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(307) 266-1997 102 N Kenwood St,
Casper, WY 82601
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Emergency Pediatric Dentist — Casper, WY

Getting Kids Smiling Again Fast!

Teens

Let’s all face facts – our kids are accident prone! Unfortunately, their smiles are not exempt from accidents, injuries, and pain. Luckily for kids and parents in the Casper area, our skilled dentists and dental care team are here to help when your kids need urgent dental care. You can count on the Children’s Dentistry of Central Wyoming team to offer fast, efficient emergency dentistry services to get your little one out of pain and back to smiling in no time. The first step is easy. Pick up the phone and give our team and your pediatric emergency dentist in Casper, WY a call. We look forward to helping to repair your child’s damaged smile. We are all about getting kids smiling again fast, so don’t hesitate to give us a call !

Why Choose Children’s Dentistry of Central Wyoming for Emergency Dental Care?

  • #1 Same-Day Emergency Appointments Available
  • #2 Advanced Dental Technology for Fast, Precise Care
  • #3 Over 30 Years of Experience Serving Casper

What to Do in a Dental Emergency

Young boy visiting Casper emergency pediatric dentist

It’s easy to panic when something goes wrong, especially if it’s causing your child to feel alarm or pain. But we encourage you to keep a cool head so you can act quickly and correctly! All you have to do is follow these simple steps:

  • Step 1: Give us a call as soon as you can! No matter what type of dental emergency your little one encounters, don’t hesitate to contact us right away. We’ll schedule a same-day appointment for you and give you step-by-step instructions for managing your situation until you can reach our office.
  • Step 2: Get an emergency exam from Dr. Roy or Ryne Paulson. When you arrive, your Casper emergency pediatric dentist Dr. Roy or Ryne Paulson will work quickly to get your child out of pain and evaluate their condition. They’ll review their findings with you and work with you to put together a treatment plan that works best for your unique situation.
  • Step 3: Get the gentle, professional care your child needs. Once a treatment plan has been made, our experienced team can get to work right away. Whether your little one needs a filling, space maintainer, tooth extraction, or something else entirely, we will always focus on providing gentle and comfortable care that gets their oral health back on track.

The Most Common Pediatric Dental Emergencies

Dental emergencies come in all shapes and sizes, and not all of them are easy to identify right away. That’s why we encourage you to contact us even if you’re unsure if your child needs urgent dental care. When you call our team for help, we’ll listen carefully to the symptoms you describe as well as your concerns and recommend when or if you should visit us for an appointment. If needed, we’ll happily walk you through pain relief and symptom management steps to keep your child safe until you reach our dental office in Casper. Some of the basic first aid steps to remember include:

Understanding the Cost of Treating Dental Emergencies

parent and receptionist discuss cost of pediatric dental emergencies

 One last worry may be plaguing you before you call to schedule an emergency dental appointment for your little one – cost. Our goal during an emergency dental treatment visit is always to relieve pain and stress, not pile on. We’ll walk you through treatment and pricing options, maximize available dental benefits, and partner with you to apply for low or no interest financing if necessary. In short, you’re not alone. Our team is here to help you through the entire emergency dentistry process, including payment. Read on as we cover important information about the cost of children’s dental emergencies.

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Every Dental Emergency Is Different

Young girl needs to visit her emergency pediatric dentist in Casper

There isn’t a set price for treating children’s dental emergencies. Every situation will be unique, and some will cost more or less to treat than others. For instance, treating a minorly cracked tooth with some dental bonding will typically cost less than having an infected tooth repaired with a root canal. Once we’ve evaluated your child’s condition, we’ll review our findings with you and fully explain which treatments we recommend and their associated costs. 

Does Dental Insurance Cover Children’s Dental Emergencies?

Piggy bank atop calculator representing insurance coverage for children’s dental emergencies in Casper

At Children’s Dentistry of Central Wyoming, we proudly accept popular insurance plans like BlueCross BlueShield, Cigna, Delta Dental, Medicaid, and many more. Many policies offer some type of coverage for emergency exams, often covering at least one a year. Additionally, many services that are used for treating children’s dental emergencies receive 50-80% coverage from most dental insurance companies. During your child’s appointment, our experienced front desk team will be happy to review your coverage and ensure your benefits are being maximized.

Other Options for Making Your Child’s Dental Emergency Affordable

Family paying for children’s dental emergencies in Casper

If you’re looking for more ways to save on your child’s emergency dental care, we can offer financing options through CareCredit. This third-party company offers qualifying patients a variety of payment plans to choose from that work similarly to a credit card. CareCredit will break up the cost of your child’s emergency dental care into smaller payments that easily fit into your monthly budget. You’ll repay the balance for the treatment over the coming months or years with little to no interest in most cases.

