Emergency Dentist Louisville

Timely, Personalized Dental Care During Urgent Situations

Woman touching her cheek in pain before emergency dentistry in Louisville

At Hurstbourne Dental Care, we’re committed to restoring our patients’ oral health and comfort when their teeth become compromised or damaged. That’s why we’re committed to seeing patients in urgent situations within 48 hours of when they call. That way, you won’t have to deal with discomfort for any longer than absolutely necessary. Whether you have a knocked-out, aching, or cracked tooth, don’t hesitate to call our office immediately so we can schedule your appointment for emergency dentistry in Louisville.

Why Choose Hurstbourne Dental Care for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Emergency Patients Seen Within 48 Hours
  • We Accept Most PPO Dental Insurances
  • Experienced & Skilled Dentist & Team

How We Treat Dental Emergencies

Woman in dental chair touching her cheek in pain
  1. Call Our Office: Always contact our office as early as possible if you have experienced dental trauma or have any out-of-the-ordinary or painful symptoms. Our team will schedule an appointment for you within 48 hours.
  2. Come In: Once you arrive, our team will get to work collecting diagnostic images, like X-rays, and Dr. Garland will thoroughly examine your teeth and gums. He’ll also ask you about the symptoms you’re experiencing to gain a better understanding of what issues you may be facing. After this examination is complete, he will provide you with a diagnosis and custom-tailored treatment plan to address the underlying causes of your discomfort.
  3. Get Treated: Before moving forward with your personalized treatment plan, our team will answer any questions you may have and thoroughly outline what you can expect throughout the process. Then, we’ll get started restoring your smile’s health.

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

At Hurstbourne Dental Care, Dr. Garland and our amazing team have the skills and knowledge to treat a wide range of dental emergencies, like the ones we most commonly see listed below. If you’re concerned about any unfamiliar dental symptoms you’re experiencing, we invite you to give us a call so we can help!

Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency? Toothaches can occur for a variety of reasons—not all of which will be urgent situations. However, if you’re experiencing one that lasts for longer than three days or worsens over time, make sure to notify our team for help. This could be an indication of an oral infection, which will need to be treated right away.

How you should handle a toothache: After scheduling a visit with our team, try taking over-the-counter pain relievers to reduce discomfort. You might also use a cold compress to alleviate any swelling as well as lower pain. You’ll want to avoid hot, cold, and sugary foods/drinks that could potentially trigger sensitivity or worsen your condition.

How we treat toothaches: Once you arrive at our office, we will thoroughly evaluate your mouth to determine the root of the toothache. If the problem is due to a periodontal infection, we’ll likely provide gum disease treatment. In more serious cases, we might have to perform tooth extractions to save the rest of your smile. We’ll be sure to walk you through your options so that you know exactly what to expect while we do everything we can to preserve your oral health.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency? A chipped tooth may not always be an urgent situation, but you won’t want to neglect addressing it for too long. Leaving it unchecked can raise the risk of bacteria, infection, and further damage. That’s why, if you notice a chip on your tooth after an accidental injury or a wrong bite, it’s best to get treatment sooner rather than later.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: Collect as many big pieces of the tooth as you can to bring with you to your appointment. Rinse your mouth of any dirt and debris to keep your smile clean and bacteria-free. If you notice any jagged or sharp edges on your tooth, you can apply dental wax or sugar-free gum to protect your gums, tongue, lips, and other soft oral tissues.

How we treat chipped teeth: Our team may be able to use composite resin to bring any larger pieces of your tooth back in place. However, if the damage is more visible or serious, veneers may be the more comprehensive solution for you.

 Learn More About Cosmetic Bonding

Learn More About Porcelain Veneers

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency? A cracked tooth, even if it’s minor, will need to be treated as soon as possible to avoid infection and further damage. Sometimes the injury might not be visible, as it can be in the inner layers of the tooth. If you suspect that your tooth has been compromised or damaged, make sure to visit our team for emergency dentistry.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: Avoid chewing or biting down on that side of your mouth until you’ve been treated. Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater to disinfect the area as well as relieve discomfort. Be sure to also take over-the-counter pain medications to keep yourself more comfortable while you wait to visit us.

