If you are in pain right now, call us. We hold room in the schedule every day for urgent problems and can usually see you the same day or the next.
Mon–Thu 8am–3pm · Fri by appointment · 173 North Main Street, Jonesboro, GA
We want to be straight with you about the limits of a dental office. Go to a hospital emergency room — not here — if you have swelling that is affecting your breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading toward your eye or under your jaw, uncontrolled bleeding, a suspected broken jaw, or a head injury or loss of consciousness. Those need hospital care first. We will gladly pick up the dental side afterward.
We are not a 24-hour clinic, and we would rather say so than have you drive here at 2am. Our promise is a same-day or next-day appointment during our regular hours.
If you are not sure whether your situation qualifies, call and describe it. We would much rather answer the question than have you sit at home guessing — especially with the ones below, where waiting genuinely changes the outcome.
Pain that wakes you up, doesn't respond to over-the-counter pain relief, or is bad enough that you're counting hours until morning. Persistent severe pain usually means the nerve inside the tooth is involved, and that rarely resolves on its own.
Swelling in the gum, cheek, or jaw suggests infection. This is the one to take most seriously — call us the same day. If swelling is spreading toward your eye or under your jaw, or is affecting your breathing or swallowing, go to an emergency room immediately rather than waiting for a dental appointment.
Time is the single biggest factor in whether the tooth can be saved. Handle it by the crown, never the root. Don't scrub it. Keep it moist in milk or the person's own saliva, and call us right away.
A tooth that has fractured — especially one that hurts when you bite down or release — is often still saveable if it's seen quickly. Cracks spread. A tooth that could be crowned this week may not be saveable next month.
Not usually painful at first, which is why people wait. The exposed tooth underneath is vulnerable and can decay or fracture quickly, so this is worth an early appointment rather than a delayed one.
Some oozing after an extraction is normal. Bleeding that continues heavily after firm pressure for twenty minutes is not — call us.
A pimple-like bump on the gum, or a sudden foul taste alongside pain, can indicate an abscess draining. It may hurt less once it drains, but the infection has not gone away and still needs treatment.
Teeth loosened or displaced by a fall or blow need prompt assessment. If there is a possible broken jaw, a head injury, or loss of consciousness, that is an emergency room visit first.
Step-by-step first aid for the most common emergencies, while you wait to be seen.
Cost is the most common reason people wait on a dental emergency, and waiting almost always makes the problem — and the eventual treatment — bigger. Call us and say so plainly. We file claims with most major insurers as a courtesy so your benefits get applied, and we will tell you what your plan is likely to cover before treatment rather than after. We are not in HMO or managed-care networks and we will not pretend otherwise.
Yes. We hold room in the daily schedule for urgent problems and can usually offer a same-day or next-day appointment. Call (770) 478-1001 as early in the day as possible — that is when the most options exist. Our hours are Monday through Thursday, 8am–3pm, with Friday by appointment.
No, and we would rather tell you that plainly than have you drive here at midnight. We are not a 24-hour clinic. What we do offer is same-day or next-day appointments during our regular hours for urgent problems. If you have a genuine after-hours emergency — uncontrolled bleeding, swelling affecting breathing or swallowing, or facial trauma — go to an emergency room.
For a dental problem, a dentist. An emergency room can give you antibiotics and pain relief, but hospitals are not equipped to repair, extract, or treat the tooth itself — so the pain typically returns once the medication wears off, and you still need a dentist. Go to an ER first for swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, a suspected broken jaw, or a head injury.
Act within minutes, not hours. Pick the tooth up by the crown — the chewing surface — and never by the root. Do not scrub or wipe it clean. If it is dirty, rinse briefly with milk or saline. Keep it moist in milk or the person's own saliva, and call (770) 478-1001 immediately. A baby tooth should not be reimplanted, but still call us.
Over-the-counter pain relief taken as directed on the package, a cold compress against the outside of the cheek, rinsing with warm salt water, and sleeping with your head elevated all help. Do not put aspirin directly on the gum — it burns the tissue. Heat on a swollen area can make an infection worse. These measures manage the symptom; they do not treat the cause.
Some can, some genuinely cannot. Facial swelling, a knocked-out permanent tooth, and uncontrolled bleeding need attention right away. A lost filling or a chip that does not hurt can usually wait a few days. If you are unsure, call and describe what is happening — we would rather advise you than have you guess.
Yes. You do not need to be an existing patient. Call (770) 478-1001 and we will get the necessary details over the phone so your visit is as quick as possible once you arrive.
It depends entirely on the cause. Dr. Skiba will examine the area, usually take an X-ray, and get you out of pain first. Depending on what is found that may mean a filling, a crown, an extraction, or treating an infection. Root canal treatment is referred to a trusted endodontist. You will be told what is going on and what the options are before anything is done.
Patients come to us for urgent care from across the south metro. If the offices near you are booked out, the drive is usually shorter than the wait.
Same-day and next-day emergency appointments during our regular hours.
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