If you have a dental emergency, we're here to help you find emergency dentists in Alabama.
Whether you need a 24-hour dentist in Alabama or a late-night dentist appointment, click on your city below to see what's available near you.
If you don't see your city on the list, don't worry! You can call now to find a dental hospital or urgent care clinic in Alabama now.
If you're not sure whether you should visit a dental hospital or visit a local emergency dental clinic in Alabama, the information below might help you. It turns out there's not just one kind of dentist to visit during an emergency!
In This Article
Different types of emergency dentists in Alabama
You may know you need to find urgent dental care in Alabama, but when you are looking for clinics, you'll notice that there are three main kinds of clinics where you can go for a dental emergency.
Emergency dentist
This is a normal dentist that also offers emergency appointments in Alabama. If you have a dental emergency, you can call a dentist that offers emergency dental services and make an appointment for immediate or next-day care.
Out-of-hours dentist
If you're looking for an evening dentist or late-night dentist open till 10 pm in Alabama, or late-night emergency dental clinics, you may find that an out-of-hours dentist is what you're looking for. They accept patients outside of normal hours, instead of the standard daytime hours.
24-hour dentist
For more flexibility, you may want to opt for 24-hour dental care in Alabama. 24-hour dentists are open round the clock—emergency care is their specialty, although you may be able to go there for routine appointments as well. You're only like to have a 24-hour dentist if you live in a larger city in Alabama.
How much does an emergency dentist in Alabama cost?
If you don't have dental insurance, have a look at the following costs for typical emergency dental services:
- Emergency tooth extraction: $75 to $300 (no surgery)
- Emergency root canal: $800 to $1,200
- Emergency filling: $110 to $200
- Emergency crown: $1,200 to $1,500
Obviously, emergency dental services in Alabama can be very expensive, but thankfully, there are clinics available that offer sliding scale (based on your income) or even free services.
Do I need emergency dental care in Alabama?
Sometimes you might not be sure if your condition requires emergency care in a hospital ER, dental emergency care, or if a routine appointment will suffice. For example, if you have a slight toothache or some visible decay, then you should schedule a routine appointment.
Otherwise, if you are experiencing extreme pain, you should call an emergency dentist. Let's go into a little more depth about what kind of help you should seek.
Emergency dentist
If you have any of the following, chances are you've got a dental emergency:
- Severe toothache
- An accident that has caused oral damage
- Tooth loss (in adults)
- Cracked tooth
- Loose tooth (in adults)
- Tongue, lip or gum wounds
- Infection or abscess
- Severe pain, swelling or bleeding following a dental procedure
- Loss of a filling or crown
Emergency room
If you have the following symptoms, you can skip the emergency dentist and head right to the emergency room:
- Facial trauma from an accident, sports injury, etc.
- Swelling which is causing trouble breathing
- Bleeding that won't stop
Otherwise, a local emergency dentist in Alabama is probably a better option to treat your injury.
Routine appointment
You should have routine dental appointments at least once a year. During these visits, your dentists will look for tooth decay, gum disease and cavities, and they'll give your teeth a thorough cleaning.
Difficulties in finding dental hospitals in Alabama
It's no secret that Alabama has an oral health problem, it usually ranks among the worst of the 50 states. And it's particularly bad in rural parts of the state. Yes, the onus is on individuals to brush and floss every day, but it isn't the fault of the citizens of Alabama that dental care, with or without insurance is so expensive.
That being said, there are a lot of ways to find low-cost or even free local emergency dentists in Alabama.
To find dentists open near you now…
If you would like to consult with a dentist, and you can't get to one, but you don't think you have an emergency, you may want to schedule an appointment with a dentist online.
Alabamanews.net: Alabama's State Rank in Dental Health: 48. Consulted 9th June 2020.