Emergency Dental Treatment in Atlanta

emergency dental

Same-day and new patient emergency dental care

Emergency dental treatments are one of the many services we offer here at Atlanta Dental. There’s nothing worse than having an unexpected dental emergency that ruins your day! It can happen anytime, anywhere, when you least expect it, and if you decide to wait and not get immediate attention for it, further damage may occur. Dr. Padolsky can treat your dental emergency the same day—even on Saturdays.

Atlanta emergency dentist Dr. Padolsky has been handling dental emergencies throughout his entire career as a dentist. He and his caring, knowledgeable staff are well-equipped to handle any dental emergency you may have. They are here for you!

The first thing he will do when you come in is listen to your concerns and examine your mouth to accurately identify the problem. If you are in pain, he will address that first. Once he identifies the problem, he will determine the proper treatment that you need.

Call 404.476.5504 or use the form below to request an emergency dental appointment now!

    What is considered a dental emergency?

    A dental emergency can be anything that requires an immediate visit to the dentist. Sometimes this may be an unexpected trauma you experience that knocks out or damages a tooth or it may be an infection or toothache that is causing a lot of pain. We are here for you to take care of any dental emergency you may have.

    Symptoms of common dental emergencies

    Sometimes when patients are having tooth pain or other dental problems they may not know if it requires an urgent dental visit or not. Patients are always welcome to call us with questions but here are some questions to consider to help you determine if you need an emergency dental visit or not.

    • Did you chip or break a tooth?
    • Do you have a possible infection or abscess?
    • Do you have a missing tooth or did one of your teeth get knocked loose?
    • Is your mouth or jaw swollen?
    • Did you lose a filling?
    • Are you having severe tooth pain?
    • Do you have a broken or loose crown?
    • Is there considerable bleeding in your mouth?

    Steps that are taken to handle your emergency

    • Dr. Padolsky will do an exam focusing on the problem area to identify your problem and find the best solution for it.
    • Low-radiation digital X-rays are taken to see inside the tooth’s structure, giving Dr. Padolsky a clear and complete view of what the problem is.
    • Your treatment for your dental emergency begins that same day to relieve you of your pain and fix any problem which may require a root canal, extraction, fillings replaced, or a crown to restore a tooth’s structure.

    Ways you can help yourself during a dental emergency

    • Toothache – A number of things can cause toothaches. You may have tooth decay that has gone untreated or perhaps an inflamed, infected nerve root that may require a root canal. Maybe a sports injury or some sort of blunt-force impact has caused your tooth or teeth to ache. Rinse your mouth with warm water and floss to remove any loose debris. If there is swelling, apply a cold compress to the area.
    • Broken tooth – You can break a tooth if it already has a fracture and you bite into an apple or something hard that causes it to break. Also, old, large fillings can compromise a tooth’s structure and your tooth can break when you bite into something hard. The best thing is to rinse your mouth with warm water. Save all the pieces of your tooth if you can. Apply a cold compress to the area.
    • Knocked-out tooth – Car accidents, falling off a bicycle, sports injuries, or any other type of blunt-force trauma to the face can knock-out a person’s teeth. You have a couple of options here: place the tooth back in place where it fell out and bite down gently on gauze or a wet tea bag to hold it in place. Be careful not to swallow it! If putting the tooth back in place is not possible, then place the tooth in a container with a small amount of whole milk. You can also transport your tooth in your mouth, next to your cheek or use an emergency tooth preservation kit (such as Save-a-Tooth®).
    • Lost dental filling – This can occur especially when the filling is old and you may lose it when you bite into a piece of food. You can temporarily seal the exposed cavity with a piece of sugarless gum or over-the-counter dental cement.
    • Loose crown – If your crown feels loose or becomes detached, carefully try to slip it back on. If you can, prepare the inside of the crown with an over-the-counter dental cement, denture adhesive, or even toothpaste. Otherwise, bring the crown with you to our office.
    • Dental abscess – A dental abscess occurs when infection has caused pus to build-up in and around the soft tissues of the gum around the tooth, causing painful swelling. Contact Dr. Padolsky immediately if you are experiencing this. Rinse your mouth with a mild saline solution of a half teaspoon of salt in an 8 ounce glass of water several times a day.

    How to Help Avoid an Emergency Visit to the Dentist

    Many emergency dental visits can be avoided by visiting our office regularly for preventative dental care including exams and x-rays. This will allow us to detect any dental problems before they become an emergency. Other dental emergencies such as a knocked out or broken tooth can be prevented by using a mouth guard while playing sports.

    Of course, we realize some emergency dental care is unavoidable and that is why we are happy to be available for an emergency appointment for our patients when needed.

    Learn more about what you can do for your dental emergency at the American Dental Association’s website.