| Service | 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | 🇹🇷 Turkey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute pain relief | from USD 24 | from USD 72 | from USD 35 |
| Computer-controlled anaesthesia | from USD 13 | from USD 7 | from USD 7 |
| Root canal treatment | from USD 67 | from USD 229 | from USD 96 |
| Tooth extraction | from USD 42 | from USD 73 | from USD 52 |
Prices in the “Ukraine” column come from MediUkraine’s partner clinics. The Czech Republic and Turkey columns show the lower bounds of prices published by clinics there (for Turkey, also the Turkish Dental Association’s recommended 2026 tariff), collected in August 2026 and converted to US dollars at the rate on the day of collection. A dash means we could not find a comparable published price. In any country, the final cost is set by the clinic after an examination.
An emergency appointment is a visit outside the planned schedule, and it has one aim: to remove the cause of the pain, not to complete the treatment of the tooth. Acute pain almost always means that pressure is building in an enclosed space (the pulp chamber, a canal or under the periosteum) and has nowhere to escape. The doctor creates that outlet and removes tissue that will no longer recover.
Acute pain usually comes from one of two conditions, and the doctor tells them apart by the symptoms. With irreversible pulpitis the pain is prolonged and throbbing, gets worse at night and when lying down, reacts to heat and often radiates to the ear, temple or jaw; it is often hard to tell which tooth is causing it. With acute apical periodontitis, by contrast, the pain is localised to one tooth, appears on biting, and the tooth itself feels higher than its neighbours, while the reaction to cold and heat has already gone because the pulp has died.
Not all jaw pain comes from these two conditions. Other causes include a periodontal abscess in gum disease, where the tooth is still vital and pus collects in the pocket; alveolitis (dry socket), with pain on the second to fourth day after an extraction; pericoronitis around an erupting wisdom tooth; a cracked tooth, which gives pain at the moment of release after biting; acute maxillary sinusitis, which makes a whole group of upper back teeth ache at once, with the sensation worsening when the head is tilted. Trigeminal neuralgia, muscle pain from bruxism and temporomandibular joint dysfunction can also mimic toothache.
Book an urgent appointment if the pain keeps you awake, lasts more than a day, gets worse with heat, has appeared on biting, comes with swelling of the gum or cheek or a bad taste in the mouth, or if a filling has fallen out and the cavity is open. Children, pregnant women and people with diabetes or weakened immunity should not wait out the pain at home either.
Some situations can wait for a routine appointment: brief pain from cold or sweet things that passes within a few seconds once the trigger is removed, sensitivity of exposed tooth necks, moderate discomfort on biting for a few days after a recently placed filling that is gradually easing. However, swelling that spreads to the eye or neck, difficulty swallowing or breathing, being unable to open your mouth two fingers wide, or a temperature above 38°C call for a maxillofacial surgery department or an ambulance, not an appointment tomorrow. MediUkraine is a treatment search and coordination service, not a clinic: we select the clinic and the doctor and arrange the date, while the diagnosis and treatment plan are decided by the doctor after an examination.
Travel. Ukrainian airspace is closed, so there are no commercial flights. Patients reach Lviv overland, most often from Poland: Rzeszów and Kraków airports are the usual entry points, with a train, bus or private transfer onward to the border and on to the city. Lviv is roughly 70 km from the Polish border, the shortest crossing of any Ukrainian city.
Visas. Citizens of the EU, the United Kingdom and the United States do not need a visa for short stays in Ukraine. Rules depend on your citizenship, so check your own before booking.
Safety, plainly. Ukraine is at war. Air raid alerts occur in Lviv, and an appointment can be interrupted by one. Several governments advise against travel to Ukraine, and while that advice stands, ordinary travel and medical insurance is often void — confirm your cover with your insurer before you commit to anything.
Language. MediUkraine handles correspondence, scheduling, the written treatment plan and the quote in English. The clinic's team communicates with international patients in English.
