Emergency Kids’ Dentistry – Buffalo Grove, IL

Accidents Happen, & We’re Here to Help!

Same-day emergency care is just a phone call away if the unexpected happens to your little one. Whether they’re experiencing a painful toothache, have accidentally knocked out their tooth, or have lost a filling, Drs. Capezio and Loiben have decades of combined experience in providing fast and effective treatment. Our front desk staff can also walk you through first-aid recommendations on the phone! Don’t wait to contact our dental office if you find yourself in need of urgent dental care, and we'll be happy to offer emergency kids' dentistry in Buffalo Grove, IL for your child.

Why Choose Capezio Pediatric Dentistry for Emergency Kids’ Dentistry?

  • Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointments
  • Dental Insurance Welcome
  • Trusted by the Community

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Little boy with a toothache; pediatric dental emergency in Buffalo Grove, IL

You can trust us to get your child out of their dental pain as quickly as possible. Here’s what we do when you call us to report a dental emergency:

  • Same-Day Appointment: We’ll ask about your little one’s situation and give you any necessary first-aid instructions. Then we will schedule a same-day emergency appointment so that your child can get the care they need.
  • Emergency Exam: We’ll carefully examine your child’s mouth; we will need to narrow down what’s causing the problem so that we can treat it appropriately.
  • Review Findings: Once our examination is complete, we will share the results with you. We’ll then work with you to create a treatment plan, making sure that you understand the costs involved.
  • Get the Care Your Child Needs: Regardless of what kind of emergency your child is suffering from, we’ll take whatever steps are necessary to stop their discomfort and protect their oral health.

The Most Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies

If you have any reason to think that your child might need emergency dental care, you should get in touch with our team immediately so that we can advise you on your next steps. Below are some examples of common dental emergencies that your child might encounter at some point.

Understanding the Cost of Pediatric Dental Emergencies

Little girl giving her dentist a high five

The cost of your child’s emergency dental visit will depend on a number of factors, including what procedure they need to restore their oral health, whether they require follow-up appointments, and many others that we’ll discuss during their examination. Once we’ve had a chance to examine the situation and map out a treatment plan, we’ll discuss the cost with you along with your dental insurance coverage and financing options.

Keys to Preventing Pediatric Dental Emergencies

Close-up of little boy with striped shirt smiling

If you want to help your child prevent dental emergencies in Buffalo Grove, there are a few things you should know. First, good oral hygiene habits should begin early on in life. If your child learns how to properly brush and floss as well as what they can do to minimize their risk for injury, they can expect to enjoy a happier, healthier smile for the rest of their life. Second, seeking treatment for an injury should be done sooner rather than later, as waiting too long will only result in worsening problems.

Keep Your Child’s Regular Dental Appointments

Little girl in dental chair pointing to teeth

Children should have their first dental appointment scheduled by the time their first tooth erupts or before they reach the age of one. This allows our team to not only establish a relationship with you and your little one early on, but we can get a baseline for your child’s oral health. We can also begin working on good oral hygiene habits at home. Starting these appointments early in life helps to set your child up for future success. From that point on, we will want to see your child every six months for a regular checkup and cleaning.

Make Sure Your Child is Brushing and Flossing

: Close-up of a child holding a toothbrush

Brushing and flossing are necessary components of any good oral hygiene routine. Because children are still learning, you must work with them to properly clean their teeth and get to those hard-to-reach areas. Until your child reaches the age of two, they should only use a smear of toothpaste (the size of a grain of rice). Once they turn three, you can begin to increase it to a pea-sized amount (as long as they can spit). As soon as you notice their teeth touching, you can start helping them to floss in between their teeth to remove plaque and bacteria that can cause decay and gum disease. If necessary, you can use a flossing aid to make this process easier.

Be Mindful of What Your Child Eats

: Little boy in blue shirt eating an apple

It’s natural for kids to have cravings for sugary and starchy foods; however, too much of these is a bad thing, no matter your age. This is why it’s important that you monitor your child’s eating habits and make sure they’re consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, lean proteins, and dairy. Fruit juices and sports drinks also contain a lot of sugar, which is one of the many contributors to cavities. Instead, swap out these beverages for water, which will help keep them hydrated while ensuring their salivary glands continue working properly. As a result, they’ll avoid serious decay and possible infection.

