Helping Patients Find Weekend Emergency Dentists near Forest Hills, NY

What Qualifies as a Dental Emergency?

Dental emergencies are any dental problems that are causing you immense pain, whether it’s due to trauma, infection, or decay. These issues should be seen by a dental professional immediately to prevent further damage. If you were to leave emergencies alone, they could become more aggressive and lead to more problematic issues.

The following dental problems could be considered dental emergencies that require urgent care:

• Toothache. Arguably the most common dental emergency we help treat at Soft Touch Dental Care, PC, toothaches can appear out of nowhere and make everyday activities a chore. Some people think toothaches are minor issues that don’t require immediate action, but toothaches are usually a sign that something severe is going on. Your tooth’s root could be decaying, or you may have an infection in your tooth that isn’t going away. Fortunately, if you have a toothache during the weekend, a dentist with Saturday hours can help.
• Root canal. When the connection between your tooth and its root breaks, it can cause excruciating pain and make it much more difficult to eat or drink. A root canal procedure can repair this connection and save your tooth. A dentist open on weekends can perform this procedure if you have immense pain over the weekend, so be sure to reach out for help as soon as possible.
• Tooth injury. If your tooth has sustained any trauma, it can be classified as a tooth injury, which counts as an emergency. A tooth injury could loosen up the tooth or even make it fall out of place. When a tooth is crooked or falling out, it can pose a health risk while also making mundane activities more complex. You may be tempted to try to fix it on your own, but we advise against this. Let a qualified weekend dentist relieve your pain, instead.
• Chips, cracks, or breaks. Just like trauma, chips, cracks, or breaks in your teeth need to be examined by a dentist open on Saturdays and Sundays. In some cases, the tooth in question may have to be extracted entirely, or the weekend dentist may do a root canal procedure. When your tooth is damaged, it can create a passageway for bacteria to enter and cause infection. Take these injuries seriously and visit a weekend dentist immediately.
• Abscessed tooth. If you notice an infection near your tooth and gums, and if the infection is filled with pus, you have an abscessed tooth. These emergencies need to be treated quickly so the infection doesn’t spread to nearby teeth or tissue. The longer you leave an infection like this, the more likely it is that the infection can begin to travel throughout your whole body. Act fast and get a weekend dentist to take a look.
• Avulsed tooth. If a tooth has been avulsed, or knocked out, you only have a couple of hours to get to a weekend dentist and have them re-fix it. An open socket can quickly fill with bacteria, which can lead to infection. Additionally, if you wait too long to have the issue fixed, future procedures to insert a new tooth could be much more expensive than finding treatment quickly.
• Damaged crowns, fillings, and bridges. If you needed a restoration such as a crown, bridge, or filling in the past to protect certain teeth, there’s a chance that these can become loose, damaged, or fall out entirely. When this happens, it’s best to get in touch with a weekend dentist, as you could cause further damage to your teeth.

Other dental emergencies like impaired braces or bleeding gums can be troublesome, as well. Because you need quick and reliable care for these emergencies, many dentists open on weekends to help those who need it.

What Do Weekend Dentists Do?

Weekend dentists are very similar to regular dentists, with the main exception being that weekend dentists are open on Saturdays and Sundays. This is so that they can meet with individuals who have dental emergencies and resolve the problems swiftly.

If this is the first time you’ve suffered from a dental emergency, you may realize how stressful this experience is. Even if you were to call your normal dentist to see them soon after an injury or toothache, their schedules may be fully booked for months. Sleeping, drinking, eating, and other similar activities become more aggravating. If you have an infection, this can spread and cause damage to the rest of your mouth, only worsening your situation.

The goal of dentists open on weekends is to be able to help those dealing with dental emergencies. Because most regular dentists are open from Monday through Friday only, your best option to seek emergency dental care on the weekend is to find someone with weekend hours. This can be difficult to do, as you’re likely struggling with intense pain already. However, you have options available to meet with a dentist open on weekends and find instant relief.

Why Do Some Dentists Close on Weekends While Others Don’t?

Some dental offices open weekends exclusively to help those with dental emergencies or because they have enough staff to stay open 24/7. Unfortunately, not every dental practice has the means to do this, and many only open weekdays for a few hours at a time. This can be frustrating if you visit a dentist a couple of times a year, but this comes down to how businesses operate.