Payment. You pay the clinic directly. Our coordination service is free of charge for you.
More on travel, safety and insurance: Safety and travel.
The appointment begins with questions and tests, and these determine the approach that follows. The doctor taps the tooth and its neighbours (percussion), palpates the gum over the root tip, applies cold, tests the response to an electric current if needed, asks you to bite on a cotton roll, and measures the depth of periodontal pockets and the mobility of the tooth. Together, these tests distinguish conditions that feel alike: with irreversible pulpitis cold produces a prolonged response, with pulp necrosis there is no response at all, and with a periodontal abscess the tooth is vital but the pocket is deep and pus drains from it.
A periapical X-ray shows the depth of the carious cavity, the number and course of the canals, the condition of the bone near the root tip and the quality of any previous root filling. A widened periodontal ligament space or an area of radiolucency near the root tip means that the infection has spread beyond the tooth. When the picture is unclear (a suspected vertical root fracture, an extra canal or involvement of the maxillary sinus), cone beam CT is performed: it gives a three-dimensional image and shows what cannot be seen on a flat X-ray. The radiation dose from a digital periapical X-ray is small, so there is no reason to refuse one: working inside the tooth blind is riskier.
Anaesthesia is chosen to suit the situation. The standard drug is articaine 4% with epinephrine at a dilution of 1:100,000 or 1:200,000; for patients in whom a vasoconstrictor is undesirable, mepivacaine 3% without it is used. In the upper jaw infiltration anaesthesia is usually sufficient; in the lower jaw an inferior alveolar nerve block is given. Computer-controlled delivery regulates speed and pressure, making the injection less noticeable and allowing targeted techniques such as intraligamentary and intraosseous anaesthesia. Inflamed tissue is more acidic, so a standard dose works less well and the doctor often adds a second technique. If the tooth "won't go numb", you are not being difficult, and there is no reason to put up with the pain.
In irreversible pulpitis the source of pain is inflamed pulp inside a rigid chamber, where the swelling has no room to expand. The doctor opens the pulp chamber, which alone relieves the pressure, then removes the pulp from the canals (pulpectomy), measures the working length with an apex locator and treats the canals with instruments and solutions. In young permanent teeth with incomplete root formation, and sometimes in fully formed teeth with limited inflammation, a different approach is possible: partial removal of the pulp and covering it with a calcium silicate bioceramic material to keep the tooth vital. The doctor decides during the procedure, based on how the pulp bleeds.
Canal treatment has a mechanical part and a medicinal part. The canal is enlarged with rotary nickel-titanium instruments under rubber dam isolation, irrigated with 3–5% sodium hypochlorite, which dissolves organic debris, then with EDTA to remove the smear layer, and the solution is activated with ultrasound if needed. Between visits calcium hydroxide is placed in the canal under a temporary filling: it acts as an antiseptic and keeps the canal dry. The canals are then permanently filled with gutta-percha and a sealer (epoxy or bioceramic), and only then is the tooth finally sealed.
In acute apical periodontitis and periapical abscess the goal is different: to drain the pus. Drainage is done through the canal, and when the pus is already under the periosteum and the cheek is swollen, the surgeon makes an incision along the mucobuccal fold and places a drain for a few days. Relief comes quickly, often while you are still in the chair. Not everyone needs an antibiotic: it is indicated when there are systemic signs, such as a temperature, malaise, enlarged lymph nodes or spreading swelling, or when the patient has weakened immunity. An antibiotic on its own without drainage does not solve the problem: dead pulp has no blood flow, and the drug simply does not reach it.
Extraction is chosen when the tooth can no longer bear load or cannot be disinfected: a vertical root fracture, destruction of the crown deep below the gum, significant bone loss around the root, impassable canals with an active lesion. This is not a failure but a decision that protects the jaw as a whole: a tooth that harbours a chronic lesion harms both the bone and its neighbours. Options for replacing the tooth are discussed straight after the extraction, because neighbouring teeth start to shift within a few months.
