Pediatric Emergency Dentist – Coppell, TX

Urgent Dental Care for the Star in Your Life

If you’re a parent, you don’t need us to tell you how accident-prone kids can be. Unfortunately, this sometimes has disastrous consequences for a child’s smile. If your child has damaged a tooth, or if they’ve been complaining of a toothache, the fastest way to bring them relief is to call the dentistry team and pediatric emergency dentist in Coppell, TX, Linda A. Steele, DDS. Dr. Linda has more than 25 years of experience as a pediatric dentist, so she’s seen it all. She’ll ensure your child remains comfortable as she gives their smile the VIP treatment!

Why Choose Linda A. Steele, DDS for Pediatric Emergency Dentistry?

  • Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments for Kids Available
  • Relaxing Dental Office Environment Helps Kids Feel Safe
  • Sedation Dentistry Offered for Nervous Patients

How We Treat Pediatric Dental Emergencies

Child in dental chair for emergency dentistry

When your young one’s smile is in trouble, the first thing you should do is call our dental office. From there, you can expect us to handle your child’s dental emergency by:

  • Scheduling a same-day appointment – We’ll evaluate your child’s situation and book your appointment as soon as possible, often later that day. Additionally, we can guide you on helping your son or daughter remain calm until then. You can even send pictures over the phone, which we’ll use to recommend a course of action.
  • Assessing the damage – Once you arrive, Dr. Linda will examine your child’s mouth and take X-rays if needed to find out the source and extent of the problem.
  • Going over the treatment options – Dr. Linda will review her findings as well as her recommendations for next steps to take. We can also discuss the associated fees and your financial options.
  • Restoring their smile – Once you and Dr. Linda have agreed on a treatment plan, she’ll get right to work on making your child’s pearly whites fit for the silver screen.

The Most Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies 

No matter what your son or daughter is going through, it’s important to stay calm. Even if you’re not quite sure whether your child’s situation qualifies as an emergency, it never hurts to give us a call just to be safe. One thing is certain: if your child is facing one of these common dental emergencies, you definitely need to book an appointment with us right away.

Toothaches

  • Is My Child's Toothache a Dental Emergency? – There are many possible reasons for a toothache, but we typically qualify it as an emergency if:
    • The pain has not subsided after 24 hours
    • Over-the-counter children’s pain relievers have not been effective
    • There is a small bump on the gums near the tooth
    • The tooth looks darker than the surrounding ones
  • How You Should Handle Your Child's Toothache – First, floss around your child’s hurting tooth, as pain can sometimes stem from a piece of food or other debris getting caught between teeth. If that doesn’t work, then you can alleviate their pain until their appointment by applying a cold compress to their cheek in ten-minute intervals or having them rinse with salt water (make sure they spit it out, not swallow it).
  • How We Treat Toothaches in Children – A child's severe toothache is most commonly caused by a cavity or infection. Depending on the circumstances, we may treat a kid's toothache in Coppell with a filling, a dental crown, or – if the damage is too extensive – a safe tooth extraction.

Learn More About Fillings

Learn More About Crowns

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Cracked Tooth

Is my child’s cracked tooth an emergency? If your child has minor damage, they can wait a few days to seek treatment. However, major damage will require immediate care from a kid’s emergency dentist in Coppell. You should always contact our office shortly after your child sustains a blow to the face to schedule an appointment, especially if they’re complaining about sensitivity.

How you should handle your child’s cracked tooth: Ask your child to carefully rinse their mouth with warm water to wash away any lingering bacteria. If needed, they can use a cold compress or take over-the-counter pain medication to ease discomfort. Make sure they avoid chewing on the injured side of their mouth while waiting for their appointment.

How we treat children’s cracked teeth: Most cases are addressed with a custom-made dental crown. However, minor damage can be repaired with the same tooth-colored material used for fillings. If the tooth is damaged beyond repair, an extraction may be the ideal solution.

Learn More About Fillings

Learn More About Crowns

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Chipped Tooth

Is my child’s chipped tooth an emergency? Chipped teeth aren’t usually considered a dental emergency, but your child should still seek treatment as soon as possible. Otherwise, leaving it untreated can lead to serious complications.

How you should handle your child’s chipped tooth: Have your child rinse their mouth to eliminate any lingering pieces of the tooth. It’ll prevent them from accidentally swallowing or choking on the fragments. If there are any sharp or jagged edges, you can apply dental wax or sugar-free gum to protect the soft oral tissues.