Good Dental Habits Can Save You Money

Smiling girl pointing to her tooth visiting Casper children’s emergency dentist

The best way to save money on a dental emergency is to keep one from happening in the first place. While you can never fully eliminate the chances of your child damaging their smile, teaching them great oral health habits at home early in life can make a tremendous difference. Most toothaches that send children to emergency dentists or the ER are caused by preventable tooth decay, so make sure your child is brushing their teeth for two minutes twice a day and flossing daily. They should also be visiting us every six months for routine checkups and cleanings. Not only will this allow us to keep their smile healthy, but it will help keep them from developing dental anxiety.

How to Prevent Pediatric Dental Emergencies

parent and receptionist discuss cost of pediatric dental emergencies

Not every dental emergency is avoidable, but some of the basics you should keep in mind to minimize your child’s risk for a dental emergency include:

  • Bring your child to see us at least two times each year for dental exams and teeth cleanings to keep their smile healthy.
  • Make sure your child carefully brushes and flosses each day.
  • Limit your child’s consumption of sugary and acidic foods to reduce plaque production and cavity risk.
  • Make sure kids who play sports wear a customized mouthguard to protect their smiles during athletic events and practices.
  • Don’t let kids use their teeth to open packages and try to stop them from chewing on fingernails, ice cubes, and other hard objects.

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Make Sure Your Child Gets 2 Checkups a Year

Little boy visiting his Casper pediatric dentist for checkup

When was your child’s last dental checkup? We highly recommend bringing your little one in for a routine checkup and cleaning every six months. These simple visits help us spot and stop little oral health issues as early as possible before they have a chance to become a dental emergency. Plus, a thorough cleaning and personalized preventive care can go a tremendously long way in keeping potential problems at bay.

Practice Good Dental Habits At Home

Father teaching child how to brush their teeth

Between checkups, make sure your little one is taking care of their smile at home! They should be brushing their teeth for two minutes twice a day. If your child is under the age of three, they should use a smear of children’s toothpaste about the size of a grain of rice. If they’re between the ages of three and six, they can use a pea-sized blob of toothpaste. Your little one should also be flossing every day, perhaps with a children’s flossing tool, to ensure their gums stay healthy and no cavities develop between their teeth.

Be Careful With Your Child’s Diet

Smiling girl with watermelon after visiting Casper pediatric dentist

Children are far more prone to cavities than adults because of the thin enamel on their baby teeth. As such, make sure to limit your child’s consumption of:

  • Sugary treats, like candy, cookies, ice cream, and other super sweet foods.
  • Fruit juice, including 100% fruit juice, which can contain as much sugar as a glass of soda!
  • Carb-heavy snacks, such as crackers, breads, and chips.

Protect Their Pearly Whites with a Mouthguard

Little boy smiling and holding children’s sports mouthguard in Casper

Do you have a little athlete in your family? Make sure their smile is safe every time they hit the field or court with a custom-made children’s sports mouthguard. These custom appliances fit comfortably in the mouth and can prevent cracked teeth, knocked-out teeth, bitten cheeks, lips, or tongues, and can potentially even minimize the risk of concussion. If your child plays sports, talk to us about fitting them with a custom athletic sportsguard today!

Remember: Teeth Aren’t Tools!

boy risking child’s chipped tooth in Casper by chewing on package

It’s completely natural for kids to get excited, impatient, or frustrated with things they’re trying to open. However, they should never use their teeth as tools to open bags, bottles, packages, or any other type of container they may be trying to get into. While convenient, one wrong move could leave your little one with a chipped or cracked tooth in the blink of an eye, so help them avoid the bad habit of using their teeth as tools.

Dental Emergency FAQs

young girl smiling while visiting pediatric dentist in Casper

If you’re looking for a pediatric emergency dentist near Casper, we’ve got you covered at Children’s Dentistry of Central Wyoming. Our friendly team is ready to offer safe and effective services when your little one needs them most. However, we understand that you may have some questions regarding our emergency dental care. For your convenience, we’ve decided to answer the most common questions asked by patients below. If you don’t see the answers you’re looking for, feel free to give our office a call today!  

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

Truthfully, most emergency rooms are not equipped to handle a dental emergency in Casper. There’s usually no dental professional on staff, which means it’s not the best place to take your little one for assistance. It’s always ideal to visit a pediatric emergency dentist if your child has suffered a sudden injury and needs immediate attention. Of course, there are a few exceptions where an ER visit would be better, such as:

  • Swelling that’s affecting breathing or ability to swallow
  • Fractured or broken jawbone
  • Serious cut or laceration to the face
  • Uncontrollable bleeding

Are Knocked-Out Baby Teeth a Dental Emergency?

