Emergency Dentist in Clanton, AL. In Pain? Call Us First.
A cracked tooth, a lost crown, or a toothache that woke you up at 3am does not wait for a convenient week.
Price & Baker Family Dentistry keeps room on the schedule for Clanton and Chilton County
patients who need to be seen fast. Call us and we'll tell you honestly how soon we can get you in.
When It Hurts This Much, You Need a Straight Answer.
Dental pain is its own category. You can't sleep through it, you can't work through it, and the internet gives you forty answers that all end in "see a dentist."
Then comes the harder part. You call around, get a voicemail, get told the next opening is in three weeks, and end up doing what a lot of people in Chilton County do: swallowing ibuprofen and hoping it settles down on its own.
Sometimes it does settle down. That's the dangerous part, because pain going quiet is not the same as a problem going away. An infection that stops hurting has usually killed the nerve, not healed.
Call Us. We'll Tell You What's Happening and How Fast You Need to Be Seen.
When you call Price & Baker with a dental emergency, the first thing you get is a real conversation about what you're feeling. Some situations need to be seen today. Some need to be seen this week. A few can safely wait until your next regular visit, and we will tell you that honestly rather than book you an appointment you don't need.
We hold room on the schedule for urgent cases. Dr. Price's priority in an emergency visit is simple: find the source, get you out of pain, and stabilize the tooth. The longer-term plan comes after you're comfortable, not while you're gripping the armrest.
Our office is open Monday through Thursday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. If you're in pain, call as early in the day as you can. The earlier we hear from you, the more likely we can work you in.
Dental Emergencies We Treat in Clanton, AL.
Severe Toothache
Constant throbbing, pain that spreads into your jaw or ear, sharp pain when you bite, or an ache that keeps you up at night usually means decay has reached the nerve or an infection has set in. This is the most common reason patients call us in an emergency, and it is the one most likely to get worse quickly.
Do not wait it out. Call us at (205) 755-1231.
Who it's right for: Anyone with tooth pain that has lasted more than a day, wakes them at night, or is getting worse instead of better.
Broken, Chipped, or Cracked Teeth
A tooth can break on a piece of ice, a hard candy, or nothing obvious at all. Some breaks are cosmetic and can wait a few days. Others expose the inner layers of the tooth and start hurting fast.
If you can find the broken piece, bring it with you. Rinse your mouth with warm water, and use a cold compress on the outside of your cheek to control swelling until we see you.
Who it's right for: Anyone who has broken, chipped, or cracked a tooth, whether or not it currently hurts.
Knocked-Out Tooth
This is the one that truly counts in minutes. A knocked-out adult tooth has the best chance of being saved if it is re-implanted within an hour.
Pick the tooth up by the crown, never the root. Rinse it gently with water if it's dirty, do not scrub it, and if you can, place it back in the socket and hold it there. If you can't, keep it in a container of milk or your own saliva. Then call us immediately at (205) 755-1231.
Who it's right for: Anyone who has had an adult tooth knocked out from a fall, an impact, or a sports or workplace injury.
Lost Filling or Crown
When a filling falls out or a crown comes loose, the tooth underneath is left unprotected and often very sensitive to hot, cold, and pressure. It is also more likely to fracture the longer it stays exposed.
Save the crown if you have it. We can often re-cement the same one, which is faster and cheaper than making a new one.
Who it's right for: Anyone whose filling has come out or whose crown has come loose or fallen off.
Swelling, Abscess, or Dental Infection
Facial or gum swelling, a pimple-like bump on the gum, a bad taste that won't go away, or a fever alongside tooth pain all point to infection. Dental infections do not resolve on their own and they can spread.
If you have swelling that is affecting your breathing, your swallowing, or your vision, go to the emergency room or call 911. That is beyond what any dental office can treat.
Who it's right for: Anyone with swelling, a gum abscess, or signs of infection alongside tooth pain.
Tooth Extractions
Sometimes a tooth is too damaged or too infected to save, and taking it out is the fastest path out of pain. We handle routine and surgical extractions, including wisdom teeth, right here in Clanton.