Dentists open their own offices and hire additional people as hygienists or office staff, and they can set their schedules to whatever they prefer. In most cases, they only hire enough staff to cover weekdays for part of the day, such as from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Many dental offices would like to stay open all week at any time of the day, but because of how their business is structured, they simply can’t.

With that said, some dentists are open on weekends so they can assist people who need urgent dental care.

What to Know About Dental Offices Open on Saturday and Sunday

After you’ve contacted Emergency Dental Service to explain your dental emergency, they’ll put you through to us if you‘re located in or near Forest Hills, NY. After explaining in detail what you’re dealing with, we’ll send you directions to our office and begin preparing for the examination and treatment.

Once you arrive, you won’t have to wait very long to be seen by our weekend dentist. Because it’s the weekend, fewer people will be waiting for dental work.

Once you get checked in, our dentist will perform an examination to determine how extensive your issues are. We’ll already have an idea of what’s going on, but seeing you in person will help us understand exactly how to treat you. We may need to use X-rays or other similar tools to gauge your situation.

After the examination, the weekend dentist will make a professional call on how to treat you. There are two solutions to your dental emergency:

1. Resolve it immediately. This is almost always what we’ll do, especially if we have the necessary tools on the day you arrive.
2. Provide temporary relief, then have you come back later. We will never send you out of our office unless you feel better in some capacity. However, some procedures like root canals require an extra day to plan and perform.

No matter which method we choose, we’ll provide treatment that is designed to improve your overall health and relieve your pain. If we do need to reschedule you at a later time, we’ll try to find a time that isn’t too far away. We’ll also provide you with a temporary solution that can mitigate some of the pain.

How Can Dentists Open on Saturday and Sunday Help Me?

Dental emergencies almost always happen at the most inconvenient times. You may be playing basketball with friends on Saturday, only for the ball to hit your jaw and crack a tooth. You could just be out shopping for groceries on Sunday and feel a toothache coming on unexpectedly. We’ve met individuals who started to develop toothaches as they were trying to sleep. Weekend dentists can help you find relief before your situation gets out of hand.

You might be tempted to stick it out as long as you can, or at least until you can see your primary dentist. However, our team does not encourage this. When you leave a dental emergency alone, it puts both your oral and general health at risk. A loose tooth could create an opening for an infection to start, and a knocked-out tooth may not be salvageable if you don’t seek treatment right away.

To avoid unnecessary pain and risk, visit a Saturday or Sunday dentist who can find a quick solution for you. As soon as you can, call Emergency Dental Service, describe your situation, and you’ll be treated in no time.

Paying for a Weekend Emergency Dentist Appointment

We know the cost of dental emergency services can steer some individuals away, but your health is too important to neglect treatment entirely. You likely will pay more for a weekend dentist appointment versus a normal dentist appointment, but this is primarily due to two factors:

1. Urgency. Simply put, because your case requires assistance on short notice, it may cost more to see a dentist open on weekends.
2. Customized treatment. No individual or dental emergency is the same. In some cases, we need specific tools to treat your condition. If you lose a crown, for example, we need to develop a replacement, and this costs extra money to do.

Even though your weekend emergency dentist appointment will likely cost more than a standard one, we understand you may not have everything ready to pay on the day of your appointment. Depending on your dental insurance, as well as your overall situation, we might be able to organize a payment plan with you. You may also qualify for specific discounts that can help lower the cost.

You might feel like you can handle your emergency on your own, but if your infection spreads or your pain gets worse, doing any task may be a tall order. Instead, get in touch with us, let us determine how we can help, and we’ll figure out the payment afterward.

Finding a Dentist Open on Saturday and Sunday

The best way to book an appointment with a weekend dentist is to call Emergency Dental Service. They are open 24/7, so if you have an emergency over the weekend and need treatment fast, a member of their care team will be on standby. You can then let them know your location and your situation, and they’ll match you up with a weekend dentist who is your best option. You can also visit Emergency Dental Service online and browse their list of weekend dentists if you need treatment in another part of the nation.

If you need weekend emergency dental treatment, our staff will be ready to assist you. Don’t wait for the problem to get worse before making the call, as we have the resources needed to fix problems instantly. Call Emergency Dental Service at 1-833-624-1382 to learn more about how we can help.