Urgent Surgical Care in Atlanta
Infected wisdom teeth, broken teeth that can't be saved, and swelling from a dental infection. Facial injuries go to an emergency room.
Call us first thing. We fit urgent surgical patients in as the day's schedule allows.
Fitting urgent patients into the day
Call as early in the day as you can. We fit urgent surgical patients in around scheduled surgery, so an early call gives you the best chance of being seen soon. Dr. Okhiria examines the area, takes X-rays and explains what she sees before treating, and you go home with written instructions and a follow-up call from her. If a problem flares up after hours, follow the recorded instructions and call again when we open; for the emergency signs below, go straight to an emergency room.
Surgical problems we're set up for
A wisdom tooth that is infected and swollen, a tooth that has broken and can't be repaired, and an abscess that needs to be drained are surgical problems, and they're what we're set up for. Signs worth a call include an ache at the back of the jaw that keeps building, gums that look puffy or red behind your last molar, a bad taste that won't rinse away, or a jaw that feels stiff when you open wide. Treatment usually means removing the tooth or draining the infection, sometimes with antibiotics. A toothache that isn't surgical is best seen by your general dentist.
Signs that mean the emergency room
Go straight to an emergency room if swelling is spreading toward your eye or neck, you have a high fever with swelling, you have trouble breathing or swallowing, or you have a facial injury. We don't treat facial fractures or injuries in the office: Dr. Okhiria repairs those in a hospital operating room when she's on trauma call. Dental infections can move quickly, and she has cared for a young, healthy patient who ended up in the hospital after putting off a wisdom tooth. "Don't avoid it, just confront it." Our guide to an infected wisdom tooth explains when to call and when to go.
A surgeon who also takes trauma call
Dr. Okhiria is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, with hospital privileges for the cases that need an operating room. She still takes facial trauma call at a hospital a few weeks a year. "It keeps my surgical skill up," she says. In the office, urgent patients can choose local anesthesia, laughing gas or IV sedation when it's safe for them, and many are sent to us by their general dentist, though you're welcome to call directly.
A plan for what comes next
Once the urgent problem is handled, Dr. Okhiria helps you plan what comes next, whether that's replacing a tooth, placing a bone graft to protect the bone, or sending a clear report back to your dentist so your regular care continues without a gap. You'll leave knowing what happens next and exactly who to call if anything changes, and our team will check in to see how you're healing.
Request a consult
Send a request and our team will call you to find a time. Most patients come with a referral from their dentist, and you're welcome without one.