Same day emergency dentistry in North Atlanta, GA
It’s essential to be prepared for an unexpected dental emergency, even though it’s impossible to know when they might happen. While dental emergencies are very rarely life-threatening or even dangerous, time is of the essence to maximize your chances of restoring your previous smile. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to have the number of a professional, trustworthy emergency dentist in Georgia, such as North Atlanta Family Dentistry.
When Should I Visit an Emergency Dentist?
Since many different things can qualify as “dental emergencies,” it’s not always easy to tell when you need emergency dental care. On the one hand, tooth pain can originate from something as simple as a stubborn piece of food stuck in your teeth and may not require dental treatment. However, on the other hand, fast action after having a tooth knocked out may mean the difference between saving your tooth or a permanently lost tooth.
It is difficult to impose a hard-and-fast rule for when your dental emergency requires dental treatment. However, if you experience any of the following dental issues, it’s generally a good idea to make an emergency dental appointment right away:
- Knocked-out teeth: Often, a tooth that has been knocked out can be replaced if you visit an Atlanta emergency dentist as soon as possible after the injury. However, if you cannot recover the tooth or too much time passes between the injury and your office visit, we can also offer you an artificial tooth replacement. If you can recover the knocked-out tooth, store it in a jar of milk or salt water until your emergency dental appointment.
- Severe toothaches: If you’ve been experiencing severe or recurring dental pain, it likely isn’t something as simple as a piece of stuck food. Other factors may be at play, so it’s important to make an appointment with an emergency dentistry or general dentistry clinic as soon as possible to diagnose the issue. Severe toothaches are often caused by broken teeth, tooth and gum infections, and tooth decay and may require a root canal to treat the problem.
- Displaced teeth: Occasionally, an adult tooth may be knocked out of its proper alignment but not completely knocked out of your jaw. For this type of dental emergency, it’s vital to schedule emergency dental services right away so that your dentist can reset your teeth before the damage progresses or becomes permanent.
- Broken teeth: If you chip, break, or crack a tooth, it’s imperative to see an emergency dental professional right away to protect your oral health. In some cases, if you find the chipped or broken portion of your tooth, it may be possible to put it back in place with the help of a crown and a bonding agent. However, if the damage worsens or an infection develops in the affected tooth, it may require invasive surgery to correct it.
When Is My Dental Emergency a Medical Emergency?
While it’s rare, some dental issues can be so severe that you should skip calling our office altogether and go to the ER instead. If you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s generally a good idea to visit an emergency room instead of calling your emergency dentist, as they can provide faster stabilization and care:
- Severe, uncontrollable pain
- Inability to breathe or difficulty breathing
- Excessive bleeding that will not stop for more than 15 minutes
- A broken jaw
If you’ve been in an accident and have suffered severe facial trauma, it’s generally a good idea to visit the emergency room right away to assess the extent of the damage. In some cases, you may be referred to an oral and facial surgeon or an emergency dentist (like those at North Atlanta Family Dentistry) to fix the damage after the emergency doctors have stabilized your condition.
If you’ve experienced a dental emergency, need a family dentist, or just want to have an emergency dentist in Georgia ready for when the worst happens, consider giving us a call during our office hours. We have two locations, one in Johns Creek and one in Cumming, GA, both of which can readily serve your emergency and general family dentistry needs.