Since baby teeth are meant to fall out, you may think that it’s no big deal if they accidentally get knocked out. However, it’s incredibly important that they stay in your child’s mouth for as long as possible. If your little one’s baby tooth does get knocked out, do not try and reinsert it into the empty socket. Call our office and schedule an emergency appointment. We’ll get your child seen as quickly as possible to get their smile back to normal. Depending on the situation, they may need a space maintainer. If your child has uncontrollable bleeding or has damaged their jaw in any way, take them to your nearest emergency room for assistance.

What Should I Keep in My Emergency Dentistry Kit?

It’s always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected. You should keep an emergency dentistry kit with you at all times that contains the following essentials:

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

Can I Pop My Child’s Dental Abscess on My Own?

No! You should never under any circumstances pop your child’s dental abscess. There are too many issues that can occur, which is why it’s better to wait and visit a dental practice that provides emergency dental care for children. Since an abscess is a type of dental infection, it needs immediate treatment. Otherwise, it can spread to other parts of the body like the neck, throat, and head.

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Toothache

Is my child’s toothache an emergency? As kids’ smiles grow and change, they are likely to experience some growing pains. This is perfectly normal. However, if one particular tooth seems to be bothering your little one, the situation may be more serious and you should call us right away. Your child’s toothache qualifies as an emergency if:

  • The pain is intense, potentially keeping them awake at night
  • There’s a sharp, stabbing pain when biting down
  • The tooth is discolored or damaged
  • There’s a small pimple-like bump on the gums
  • There’s swelling in the mouth

How you should handle your child’s toothache: First, have them rinse their mouth out with water and try to floss around the painful tooth to dislodge any objects that may be lodged between the teeth and causing the pain. If pain persists, call us right away. Until you reach our dental office, keep your child comfortable with oral or topical pain relievers. Alternatively, you can ease swelling and numb discomfort by applying an ice pack to the outside of the face or giving them cold foods and drinks. If possible, have your child wait to eat until after their appointment in our dental office. If they do need to eat, take care to ensure they only chew with the part of their smile that is not paining them.

How we treat toothaches in children: How we treat your child’s toothache will depend entirely on what’s causing it. Fortunately, the majority of toothaches are caused by cavities, which can be addressed with fillings. In other cases, they may need a restoration such as a dental crown. In rare cases, if the tooth cannot be saved, then we may recommend a tooth extraction.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings Fillings

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Cracked Tooth

Is my child’s cracked tooth an emergency? Whether your child cracked a tooth while playing their favorite sport or by biting down on something hard, you should call us as soon as you can. Teeth can’t heal themselves, so the longer a cracked tooth goes untreated, the higher the risk of worsening damage and developing an infection.

How you should handle your child’s cracked tooth: If your child has cracked or broken a tooth, clean out their mouths with cool water. If the soft tissue is injured, have your little one bite down on gauze or clean cloth to absorb blood and apply pressure to slow bleeding. Should they be in pain, you can use an ice pack or over-the-counter children’s pain relievers to ease discomfort and swelling. If possible, have your child wait to eat until after their appointment in our dental office. If they do need to eat, take care to ensure they only chew with the part of their smile that is not paining them.

How we treat children’s cracked teeth: While irreparably damaged teeth may need to be extracted, the most common treatment for a cracked tooth is a custom-made dental crown. At Casper Children’s Dental Clinic, we’re proud to offer a variety of dental crown choices to fit your little one’s needs best.

Learn More About Stainless Steel Dental Crowns

Learn More About Pre-Veneered Zirconia Crowns

Learn More About Composite Crowns

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Chipped Tooth

Is my child’s chipped tooth an emergency? Chipped teeth are relatively common in children, especially if they play sports. Even though chipped teeth typically aren’t painful and likely won’t require an immediate appointment, they need to be treated right away to prevent further damage.

How you should handle your child’s chipped tooth: Make sure your child rinses their mouth out thoroughly to wash out any loose fragments of their tooth. If they accidentally swallow a small piece of their tooth, there’s nothing to worry about as it will pass right through them. Once you’ve collected as many pieces of the tooth as you can, carefully examine the damaged tooth and surrounding gum tissue. Make sure there are no sharp edges that may further damage your child’s smile. If the tooth is sharp, use a bit of orthodontic wax (available at most pharmacies and grocery stores) to cover the sharp part of the tooth.

How we treat children’s chipped teeth: How we treat your child’s chipped tooth will depend on a large range of factors. In many cases, we should be able to use the same biocompatible, tooth-colored composite resin used for white fillings to seamlessly fill in the damaged area of their smile. If the injury occurred as a result of a sports injury, we will likely recommend a custom mouthguard to prevent future emergencies.

Learn More About Custom Mouthguards

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency?: If your child’s permanent tooth has been knocked out, you’ll want to quickly get to our office. The longer their tooth is outside of their mouth, the less likely you’ll be able to have it put back in. After about an hour has passed, the tooth is much more difficult to save (and in some cases impossible) so don’t hesitate to call!