Give Your Child a Mouthguard

Close-up of little boy putting in a mouthguard

It is believed that children between the ages of 7-10 have the highest number of dental injuries that are sports-related (59.6%). If your child is an avid athlete, one of the most worthwhile investments you can make is a customized mouthguard.

Designed to better protect against unnecessary pressure, a mouthguard fits over the upper arch of teeth to minimize and absorb a hard-hitting impact. It can also be beneficial if your child is prone to grinding and clenching their teeth while sleeping. Worn tooth enamel and jaw pain are common with bruxism, so wearing a mouthguard at night can alleviate these symptoms and improve the status of the smile.

Teach Your Child Not to Open Packages with Their Teeth

Close-up of child holding a package of cookies

As a parent, you may be guilty of opening a package with your teeth. If your child has seen you do this, they’re likely to mimic your actions. Make sure they do not; tooth enamel is strong but not indestructible. Allowing your child to use their teeth to open items will land them in the emergency dental office in Buffalo Grove quickly. Instead, find a pair of scissors or another appropriate tool for the job, and make sure your child’s teeth remain damage-free.

Pediatric Dental Emergency FAQs

Little girl smiling in front of a window

If your child has experienced a sudden injury and needs immediate attention, you may be looking for an emergency dentist in Buffalo Grove. At Capezio Pediatric Dentistry, we’re proud to offer safe and effective services when your little one needs them most. We understand you may have several concerns regarding our emergency dental care, which is why we’ve decided to answer some frequently asked questions below. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Feel free to  contact  our friendly team today!

Should I Take My Child to the Emergency Room First for Dental Emergencies?

Believe it or not, most emergency rooms are not equipped to handle dental emergencies. That’s mainly because they often don’t have a licensed dental professional on staff. You should only take your child to your local ER if they’re experiencing life-threatening symptoms, such as:

  • Difficulty breathing and swallowing
  • Fractured or broken jawbone
  • A serious cut or laceration to the face that causes continuous bleeding

In any other situation, you should bring them to our dental office in Buffalo Grove for a proper oral examination. Our team will take X-rays if needed to identify the root cause of your child’s dental emergency.

Are Knocked-Out Baby Teeth a Dental Emergency?

Since baby teeth are meant to come out eventually, you may think it’s no big deal if they fall out due to an accident. However, they need to stay in the mouth for as long as possible. If your child’s baby tooth gets knocked out, do not reinsert it into the vacated socket, but you should make an emergency appointment with our team as soon as possible so we can determine whether or not your little one needs a space maintainer. Remember – it’s always a good idea to take your child to the ER if their bleeding does not stop or you think they may have damaged their jaw in any way.

Do Chipped Teeth Heal?

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body. However, it’s unable to heal on its own. That means if your child ever chips a tooth, it will not grow back. The only way to restore the shape and condition of the tooth is with restorative or cosmetic dentistry. If your child has a chipped tooth, you should bring them to our office as soon as you can for treatment. Otherwise, they’re vulnerable to further damage or infection.

What Should I Keep in My Emergency Dentistry Kit?

It’s always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected, especially as a parent. That said, you should keep an emergency dentistry kit with you at all times that contains the following items:

  • Dental floss
  • Ice pack
  • Your dentist’s contact information
  • A topical anesthetic like Orajel
  • Dental cement
  • Cotton balls
  • Sterile gloves
  • Petroleum jelly
  • Small sealable container
More to Explore

Pediatric Dentistry Adolescent Dentistry Emergency Kid's Dentistry Orthodontic Referrals

Toothaches  

Is My Child's Toothache a Dental Emergency? If you notice that your child is wincing when they bite down or they let you know that one of their teeth hurts, it’s important to ask a few follow-up questions. For example, “How long has your tooth been hurting?” If it’s been more than 24 hours or they are experiencing other abnormal dental symptoms, then it warrants an immediate call to our Buffalo Grove dental office.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Toothache In addition to scheduling a dental exam with Dr. Nick or Dr. Ted, do what you can to protect their tooth from further harm. That includes sticking to soft foods at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and encouraging your child to rinse periodically with warm saltwater to help prevent an infection.