Some situations call for a specific approach. With a periodontal abscess the pus is released through the pocket, not through the tooth, and gum treatment is prescribed. With pericoronitis around a wisdom tooth, the area under the gum flap is irrigated to reduce the inflammation, and the question of extraction is decided once the acute phase has subsided. With alveolitis (dry socket), pain on the second to fourth day after an extraction with an empty socket, the doctor irrigates the socket and places a dressing, and the symptoms usually ease within a day. With a cracked tooth the symptom is characteristic: the pain occurs not on pressure but at the moment of release after biting.
Some patients need extra care. In pregnancy, treatment of acute pain is not postponed: untreated infection is more dangerous than the treatment; the second trimester is considered the most convenient time, the anaesthetic chosen has a minimal vasoconstrictor content, and a digital periapical X-ray is taken with a protective apron. Patients on anticoagulants do not stop the drug on their own: the approach is agreed with the doctor who prescribed it, and local haemostatic measures are used. For those receiving bisphosphonates or denosumab, extraction is planned with particular care because of the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw. In children's primary (baby) teeth, pulpotomy is used more often than complete removal of the pulp.
It helps to know the limits of an emergency visit in advance. It relieves the pain and stops the acute process, but it does not complete the treatment of the tooth: final canal treatment, permanent root filling and restoration still lie ahead, and a tooth that has lost a lot of tissue usually needs an inlay or a crown after endodontic treatment, because it becomes more brittle. The doctor prescribes pain relief for the first few days: a combination of ibuprofen with paracetamol works better than either drug alone, but the dose and duration depend on age, weight and other illnesses. Only a doctor, after an examination and an X-ray, can predict the outcome for a particular tooth.
The pressure in the tooth is relieved as soon as the doctor opens the pulp chamber or lets out the pus, and the sharpest pain passes while you are still in the chair. After that, the discomfort eases gradually: once the pulp has been removed, the pain usually subsides considerably within 24–48 hours, while tenderness on biting lasts longer, two to five days, because the tissues around the root tip are still inflamed.
The temporary filling stays in place until the next visit and needs care: do not chew on it for the first two hours, and it is better to avoid sticky and chewy foods for the whole period. If it falls out, do not ignore it: the canal is exposed to saliva and bacteria, so contact the clinic the same day.
Numbness after a nerve block in the lower jaw lasts longer than after infiltration, sometimes up to four or five hours. Until sensation has returned, do not eat or drink anything hot: it is very easy to bite your lip or burn your cheek at this time. If numbness persists into the next day, phone the doctor.
Return to the clinic without waiting for the next appointment if the swelling increases, your temperature rises, the pain becomes worse than it was before the visit, you develop difficulty swallowing or restricted mouth opening, or if bleeding after an extraction does not stop for more than two hours. These signs mean the infection is not under control, and you should not wait for the scheduled date.
The result of endodontic treatment is judged not by how you feel but by an X-ray. Check-ups are done at 6 and 12 months: a lesion near the root tip, if there was one, heals slowly, over six months to two years, and the absence of pain does not mean the bone has healed. That is why a follow-up X-ray is scheduled even for those who have no symptoms.
After an extraction the blood clot in the socket is important: for the first few days do not rinse your mouth vigorously, do not smoke and do not use a straw. Pain that eases at first but returns and worsens on the second to fourth day, together with an unpleasant smell, is typical of dry socket, and it needs a visit, not a higher dose of painkiller. If needed, MediUkraine arranges a follow-up examination, or a video call with the doctor if you have already returned home.
Step 1. Contact and assessment of urgency. During the call, the administrator asks when the pain started and whether there is swelling, a temperature, difficulty swallowing or restricted mouth opening. The answers determine whether this is an appointment at the clinic today or a case that needs to go straight to a maxillofacial surgery department. You will be asked to arrive a little early to complete the paperwork and a health questionnaire.
