PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY DENTIST SOUTH PORTLAND & AUBURN
When You Need Us, We’re There
Accidents always happen when you’re least expecting them, quickly transforming a relaxing day at the park into a stressful urgent situation. Fortunately, Dr. Sara (Yun Ae) Kim and our reliable team at Maine Pediatric Dentistry offer same-day appointments for children in pain. We’ll quickly jump into action to help ease your child’s discomfort and create a plan to repair their smile. If you need pediatric emergency dental care for your child in South Portland or Auburn, call our office immediately.
Why Choose Maine Pediatric Dentistry for Children’s Emergency Dentistry?
- Pediatric Dentist with Ample Experience
- Evidence-Based Approach to Children’s Dentistry
- Nitrous Oxide & Oral Conscious Sedation Offered
Preventive Dentistry Restorative Dentistry Sedation Dentistry for Kids Tooth Extractions View Our Services
How We Treat Dental Emergencies
- Call Us: Amid a dental emergency, never hesitate to give us a call. You’ll speak directly with one of our knowledgeable dental professionals who will guide you through necessary first-aid steps and help ease your child’s discomfort until you’re able to reach our office. We always do our best to accommodate our patients on the same day.
- Come In: Once you arrive, Dr. Sara (Yun Ae) Kim will thoroughly examine your child’s smile in search of any signs of lingering oral health issues as well as assess any damage that has occurred. Based on her findings, she will put together a tailored treatment plan to restore your little one’s smile to its full health and function.
- Get Your Child Treated: Once Dr. Sara (Yun Ae) Kim has explained the treatment plan and answered any questions you may have, and you consent to move forward, our team will schedule your child’s procedure.
The Most Common Dental Emergencies
It can be hard to know what situations require emergency pediatric dental care and which ones can wait. That’s why, regardless of the situation, if you feel concerned about your child’s oral health, we encourage you to give us a call. Below, we’ve also listed some of the most common emergency cases we see so you have a better understanding of what necessitates same-day care.
Toothaches
Chipped
Tooth
Knocked-Out
Tooth
Lost Filling
or Crown
Loose
Tooth
Gums Injury
Orthodontic
Injury
Understanding the Cost of Treating Pediatric Dental Emergencies
We know that guiding your child through a dental emergency can be difficult, so we do what we can to ensure that paying for your services from us won’t make the process any more stressful than it has to be. While it’s not always possible to tell what emergency treatment will cost before we meet your child in person, we’ll make sure to provide you with a full estimate of the cost of our services before they’re performed.
Until then, here’s some information about the price of treating dental emergencies in children.
Every Dental Emergency Is Different
A dental emergency is any situation that requires immediate attention from a dentist. As such, they can include a vast number of different problems, and addressing them could involve various kinds of treatment. All of this means that the cost of dealing with a pediatric dental emergency can vary wildly from child to child.
You might be able to deal with your child’s dental emergency via inexpensive solutions, like fillings or prescription mouthwash. In more severe cases, extractions or root canals may be necessary. Once we have a good sense of what your child’s treatment plan will look like, we’ll be able to give you a better sense of what you’ll pay.
Does Dental Insurance Cover Pediatric Dental Emergencies?
Typically, if your child is covered under your dental plan, you’ll be able to get some level of reimbursement for pediatric dental emergency treatment. Many dental plans provide one complimentary emergency exam each year, while the treatments themselves will have around 50-80% of the total cost of your services covered.
The details of this can vary from plan to plan, so we’ll work with you to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your child’s dental benefits.
Other Options for Making Pediatric Dental Emergencies Affordable
We believe that your child ought to get the care that they need, even if you don’t actually have insurance. For that reason, we do what we can to make our care affordable for everyone.
One of the best tools at the disposal of uninsured patients is financing, which can allow you to split the cost of your services across several months. We frequently work with CareCredit and can help you to navigate the paperwork involved in applying for your services.
We’ll be sure to talk to you in greater detail about what you can do to make your care much more affordable when we meet you in person.
Taking Care of Your Child’s Smile Can Save You Money
It’s always worth noting that between prevention and treatment, the former is almost always the more affordable option. You can save you and your child a lot of money and headaches by preventing serious oral health problems before they come to a head.
We know that it can be difficult to manage your child’s dental hygiene, and that getting kids excited about oral healthcare is a tall order. Thankfully, you don’t have to go it alone. We’ll partner with you and your child to help you manage their oral hygiene, ensuring that your child’s smile can keep shining for a long time to come. If you’re ready to get started, make an appointment with us today!
Keys to Preventing Kid’s Dental Emergencies
Oftentimes, dental emergencies end up being painful for both the child and their parent! That’s why – although we are always a phone call away – we do our best to prevent a same-day visit to our office from ever being necessary. That starts with providing thorough dental cleanings and extends to sharing all of our tips on how to avoid chips, cracks, and other forms of dental damage. If you want to learn more about the latter, then keep reading!
Schedule a Dental Checkup & Teeth Cleaning Every Six Months
Dental checkups and teeth cleanings are crucial, especially as your child’s smile is growing and their fine motor skills are developing. That’s why we recommend bringing them to our office every six months! We’ll conduct a comprehensive exam and clear away harmful plaque and tartar with the goal of preventing oral health problems from surfacing or progressing.
Brush and Floss Consistently
Many parents are curious when they should introduce oral hygiene into their child’s routine. The answer is “as soon as possible!” Before their teeth emerge, use a damp, clean washcloth to wipe down their gums after feedings. Then, start brushing their teeth as soon as they make an appearance, and start flossing as soon as two teeth touch. Together, these habits will help prevent a myriad of issues.
Keep Added Sugar to a Minimum
Like most kids, your child might love all things sugar. In fact, if they had it their way, they might have sugar for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! While everything is fine in moderation, it’s important that they don’t go overboard since this sweetener is one of the leading causes of tooth decay. Instead, do your best to offer them a well-balanced diet that’s filled with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Have a Mouthguard Made for Sports
Whether your child participates in soccer after school or plays on their school’s football team, they need to wear a mouthguard. That way, there’s a significantly lower chance of them knocking out a tooth. If you don’t already have a mouthguard for them, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We can have a custom one made so it fits comfortably (increasing their motivation to wear it) and protects their teeth properly.
Reinforce Good Habits
Over the years, your child might develop an unhealthy habit or two. A few examples include biting their nails, chewing on ice cubes, or putting the back of their pencil or pen in their mouth. These all have the potential to lead to dental damage, like a cracked or fractured tooth, which is why it’s important to reinforce better habits, like chewing on sugar-free gum or squeezing a stress ball.