How We Treat Toothaches in Children Oftentimes, persistent toothaches are the result of tooth decay. If that’s the case for your child, then we will restore their pain-free smile with a tooth-colored filling or dental crown. We may also discuss dental sealants to help protect their teeth from cavities in the future!

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHILDREN’S DENTAL CROWNS

Cracked Tooth  

Is My Child's Cracked Tooth a Dental Emergency? Absolutely! Whether you can visibly see the crack or your child is experiencing symptoms of a cracked tooth (like pain when biting down), you should call us ASAP to schedule an emergency dental exam.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Cracked Tooth This dental injury can be quite painful, so place a cold compress against the outside of their cheek to help alleviate their discomfort. Make sure they also don’t eat anything crunchy, spicy, sugary, or acidic – this can exacerbate the pain they are experiencing.

How We Treat Children's Cracked Teeth If the damage is relatively minor, then we may recommend a dental crown. If, on the other hand, it’s severe enough that saving the tooth is no longer feasible, then the solution may be to carefully extract it and put a space maintainer in its place.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHILDREN’S DENTAL CROWNS

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOOTH EXTRACTIONS

Chipped Teeth  

Is My Child's Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? If your child chipped one of their teeth, but they aren’t in pain, then scheduling an appointment with us before the end of the week should suffice. Of course, if they are in pain or the chip is substantial, then call us ASAP for a same-day appointment.

How You Should Handle Your Child's Chipped Tooth First, have your child rinse their mouth thoroughly with clean, room-temperature water so they don’t swallow any shards of their tooth. Then, use some dental wax or sugar-free gum to cover their tooth (this will protect the soft tissue in their mouth).

How We Treat Children's Chipped Teeth Dental bonding and dental crowns are two common treatments for chipped teeth. The one we recommend will depend on a few key factors, including the location of the tooth that was chipped.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL BONDING

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHILDREN’S DENTAL CROWNS

Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth

Is a knocked-out permanent tooth an emergency? Yes, a knocked-out permanent tooth is a dental emergency and requires immediate attention. The sooner you act, the better the chances of saving the tooth.

How you should handle a knocked-out permanent tooth: First, find the tooth and hold it by the crown (the chewing part). Rinse it gently with water if it’s dirty, but do not scrub or remove any attached tissue fragments. If possible, place the tooth back into the socket and have your child hold it in place by biting down gently on a clean cloth or gauze. If reinsertion isn’t possible, store the tooth in a container of milk or saliva to keep it moist, and come see us immediately.

How we treat knocked-out permanent teeth: At our office, we will carefully clean your child’s mouth and possibly attempt to re-implant it. We’ll then use a splint to stabilize the tooth as it heals.

Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

Is a knocked-out baby tooth an emergency? A knocked-out baby tooth is less of an emergency than a permanent tooth but still requires attention. It’s best to visit us as soon as you can after it happens so we can assess the damage and offer treatment.

How you should handle a knocked-out baby tooth: If a baby tooth is knocked out, comfort your child, and find the tooth. Don’t try to put it back into the socket because it could damage the developing adult tooth underneath. Instead, rinse your child's mouth with water and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling. Then, schedule an appointment with us to evaluate the injury and discuss the next steps.

How we treat knocked-out baby teeth: During the visit, we will examine your child’s mouth to ensure there are no other injuries or complications. We may take X-rays to check the condition of the remaining teeth and the development of the underlying permanent tooth. In many cases, no further treatment is needed, but we may sometimes need to provide a space maintainer to keep your child’s teeth from tilting into the gap and causing issues.

Bitten Tongue, Lip, Cheek

Is a bitten tongue, lip, or cheek an emergency? A bitten tongue, lip, or cheek is usually not a serious emergency, but it can be painful and sometimes requires professional care if the injury is severe.