Step 2. Examination and diagnosis. The doctor examines the mouth, taps the tooth and its neighbours, applies cold, asks you to bite on a cotton roll, checks the gums and the depth of the pockets, and then takes a periapical X-ray. At this stage it becomes clear which tooth is responsible, whether it is still vital and whether the process has spread beyond the root. The doctor then explains the options and gives a preliminary quote.
In total, the emergency appointment takes 40 to 90 minutes, covering anaesthesia, opening the tooth with canal treatment or extraction, drainage if needed, a temporary filling and written recommendations. The tooth is not fully treated at this point: one or two more visits lie ahead for permanent filling of the canals and restoration of the crown, and their dates are set straight away.
An emergency visit is the first of several stages, and it is worth knowing this in advance. The acute pain is gone on the first day, but the canals are only temporarily sealed and the crown is often badly damaged. The remaining work is painless, but without it the emergency treatment is wasted.
The second stage is the final treatment and filling of the canals. It is usually scheduled a few days later, once the inflammation has subsided: the canals are irrigated again, dried and filled with gutta-percha and sealer along the full working length. A follow-up X-ray shows how completely they have been filled.
The third stage is restoring the crown of the tooth. A tooth without pulp loses its internal supply of moisture and becomes more brittle, so where a lot of tissue has been lost an inlay or a crown is placed rather than a large filling. This step should not be put off for long: a temporary filling is not designed to last for months, and a crack in the wall of the tooth often means extraction.
If the tooth had to be extracted, the cycle looks different: the socket heals in about a week, the bone remodels over several months, and replacement is planned at this stage: an implant, a bridge or a removable denture. The options are discussed immediately after the extraction, because whether bone volume needs to be preserved depends on the chosen plan.
The cycle ends with monitoring. Follow-up X-rays at 6 and 12 months show whether the lesion near the root tip has healed. At the same time it makes sense to deal with the cause: if the pain arose in a tooth with long-standing decay and there are several more like it nearby, another episode is only a matter of time, and planned treatment of the problem teeth with an annual check-up and professional hygiene costs less than another emergency procedure.
The most common after-effects of the visit are temporary and expected: tenderness on biting for a few days, slight swelling at the injection site, a haematoma, discomfort in the jaw muscles after keeping the mouth open for a long time. Numbness of the lip or tongue after a nerve block passes within a few hours; persistent paraesthesia is rare, but patients are warned about this possibility separately.
Endodontic treatment has its own risks: perforation of the tooth wall, a fine instrument breaking in the canal, extrusion of filling material beyond the root tip, and a flare-up of pain in the first days after treatment that requires a repeat examination. Hypochlorite extrusion beyond the root tip deserves a separate mention: the complication is rare but painful, so the doctor works with control of the working length and of the pressure at which the solution is delivered.
After an extraction there may be bleeding, alveolitis with an empty socket on the second to fourth day, swelling and restricted mouth opening. Removing lower wisdom teeth carries an added risk of affecting the inferior alveolar nerve, and removing upper molars a risk of creating a connection with the maxillary sinus. That is why an X-ray, and sometimes CT, is taken before a complex extraction.
In some situations, planned treatment is postponed or the approach changed: uncontrolled heart failure, a recent heart attack or stroke, high blood pressure at the time of the appointment, uncontrolled diabetes, blood clotting disorders, an acute respiratory infection. For patients on bisphosphonates and denosumab, extraction is planned with care because of the risk of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw. Treating an abscess, however, is a different matter: delay is riskier than treatment, and the scope is agreed with the relevant specialist.
Allergy to local anaesthetic is uncommon, and what patients describe as an allergy most often turns out to be a reaction to epinephrine or a vasovagal episode: a racing heart, pallor, dizziness. Tell the doctor about any previous reaction before the injection: the clinic has alternative drugs, including ones without a vasoconstrictor.
