Emergency care

When a tooth can't wait

Call us right away for any of these. We'll tell you what to do first and the soonest visit we have.

A knocked-out tooth
Pick it up by the crown, not the root. If you can, rinse it gently and put it back in its socket. If you can't, keep it in milk, not water. Call us right away.
A broken or chipped tooth
Rinse your mouth with warm water and save any pieces. A sharp edge can cut your tongue or cheek. Call us.
A toothache that won't settle
Rinse with warm water and floss gently in case something is stuck. Call us, especially if the pain keeps you up.
A lost filling or crown
Keep the crown and bring it. Call us, and avoid chewing on that side until you've been seen.
A loose tooth after a knock
A tooth that has moved or feels loose after a blow needs a look. Call us before you try to move it back yourself.
A sore, swollen gum
Swelling in one spot of the gum can mean an infection under the tooth. Rinse with warm water, and call us the same day you notice it.

What to do first

In this order.

Step 1: Check how serious it is
Swelling that spreads to your face, eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, a serious blow to the head, or bleeding that won't stop is an emergency room or 911, not us.
Step 2: Call us
Call (415) 555-0129 and tell the front desk what happened. We ask a few questions and tell you what to do until you get here.
Step 3: Keep what you can
Save a knocked-out tooth, a broken piece or a crown that came out. Bring them with you in a clean container.
Step 4: Come in with your list
Bring your photo ID, your insurance card if you have one and a list of the medicines you take. We check your benefits and give you a written estimate before treatment.

Swelling that spreads to your face, eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, a serious blow to the head, or bleeding that won't stop needs emergency care now. Go to an emergency room or call 911. If a tooth is knocked out or broken, call our office right away.

We hold time each weekday for urgent visits. Whether we can see you the same day depends on the schedule when you call.

When we are open
Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed Sunday.
When you call
We tell you on the phone whether we can see you that day. If we can't, we say so and tell you where to go.
We're not open round the clock
Outside our hours, for a life-threatening emergency, call 911.

Please call first. We can tell you what to do right away and whether we have room to see you.

Tell us when you call. We give a written estimate before treatment starts, and our fees page explains how paying without insurance works.

We treat what we can in the visit and relieve what we can. If your problem needs more than one visit, you leave with a written plan and an estimate.

Call us anyway. Tell us how long it has hurt and what you have tried, and we'll tell you what to do next.

Call (415) 555-0129 and tell us what happened. We'll tell you what to do first.