emergency dentistry
Emergency Dentist Adelaide : call before 10am and see a dentist today
A tooth that kept you up all night. A crown that came off at dinner. A child’s tooth knocked out at Saturday sport. Call Avenue Dental Adelaide before 10am on a day we’re open and our Same Day Emergency Guarantee means you’ll be seen by a dentist that day, for assessment, pain relief and whatever emergency treatment gets you comfortable. The emergency appointment is $95, covering the consultation and X-ray; once we know what’s going on, we’ll explain your options and their costs before anything else is done. We’re in Fulham Gardens, in Adelaide’s western suburbs, a short drive from Woodville, Henley Beach and the city.
In pain now? Call us.
Same Day Emergency Guarantee: call before 10am on a day we’re open and you’ll be seen by a dentist that day. Emergency appointment $95, including consultation and X-ray. Excludes public holidays and practice closures. Full terms here.
Not sure if it counts as an emergency? Here’s when to call
Toothache, a knocked-out or broken tooth, a crown that’s come off, mild swelling, bleeding that won’t settle: all of these are worth a call today, and none of them improve with waiting. Open yours below for what to do until you’re here.
A tooth has been knocked out
- Speed matters more than anything else: an adult tooth has the best chance if it’s back in place within about 30 minutes
- Hold it by the white part, not the root, and don’t scrub it or let it dry out
- Ring us the moment it happens, on the way if you can
A tooth is broken or chipped
- How much has broken off decides how urgent it is; a deep break can sit close to the nerve and become painful quickly
- Chew on the other side until we’ve seen it
- Call us as soon as you can
A filling or crown has come out
- Keep the crown if you still have it; we can often clean and re-cement it
- Don’t reach for superglue or any household adhesive, which damages both the tooth and the crown
- Keep the area clean and steer clear of very hot, cold or sweet food and drink
- If the tooth is sensitive, call us straight away
Bad toothache
- Over-the-counter pain relief taken as directed on the packet can help; never rest aspirin or any tablet against the gum, which burns the tissue
- Severe pain often means the nerve is involved, and that’s something we need to see as soon as possible
- Pain with any facial swelling: call us straight away
Swelling or an abscess
- Mild swelling in the gum or cheek, with or without a pimple-like bump on the gum: call us
- Don’t try to squeeze or drain it yourself
- Swelling that’s spreading towards your eye or down your neck, making it hard to swallow or breathe, or coming with a fever, is a hospital emergency rather than a dental one
Bleeding after a tooth was taken out
- Oozing for the first day is normal, and mixed with saliva it looks like more than it is
- Fold the gauze you were given, place it over the socket and bite down firmly for 20 to 30 minutes
- Stay upright, and avoid rinsing, spitting, straws, smoking and hot drinks, which all disturb the clot
- Still bleeding steadily after two rounds of firm pressure: call us. Heavy and not slowing: go to hospital
Whichever of these it is, the next step is the same: call us before 10am and you’ll be seen today. If it’s after hours, the section further down covers your options overnight, and when it’s a hospital rather than a dentist.
Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute clinical advice. Individual suitability, treatment and costs depend on an assessment specific to you. Before proceeding, seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. View treatment risks here.
When it’s a hospital emergency, not a dental one
Most dental emergencies hurt a lot and endanger nothing, and we can see you today. A few are dangerous, and a dental practice is the wrong place for them. Go straight to an emergency department, or call 000, if any of these apply:
- Swelling spreading towards the eye or down the neck, or making it difficult to swallow, breathe or open your mouth
- Swelling together with a fever or feeling unwell
- A blow, fall or accident to the face or jaw, especially if your teeth no longer meet properly or the jaw feels out of place
- Bleeding from the mouth that’s heavy and won’t slow with firm pressure
- A knocked-out tooth alongside a head injury, loss of consciousness or vomiting
Life-threatening: call 000
Trouble breathing or swallowing, serious facial injury, or bleeding that won’t stop. Don’t drive yourself. The Royal Adelaide Hospital emergency department is open around the clock.
Not sure how urgent it is?
healthdirect’s nurse line on 1800 022 222 is free, 24 hours, and will tell you whether it’s a hospital, a dentist in the morning, or something you can manage overnight.
For everything else, including severe toothache, a broken or knocked-out tooth, a lost crown or mild swelling, call Avenue Dental Adelaide on (08) 7095 2800 before 10am and we’ll see you today.
Your $95 emergency appointment, start to finish
The fee covers the consultation and X-ray. The job of the visit is to work out what’s wrong and get you out of pain, and to make sure the bigger decisions are made once you’re comfortable rather than while you’re hurting.
1What’s going on
The dentist asks where it hurts, when it started and what sets it off, then examines the tooth and everything around it. If we haven’t met you before, a few minutes on your medical history comes first, because it changes what we can safely do that day.
2The X-ray
Most of what causes a dental emergency is invisible from the outside: infection at a root, a crack under the gum, decay beneath an old filling. The X-ray finds it, and the dentist walks you through what it shows in plain terms.
3Out of pain today
Whatever makes you comfortable is done in the same visit: calming the nerve, a temporary filling, re-cementing a crown, smoothing a sharp edge, draining an abscess, or starting antibiotics where they’re needed. Emergency treatment on the day is charged separately from the $95, and you’re told the cost before it happens.
4The fix, with the costs in front of you
Once the pain is under control, the dentist explains how the tooth can be properly repaired, whether that’s a filling, a crown, root canal treatment or, if it can’t be saved, removing it and what could replace it. Each option comes with its cost, the follow-up is booked when you’re ready, and payment plans are available for that treatment.
Why choose Avenue Dental for Emergency Dentistry in Adelaide
Seen today, in writing — Call before 10am on a day we’re open and our Same Day Emergency Guarantee means a dentist sees you that day. It’s a published commitment with terms, not a receptionist’s best guess.