How you should handle your child’s soft tissue injury: First, clean the affected area gently with water to remove any debris. Next, apply a cold compress or ice pack wrapped in a cloth to reduce swelling and numb the pain. If the bleeding doesn’t stop after 15 minutes of applying gentle pressure with a clean cloth or gauze, go to your nearest ER immediately.

How we treat soft tissue injuries in children: We will assess the extent of your child’s injury and clean the area thoroughly to prevent infection. If necessary, we may use stitches to close deep cuts. We will also provide you with instructions on how to care for the injury at home.

Dental Concussion

Is my child’s dental concussion an emergency? If your child has a tooth that has sustained some form of trauma but is not fully knocked out, it is considered “concussed.” Common among toddlers, it can cause their teeth to become discolored permanently or temporarily. Unless a tooth turns black, it usually does not require emergency treatment.

How you should handle your child’s dental concussion: Have your child rinse their mouth to remove any bacteria before having them take an OTC pain reliever. A cold compress can help alleviate discomfort. You’ll want to make sure they do not touch or mess with the tooth until their appointment.

How we treat dental concussions in children: Your child’s dentist will begin by taking an X-ray before performing a pulp sensibility test. This determines whether the pulp that exists within the tooth is still healthy. If it comes back positive, the pulp is still viable; however, if it is negative, the pulp is not unhealthy and will unlikely heal correctly. In this instance, we may suggest pulp therapy. It’s also possible that splint, orthodontic treatment, or tooth extraction may be necessary.

Learn More About Pulp Therapy

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Sensitive Teeth

Are my child’s sensitive teeth an emergency? Your child’s sensitive teeth are not considered a dental emergency, especially since the enamel is much thinner on baby teeth. However, waiting too long to seek treatment can pose a problem, so it’s fine to go ahead and call to schedule an appointment. It’s possible this can occur as a result of tooth decay (cavities), a fractured tooth, worn-down fillings, gum disease, worn tooth enamel, and even an exposed tooth root.

How you should handle your child’s sensitive teeth: It’s important to first call our office and let us know about the situation. We’ll provide helpful tips so that your little one can better manage their symptoms at home. This may include incorporating a desensitizing toothpaste into their daily routine, drinking lukewarm water as opposed to hot or cold beverages, and staying away from acidic or spicy foods.

How we treat sensitive teeth in children: A thorough dental examination is required by our team to determine how best to move forward with the appropriate treatment plan. Your child might need fluoride treatment, dental sealants, or another form of preventive care to address their sensitive teeth.

Learn More About Dental Sealants

Lost Filling or Crown

Is my child’s lost filling or crown an emergency? Your child’s existing dental filling or crown is not meant to be a permanent fixture that lasts forever. When one falls out, it’s important that you get them in to see an emergency dentist as soon as possible. This will minimize the chances of additional decay or damage negatively impacting the vulnerable tooth.

How you should handle your child’s lost filling or crown: If possible, make sure to bring your child’s restoration with you to their appointment. In the meantime, though, they should not eat anything acidic or spicy, and they should stay away from sweets. Also, you can provide them with an OTC pain reliever to minimize any discomfort as well as use a cold compress.  

How we treat lost fillings or crowns in children: Treating this type of problem requires evaluating the existing restoration to see if it can be reattached. If so, we’ll use dental cement to put it back into place. If not, we will need to determine the best course of action to replace it.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Metal-Free Crowns

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Is having something stuck between my child’s teeth an emergency? When an object is stuck in your child’s mouth, it can be a dental emergency if they use a sharp object to try and remove it. Otherwise, these are situations that can usually be handled at home.

How you should handle something stuck between your child’s teeth: It’s best to have your child rinse their mouth with warm water before using dental floss to dislodge the object that is between their teeth. You should never try to use sharp-pointed objects like tweezers, forks, or toothpicks to remove an object from your child’s teeth, as this can lead to damage to their gums, lips, and other oral structures.