Dr. Price will always tell you when a tooth can be saved and what that would take, so extraction is a decision you make with the full picture rather than the only option you were offered.
Who it's right for: Patients with a severely damaged, decayed, or infected tooth, or impacted wisdom teeth causing pain or crowding.
Why Chilton County Calls Price & Baker First.
A Real Conversation, Not a Phone Tree.
When you call during office hours, you talk to somebody who will listen to what's happening and tell you honestly how urgent it is.
You Don't Have to Drive to Birmingham in That Condition.
Emergency care handled here on Baker Ave, minutes from home instead of an hour up I-65 with your jaw throbbing.
Comfort for Patients Who Are Already Scared.
Nitrous oxide, neck pillows, and a team that moves at your pace. Emergency visits are exactly when dental anxiety runs highest, and we plan for that.
Out of Pain First, Plan Second.
We stabilize the problem and get you comfortable before we ever talk about what comes next. You will not be sold a treatment plan while you're hurting.
Zero Judgment About How It Got This Bad.
Plenty of dental emergencies are years in the making. We are not going to spend your appointment on that. We are going to fix the tooth.
What to Do Right Now.3 Simple Steps.
Call Us Immediately
(205) 755-1231, as early in the day as you can. Describe what happened and what you're feeling. We'll tell you how urgent it is and when we can see you.
Follow the First-Aid Steps We Give You
Depending on the emergency, that might mean a cold compress, saving a knocked-out tooth in milk, or rinsing with warm salt water. We'll walk you through it on the phone.
Come In and Get Out of Pain
Dr. Price will find the source, treat what's causing it, and get you comfortable. Then, and only then, we'll talk about what the tooth needs long term.
Waiting Is the Most Expensive
Choice You Can Make
Here is what waiting usually costs. A tooth that could have been saved with a root canal
and a crown on Monday needs to come out on Friday. An infection contained to one tooth spreads into the bone.
A crack that would have taken one visit becomes an extraction plus a bridge plus months of healing.
And the pain relief you were hoping for by waiting almost never comes.
It just changes shape.
If something in your mouth hurts today, call today.
Your Dental Emergency Questions, Answered.
What counts as a dental emergency?
Severe or worsening tooth pain, a knocked-out or broken tooth, a lost filling or crown, swelling in your face or gums, bleeding that won't stop, or an injury to your mouth from a fall or impact. If you're not sure whether what you're dealing with qualifies, call us at (205) 755-1231 and we'll tell you straight.
Can you see me today?
We hold room on the schedule for urgent cases and we do everything we can to get emergency patients in fast. Whether that's today depends on how full the day already is and how early you call. Call as soon as you can and we'll give you a real answer, not a maybe.
How much does emergency dental care cost?
It depends entirely on what's wrong and what it takes to fix it. An exam and X-ray to diagnose the problem is the starting point, and we'll give you the cost of any treatment before we begin. Most dental insurance covers emergency exams and many emergency treatments. Bring your plan information and our team will check your benefits.
Do I need to be an existing patient?
No. We see emergency patients who have never been here before, and we're accepting new patients across Clanton and Chilton County. Call and we'll get your information over the phone.
Can I go to the emergency room instead?
A hospital ER can manage pain and prescribe antibiotics, but most emergency rooms do not have a dentist on staff and cannot fix the tooth. You'd still need to see us afterward. Go to the ER for facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, or a suspected broken jaw. For everything else, a dental office is the right call.
The pain stopped on its own. Am I in the clear?
Usually not, and this is the most important question on this page. When an infected tooth stops hurting, it's often because the nerve has died. The infection is still there, it's still spreading, and the warning signal is just gone. Call us and get it looked at. Learn more about root canal treatment →
What Clanton Patients Are Saying
Don't Spend Another Night Like That.
If you're hurting right now, stop reading and pick up the phone. We'll listen, tell you how serious it is, and get you on the schedule as fast as we can.
