Emergency Dentist in Ooltewah, TN

When to Call Us First

Call right away if you have:

• Tooth pain that wakes you up or stops you from eating
• Swelling in your face, jaw, or gums (this can signal infection)
• A knocked-out adult tooth (we have about a 60-minute window to save it)
• Bleeding that does not stop after 10 minutes of firm pressure
• A broken or cracked tooth, especially with sharp edges or visible damage
• A loose crown, filling, or bridge that came off
• Trauma to your mouth from a fall, sports, or an accident

Call to schedule, but it is not an emergency:

• A small chip with no pain
• Mild sensitivity to hot or cold
• A small dark spot you noticed in the mirror
• A minor cosmetic concern from an old filling

If you are not sure, call. We would rather hear from you and get you scheduled than have you sit at home wondering.

What to Do Before You Get Here

For a knocked-out tooth: Pick the tooth up by the crown (the part you chew with), not the root. Rinse it gently with milk if you have it (water if not), but do not scrub it. If you can, slip it back into its socket and bite down gently on a clean cloth. If reinsertion is not possible, store the tooth in milk, your own saliva, or a tooth-preservation kit and head this way. Time matters. Within an hour, the odds of saving the tooth are good. After three hours, the odds drop sharply.

For a cracked or broken tooth: Rinse your mouth with warm water. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your face on the affected side. Take ibuprofen if you can. Save any tooth pieces in a small container.

For severe toothache: Rinse with warm salt water. Floss gently to clear food debris. Take ibuprofen with food. Avoid placing aspirin directly on the gum, it can burn the tissue. A cold compress on the cheek can help.

For a lost filling or crown: Save the crown if you have it. A drop of dental wax (or even sugar-free gum in a pinch) can hold a loose crown in place until your visit. Avoid chewing on that side.

What Your Visit Will Look Like

We start with a quick visual exam and a targeted X-ray of the painful tooth or area. Most emergency visits get you out the door with the immediate problem solved: pain controlled, infection started on antibiotics if needed, broken tooth temporarily restored. For more involved follow-up like a root canal therapy or a permanent crown, we will get you stable today and book you back for the rest.

Dr. David Peterson has placed thousands of restorations and performed thousands of extractions over 21 years in private practice. The office runs same-day diagnostics and treatment. You will see the same person from check-in to check-out.

Costs and Insurance for Emergency Visits

We are in-network with most major PPO insurance plans. If you are an existing patient, your emergency visit is processed like any other appointment, with your normal copay and deductible.

If you do not have insurance and you are a new patient, ask about our $125 New Patient Exam with X-rays, or the $199 Exam, X-rays, and Healthy Mouth Cleaning option. The $199 includes a cleaning if you do not have periodontal disease. Either offer can be applied to a new patient emergency visit.

For follow-up procedures (extractions, root canal therapy, crowns), we give you a written estimate before you commit. We offer payment plans through CareCredit. We do not pressure. If you need to think about it, we book the urgent piece (pain control, antibiotic) and send you home with a quote for the rest.