’ll speak with you to determine your pain level and examine the situation. Based on our findings, we can then discuss different sedation options that can ease your discomfort and help you feel at-ease while you’re receiving treatment.
IF I HAVE A TOOTHACHE, DOES THAT MEAN THAT I’LL NEED TO GET A ROOT CANAL?
Toothaches are often a sign of an infection, which can be treated with root canal therapy if it hasn’t progressed. If you put this procedure off, it will likely result in you needing an extraction instead. At Corbin Family Dental Care, we make sure that no matter what treatment you need, it’s as pain-free and comfortable as possible.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY FACE BEGINS TO SWELL?
Whether you have a toothache caused by an infection, or experienced dental trauma, you may notice facial swelling. One way you can bring this down is to place a cold compress on the area for 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off, for up to an hour. If the swelling is caused by infection, it’s important to not put a heat source on the area, because this could cause the infection to spread faster.
Preventive Dentistry Emergency Dentistry Restorative Dentistry Cosmetic Dentistry Advanced Services & Technology View Our Services