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: Start by locating the tooth and picking it up by the crown (or top) portion. Do not touch the root or remove any tissue still attached to it. If dirt or debris has collected on the tooth, gently rinse it off with cold water. Help your child place the tooth back into their open socket. If this is not possible, you can also keep it submerged in milk, saltwater, or saline solution if you have it. An ADA-approved tooth preservation kit can also be quite helpful here.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: The tooth may still be viable if you get to our office soon enough. However, if the tooth cannot be saved, we may discuss tooth replacement options with you and your child instead. While teenagers can get dental implants to replace lost teeth, there are strict age requirements. For example, female teenagers should be at least 15 years of age, while male teenagers need to be at least 17.

Knocked-Out Baby Tooth

Is a knocked-out baby tooth a dental emergency?: While baby teeth are designed to come out eventually, they can come out far too soon. This can be as a result of tooth decay, gum disease, or physical injury. If your child is in a lot of pain or you know the baby tooth was simply not ready to come out yet, please call our office.

How you should handle a knocked-out baby tooth: Unlike an adult tooth, you should not try to place a knocked-out baby tooth back into your child’s mouth. Instead, have your child rinse their mouth out with water, then use a clean washcloth or gauze soaked in cold water as a cold compress to stop any bleeding and reduce swelling. Have your child bite down to apply pressure to the area. From there, you should head to our office immediately.

How we treat knocked-out baby teeth: Our office will take a closer look at your child’s mouth to confirm no damage has occurred to the gums. If your child is older, we may opt to leave the area as-is. However, younger children may need to receive a space maintainer to keep any remaining teeth from shifting into the open space.

Learn More About Space Maintainers

Bitten Tongue, Lip, Cheek

Dental Concussion

Is my child’s dental concussion a dental emergency? Although this type of injury doesn’t involve a fully broken or “knocked-out tooth,” it does mean your child has suffered a hard enough hit that their tooth is considered “concussed.” You will want to call our office and alert us to the situation so we can determine how quickly you and your child should come in for an appointment.

How you should handle your child’s dental concussion: You will want to check your child’s tooth to see if there is any discoloration. Typically, if it is not discolored or darkening, you do not need to seek emergency treatment. To identify whether the tooth might be “dead” or in need of emergency help, you can tap on it. If your child complains of tenderness or you notice it becoming darker, go ahead and call our office, as the tooth may be dying.

How we treat dental concussions in children: Your kid’s emergency dentist in Casper will likely take digital x-rays of your child’s mouth and determine if the pulp of the tooth has been damaged in any way. If it is proven that the innermost layer of your child’s tooth is no longer healthy, it will be necessary to perform pulp therapy.

Sensitive Teeth

Are my child’s sensitive teeth a dental emergency? It is unlikely that your child’s sensitive teeth will be cause for an emergency dental appointment. Because the enamel on a child’s teeth is much thinner than that on an adult’s, it’s much easier for them to form cavities, which can lead to tooth sensitivity.

How you should handle your child’s sensitive teeth: While at home, you’ll want to use specialized products to help minimize your kid’s sensitive teeth in Casper. You can do this by choosing a toothpaste designed specifically for sensitive teeth. You’ll only want to select this option if it is recommended by our team of experts. Fluoride is also helpful in strengthening tooth enamel and protecting against tooth decay and cavities.

You will find it is also beneficial to oversee your child’s oral hygiene routine to make sure they are brushing, flossing, and rinsing (if old enough) every morning and night.

How we treat sensitive teeth in children: If seeing our dental team for your child’s sensitive teeth, we will take digital x-rays to determine if the root is exposed or there are any infected internal areas of their teeth. If so, we’ll likely need to perform necessary procedures (i.e., pulp therapy, tooth extraction, etc.) to ensure the future health of their smile.

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency?: If your child has a dental filling or crown, keep in mind that it is possible for it to break and come out if it is very old or they experience a dental injury. It’s not necessarily a dental emergency if this occurs, but you do not want to leave their vulnerable tooth exposed for long. Instead, call our office so we can get them a new restoration.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: Do your best to locate the filling or crown. If your child is experiencing dental discomfort, feel free to give them ibuprofen to get relief.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: By visiting our office, your child can receive a replacement filling or crown and prevent future damage to their natural teeth underneath.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Stainless Steel Dental Crowns

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Is having something stuck between my child’s teeth an emergency? It is not usually deemed a dental emergency if your child has something stuck between their teeth. However, if your child is complaining of serious pain or you cannot get the object out, call our office as soon as possible.

How you should handle something stuck between your child’s teeth: While at home, make sure to have your child rinse with warm water before using dental floss to gently remove the object. You should never use toothpicks, tweezers, or sharp objects to dislodge something, as this can push the object further into the gums.