The greatest risk with acute toothache is not getting treatment at all. Untreated infection spreads into the fascial spaces of the neck and the floor of the mouth, and at that point it is no longer a dental problem but a condition that requires hospital treatment and can be life-threatening. So increasing swelling, a temperature, difficulty swallowing or breathing and being unable to open your mouth are a reason to call an ambulance, not to take another tablet. You have the right to a second opinion: with your X-rays and examination record, the case can be reviewed by another specialist.
📍 Lviv, Ukraine
A dental clinic in Lviv with a separate doctor for each field: oral surgery and implants, prosthodontics, restorative dentistry, endodontics under a microscope, periodontics, orthodontics and paediatric dentistry.
By the nature of the pain. With pulpitis the pain is prolonged and throbbing, gets worse at night and when lying down, reacts to heat and radiates to the ear, temple or jaw, and it is often hard to tell which tooth is causing it. With apical periodontitis the pain is localised to one tooth, appears on biting, the tooth feels higher than its neighbours, and the reaction to cold and heat disappears because the pulp has already died. The doctor confirms the diagnosis with percussion, a cold test and a periapical X-ray.
Because it acts on the perception of pain, not on its source. Inflamed or dead pulp lies inside a rigid chamber where the swelling has no room to expand, and pus in the canal or under the periosteum presses on the tissues; a tablet does not relieve that pressure. As soon as the drug wears off, the pain returns, often stronger. An antibiotic without opening the tooth does not help either: dead pulp has no blood flow, so the drug does not reach the source of infection. Relief comes when the doctor creates an outlet by opening the pulp chamber or draining the abscess.
At Vidnova Dental Clinic in Lviv, an emergency appointment with pain relief starts from USD 24, and computer-controlled anaesthesia from USD 13. Further treatment is charged separately: a root canal from USD 67, tooth extraction from USD 42. The X-ray is charged separately, and medication is bought at a pharmacy. The doctor gives the exact sum after an examination and an X-ray, because until then it is not known how many canals the tooth has or whether it can be saved. The prices on this page are indicative; please confirm them with the clinic.
Immediately if swelling spreads to the eye, the area under the jaw or the neck, it is hard to swallow or breathe, the mouth will not open two fingers wide, your temperature is above 38°C or your condition is deteriorating quickly. These are signs that the infection has spread beyond the jaw, and such a case is treated in a maxillofacial surgery department, not in a dental chair. Seek help the same day, without panicking, if there is swelling of the gum or cheek without general symptoms, pain that keeps you awake, a bad taste in the mouth or pus from under the gums.
Usually, yes. Several days of pain usually mean that the pulp has died and the process has spread to the tissues around the root tip: this is an indication for root canal treatment, not automatically for extraction. A tooth is lost when there is a vertical root fracture, destruction deep below the gum, significant bone loss or impassable canals with an active lesion. The longer the pain lasts, the more work is needed, so delay reduces the chances. Only a doctor, after an examination and an X-ray, can predict the outcome for a particular tooth.
No. An antibiotic does not remove the cause: the source of pain is dead pulp or pus under pressure, and the drug does not reach it through the bloodstream. In dentistry it is prescribed as an addition to treatment when there is a temperature, malaise, enlarged lymph nodes or spreading swelling, or when the patient has weakened immunity. A self-prescribed course from your medicine cabinet dulls the symptoms, blurs the picture at the examination and contributes to bacterial resistance, while the process continues to develop.
Yes, and it should not be put off: a focus of infection in the mouth is riskier for the pregnancy than the treatment itself. The second trimester is considered the most convenient period, but with acute pain help is given at any stage. Local anaesthesia is used, choosing a drug with a minimal vasoconstrictor content and dosing it precisely. A digital periapical X-ray is taken with a protective apron when it cannot be avoided. Be sure to tell the doctor how far along your pregnancy is and which medicines you take.
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