How we treat children’s chipped teeth: The most common solution for chipped teeth in children is dental bonding. For teens who have damaged a highly visible tooth, they can opt for a dental veneer. It’ll repair the tooth while improving aesthetics.

Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth

Is A Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth a Dental Emergency? It is! Not only does a knocked-out tooth have the potential to be quite painful, but you need to bring your child to our Coppell pediatric emergency dentist within 60 minutes of the incident for the highest likelihood of the tooth being saved. So, call our team ASAP. Over the phone, we can schedule a time for you to come in and guide you through how to handle a knocked-out tooth until you arrive at our office.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth First, do your best to locate the tooth. If you are able to find it, then carefully pick it up by the crown (the chewing surface). Next, rinse it off gently with clean water. If the tooth easily slides back into the socket it came from, do that. If that’s not possible or your child is too scared to try that, then store it in a small glass of milk or saliva to preserve the root.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Permanent Teeth Since our goal is always to save your child’s natural teeth, we will first attempt to reattach the tooth. If the tooth isn’t in good condition, however, then that won’t be possible. In that case, we will review the available tooth-replacement solutions. That way, the look, function, and health of their smile aren’t compromised in the short or long-term.

Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

Is a Knocked-Out Baby Tooth a Dental Emergency? Although baby teeth are supposed to fall out, it can be a dental emergency if it happens too soon. After all, we need to make sure that the surrounding teeth and the underlying tooth weren’t injured in the process. So, get in touch with us as soon as you can. From there, we can determine if a same-day visit to our Coppell pediatric dental office is necessary.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Baby Tooth The first step is to have your child gently rinse their mouth with water. Next, use a tissue (or gauze, if you have it) to apply pressure to the area and control the bleeding. If that area of their mouth has begun to swell, then you can offer them a cold compress or towel-wrapped icepack, which they can use for 10-minute intervals. Lastly, make sure they don’t eat any hard, crunchy, or sticky foods, and offer them a children’s over-the-counter pain reliever if they are experiencing any discomfort.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Baby Teeth When your child arrives at our office, we will get them comfortably settled in the treatment chair before conducting an exam. In some cases, we may not need to do anything but provide them with a mouthguard to protect their other teeth from damage. In other cases, we need to place a space maintainer to prevent their surrounding teeth from drifting into the open space.

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Bitten Tongue, Lip, Cheek

Is a Bitten Tongue, Lip, or Cheek an Emergency? Soft tissue injuries can be quite stressful, especially since they can produce a lot of blood. Luckily, they mostly are minor enough that they can be handled at home. If the bleeding continues after 10 minutes of applying pressure, then you should take your child to the ER.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Soft Tissue Injury After having your child rinse their mouth with clean, room-temperature water, offer them a wet washcloth, piece of gauze, or tissue and have them apply pressure to the area. Once the bleeding has stopped, you can reduce any lingering swelling with an ice pack. The area may still feel sensitive, so remind them to chew carefully until the wound has completely healed.

How We Treat Soft Tissue Injuries in Children As we mentioned above, soft tissue injuries typically don’t require a visit to our office for treatment. With that said, if you are ever unsure what to do or have a question about your child’s oral health, you’re more than welcome to give us a call. From there, we can learn more about their injury and provide you with instructions on what to do next.

Dental Concussion

Sensitive Teeth

Lost Filling or Crown

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Understanding the Cost of Pediatric Dental Emergencies

Child holding cheek in pain before emergency dentistry

Every child’s smile is different, so we can’t provide you with a cost estimate until Dr. Linda has evaluated the situation. At that point, we’ll determine the specific treatments required and how much they will cost. We gladly accept most dental insurance plans and can help you maximize your benefits.

Keep in mind that avoiding treatment for damaged baby teeth may seem cost-effective, but it can actually cost you more in the long term. Even though baby teeth eventually fall out, problems with them can lead to problems in the adult teeth that ultimately become more expensive to treat.

Keys to Preventing Pediatric Dental Emergencies 

Young girl at dental office for emergency dentistry

Accidents happen, so there’s no surefire way to prevent children’s dental emergencies 100% of the time. However, you can reduce the risk by taking some easy precautionary measures, such as:

  • Establishing and maintaining an oral hygiene routine of twice-a-day brushing and daily flossing.
  • Making sure your child doesn’t eat too many sugary snacks.
  • Having them wear a mouthguard if they play sports.
  • Bring them into our dental office twice a year for checkups and cleanings.
  • Ask us whether they could benefit from fluoride treatments or dental sealants.
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