Open from 7am — The practice opens at 7am, so if a tooth kept you awake, you can be in the chair before most of Adelaide has had breakfast, and usually before work.
$95, and you know it before you call — The emergency appointment covers the consultation and X-ray. Anything done on the day is quoted before it’s done, and the proper repair is costed once you’re out of pain, so there’s never a number you didn’t see coming.
Western suburbs, easy to reach — We’re in Fulham Gardens, minutes from Woodville, Henley Beach, Grange and Fulham, and a short drive from the city along Henley Beach Road. Parking on site, so you’re not circling the block with a toothache.
Pain first, decisions later — The emergency visit is about getting you comfortable. Whether the tooth is filled, crowned, root-treated or removed is decided at the follow-up, with the options and costs in front of you and a clear head.
Same dentist, start to finish — Whoever sees you in the emergency stays with you for the treatment that follows. New patients are welcome, and treated exactly like patients we’ve known for years.
Payment plans for the fix — If the repair turns out bigger than expected, interest-free payment plans through Humm are available, with approval and terms assessed by Humm.
The information on this page is general in nature and does not constitute clinical advice. Individual suitability, treatment and costs depend on an assessment specific to you. Before proceeding, seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner. View treatment risks here.
After hours in Adelaide: what your options actually are
Adelaide is one of the few Australian cities with private after-hours emergency dentists, and if it’s 10pm and you can’t wait, they exist. Two things to know before you call one. The after-hours fee is usually several times a daytime emergency appointment, and what you’ll get at that hour is what you’d get from us in the morning: an assessment, pain relief and a temporary fix, with the real treatment booked for later anyway.
So the honest advice for most overnight dental pain is this. If it’s one of the hospital signs above, go to hospital. If it isn’t, get through the night as comfortably as you can, and call us at 7am. Over-the-counter pain relief taken as directed on the packet, a cold pack on the outside of the cheek, keeping your head raised when you lie down, and avoiding whatever sets the tooth off (usually hot, cold or sweet) will carry most people to morning. Call before 10am and you’ll be seen that day for $95, including the X-ray, rather than paying a premium for the same first aid at midnight.
If you’re not sure which of those applies, healthdirect’s nurse line on 1800 022 222 is free, open all night, and will tell you.
Emergency dentist in Adelaide: your questions answered
Is there a 24-hour emergency dentist in Adelaide?
Adelaide has a small number of private after-hours emergency dental services, which is more than most Australian cities. They charge a premium for the hour, and what you receive overnight is usually an assessment, pain relief and a temporary fix, with the proper treatment booked for later. For anything dangerous, such as spreading swelling or a facial injury, a hospital emergency department is the right place at any hour. For everything else, call Avenue Dental Adelaide before 10am and you will be seen that day for $95.
Do you bulk bill emergency dental appointments?
No. Avenue Dental is a private practice, and the emergency appointment is $95, which covers the consultation and X-ray. Children who are eligible for the Child Dental Benefits Schedule may have some treatment covered through Medicare, and we can check eligibility when you call. Adults with a Pensioner Concession or Health Care Card may be eligible for care through SA Dental Service, which runs public emergency clinics; contact them on 1300 008 222.
Can I go to hospital for a toothache?
You can, but for toothache on its own an emergency department will generally give pain relief and advise you to see a dentist, because they are not equipped to treat the tooth. Go to hospital if the pain comes with swelling spreading towards the eye or neck, a fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or an injury to the face or jaw. For toothache without those signs, a dentist is the right place, and we can see you today.
What counts as a dental emergency?
Anything painful, bleeding, swollen or broken that should not wait for a routine appointment: severe toothache, a knocked-out or broken tooth, a lost filling or crown, an abscess or mild facial swelling, bleeding that will not settle after an extraction, or a wisdom tooth flaring up. If you are unsure, call and describe it; we would rather see you than have you wait.
How much does an emergency dentist cost in Adelaide?
At Avenue Dental Adelaide the emergency appointment is $95, covering the consultation and X-ray. Any emergency treatment done on the day, such as a temporary filling or re-cementing a crown, is quoted to you before it is done. Treatment to repair the tooth properly is discussed once you are out of pain, with the cost of each option explained, and payment plans are available. Private after-hours services in Adelaide typically charge considerably more for the same first visit.
What if I call after 10am?
Call anyway. The Same Day Emergency Guarantee applies to calls before 10am, but we will still do everything we can to fit you in the same day, and if that is not possible you will be offered the earliest available appointment, usually the next morning. If you are in severe pain, say so when you call.
Do I need to be an existing patient?
No. Anyone in Adelaide with a dental emergency can call. If it is your first visit, we take a few minutes on your medical history before any treatment, which is part of keeping you safe.
Where are you, and is there parking?
Avenue Dental Adelaide is in Fulham Gardens, in the western suburbs, minutes from Woodville, Henley Beach, Grange and Fulham and a short drive from the city. There is parking on site.
Will you take the tooth out on the day?
Only if that is clearly the right thing for the tooth and you have decided it with the dentist. The emergency visit is about diagnosis and pain relief. Some teeth can be removed on the day if it is the best option and you are comfortable going ahead; many are settled first, with the decision to save or remove them made once you are out of pain and have the options and costs in front of you.
Can you see children in an emergency?
Yes. Children’s dental emergencies, from a knocked-out or chipped tooth to toothache, are seen under the same guarantee. Call before 10am and we will see them that day, and we can check whether the Child Dental Benefits Schedule applies.
Flexible payment plans
At Avenue Dental on the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne, we understand that dental treatment can be difficult to fit into your budget, which is why we offer a range of different dental payment plan options.