How we treat cracked teeth: For minor surface-level cracks, our team can typically address the issue with composite resin or even a dental crown to strengthen and protect the tooth. If the damage is too severe, we may have to extract the tooth to keep the rest of your smile safe. We’ll be sure to walk you through your tooth-replacement options beforehand.

Learn More About Cosmetic Bonding

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are Very Sensitive Teeth a Dental Emergency? The answer to this question depends on a few things, including if this sensation is new or something you’ve experienced since you were little. In both cases, you should schedule an exam just to be safe, especially if you’ve noticed other abnormal dental symptoms, like pain when biting down.

How You Should Handle Very Sensitive Teeth Until your appointment, the only thing you can do is try to avoid exacerbating your discomfort. We recommend sticking to lukewarm/room-temperature water, avoiding cold/hot foods, and, if needed, taking an OTC pain reliever.

How We Treat Very Sensitive Teeth There are some cases where tooth decay, gum disease, and the like are not the source. If that’s the case, then switching to a desensitizing toothpaste may be the solution. Of course, if a serious oral health problem is the cause, then we will need to create a custom treatment plan to address it.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is My Knocked-Out Tooth a Dental Emergency? Without a doubt, this dental injury necessitates an immediate call to our Louisville dental office (if you live in the area, of course). That way, we can quickly learn what happened, ask you a few questions about your situation, and schedule a time for you to meet with Dr. Garland within the hour.

How You Should Handle a Knocked-Out Tooth Finding the tooth is a top priority (alongside calling us). If you are lucky enough to find it, then rinse it off with clean water and gently place it back in the socket. If it doesn’t slide back into position easily, put it in a clean container filled with milk instead.

How We Treat Knocked-Out Teeth Fortunately, there are some cases where we can save a knocked-out tooth. If that’s not possible because the tooth was lost or badly damaged, then we will instead fill the open space with a tooth-replacement option, like a dental implant.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DENTAL IMPLANTS

Lost Filling or Crown

Is a Lost Filling or Crown a Dental Emergency? Absolutely! Without the restoration securely in place, your tooth is vulnerable, and we need to intervene before that happens. In other words, don’t hesitate to contact us, even if it is a small filling.

How You Should Handle a Lost Filling or Crown There are a few steps we recommend taking, including calling us to explain what happened, rinsing periodically with clean, lukewarm water to keep your mouth clean, not chewing on that side of your mouth, and storing your restoration somewhere safe (if you have it).

How We Treat Lost Fillings or Crowns When it comes to dental crowns, we have two options: re-cementing the existing one back in place or having a new one made. As for dental fillings, they are almost always replaced, which is a quick process.

Broken Denture

Loose Permanent Tooth

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Jaw Pain

Something Stuck Between the Teeth

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies

Two people with laptop and clipboard sitting at desk

The treatment required to treat your dental emergency in Louisville will depend on a variety of factors, like Dr. Garland’s diagnosis and the extent of the damage to your smile. Our team takes pride in offering transparent dentistry, so we’ll provide you with a detailed cost estimate before moving forward with any procedures. That way, you understand exactly what you’re committing to. We accept and maximize PPO dental insurance plans as well, so we can help you save by filing claims on your behalf.

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

Man flossing his teeth

While there’s no way to completely avoid experiencing a dental emergency, there are several protective measures you can take, including:

  • Brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily.
  • Come into our dental office near Jeffersontown for your routine dental checkups and teeth cleanings every six months.
  • Bite and chew hard foods carefully.
  • Wear a protective mouthguard while playing contact sports.
  • Contact us as soon as you feel lingering dental pain
More to Explore

I Need a Checkup & Cleaning I Have a Cavity or Broken Tooth I am Missing One or More Teeth I Want to Enhance My Smile View Our Services