Emergency Dentist — Covina, CA

Factors That Influence The Cost of Emergency Care

We understand that you need affordable care for your smile. Unfortunately, we can’t tell you how much your treatment will cost without your coming in for an exam. The price is affected by the specific treatment you need. Various factors can impact the cost, including:

• The location of the dental office can actually change the price. Areas with a higher cost of living may charge more for dental services.
• The specific procedure you need to treat your emergency will greatly affect the cost.
• Most dental insurance policies cover one or two emergency visits a year. They can also reduce your out-of-pocket costs of treatment.

After  Dr. Danny Tran  has examined your smile, our team can come up with a personalized treatment plan and cost estimate.

Your Payment Options

At Covina Family Dental, we believe that a high cost shouldn’t deter you from receiving the emergency dental care you need. To minimize the cost of your treatment, a member of our team can go over your insurance policy and maximize your benefits. We are proud to be in-network with following insurance plans:

• Cigna
• Delta Dental
• Sun Life Assurant

However, we can also file claims for  all  PPO  dental insurance  plans to help you save as much as possible. For our uninsured patients, or those who need a little extra help funding their care, our partnership with CareCredit allows you to take out a low-to-no interest loan. We also have an in-house savings plan that can break up the cost of your treatment into monthly, budget-friendly installments with ZERO interest.

Why You Shouldn’t Put Off Getting Emergency Care

When a dental emergency occurs, the last thing you should be worried about is the cost. You should never avoid getting the smile-saving care you need because you believe you can’t afford the appointment.

Many dental emergencies indicate a deeper problem under the surface. An intense toothache, for example, could mean the inside of your tooth is infected. In this case, you’ll most likely need a root canal in order to save your tooth from requiring an extraction. Not only do missing teeth make it harder to eat and smile with confidence, but replacing a lost tooth is much more expensive than it would have been to save your tooth with a root canal. Save money in the long run by scheduling an appointment with us soon after the emergency occurs.

Visit Our Office Regularly

Most people should attend a dental checkup and cleaning once every six months (or every three to four months for patients with gum disease). Even if your teeth and gums feel fine, there’s always the chance that a potential emergency is developing and won’t become noticeable until it’s too late. If you visit Dr. Tran at regular intervals, he can spot these warning signs early enough that they don’t worsen into painful emergencies. Plus, our hygienists can remove built-up plaque that contributes to tooth decay and infections, minimizing the risk that you’ll have to make an urgent appointment at our emergency dental office in Covina later on.

Establish Good Oral Hygiene Habits

Since you’ll only see our team for a cleaning a few times a year, the majority of your oral hygiene must be performed at home. To keep your tooth enamel strong and healthy, use a fluoridated toothpaste to brush twice a day for two minutes each time. You should also floss at least once per day to remove pieces of food from between your teeth. Otherwise, they could attract dangerous bacteria. For extra protection, consider rinsing with an antibacterial mouthwash on a regular basis.

Maintain a Nutritious Diet

Oral hygiene is crucial, but your diet impacts your risk for dental emergencies more than you might realize. Two of the biggest offenders of poor dental health are sugars and starches, which are unfortunately found in a variety of foods and beverages that you probably consume every day. If you want to lower your chances of getting painful cavities, try to limit sugary and starchy items like chips, cookies, sodas, and candies. Also, be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables; not only are they rich in essential vitamins and minerals, but they naturally scrub debris off of your teeth as you chew them!

Protect Your Pearly Whites

If you play a sport where the risk of your face making forceful contact with a piece of equipment, another player, or the ground is high, wearing a mouthguard is an absolute necessity. Out of all the patients who visit an emergency dentist in Covina, sports-related injuries are responsible for about 40% of them. While you can find cheap mouthguards at the local drugstore, they won’t be nearly as comfortable or effective as the customized ones that Dr. Tran can make for you.

Don’t Use Your Teeth As Tools

As convenient as it might seem, you should never use your teeth to open packages or bottles. Teeth are designed to help you chew food, and that’s pretty much it. Anything more than that could seriously damage them. Instead of taking the chance that you’ll break or knock out a tooth, use a pair of scissors, a bottle opener, and any other type of tool that is made for your specific situation. Your pearly whites will thank you!

Will My Dental Insurance Cover a Dental Emergency?

Each insurance plan is different, but most cover at least one annual emergency exam and offer partial coverage for minor and major types of treatment. After Dr. Tran has created a treatment plan to address your needs, we’ll explain your insurance coverage, file your claim, and do everything we can to reduce your out-of-pocket costs as much as possible.

Also, keep in mind that we offer an in-house financing plan as well as third-party financing with CareCredit for any fees that aren’t covered by insurance. Ultimately, our goal is to help you get the treatment you need to restore your smile as affordably as possible. 

Is Dr. Tran Trained to Handle Dental Emergencies?

Yes! Dr. Tran completed extensive training in dental school on a wide variety of emergency procedures, including fillings, extractions, root canals, and more. He also offers sedation options to help fearful or anxious patients feel relaxed during their treatment. And with advanced technology and a gentle chairside manner, you can be confident that your visit will be both comfortable  and  efficient.

When Should I Go to the Emergency Room?

While Dr. Tran can handle nearly every type of dental emergency, there are a few exceptions that require medical care first:

• Severe cuts that may need stitches, or bleed for more than 10 minutes
• A broken or dislocated jaw
• If you have symptoms that indicate an infection or abscess such as facial swelling, fever, or severe pain and can’t see us for treatment within a few hours

How Can I Prepare for a Dental Emergency?

While you can’t always prevent a dental emergency, you can be prepared by keeping the following items in a dental first-aid kit at home:

• Our phone number
• Waxed floss
• A small container with a lid
• Saline solution
• Dental wax and dental cement (you can pick these up from most drugstores)
• A clean bandana or thin piece of cloth
• Over-the-counter pain medication. If you have bleeding, acetaminophen is a good choice because it doesn’t interfere with clotting. If not, NSAIDs like ibuprofen or naproxen often work well.