In pain right now? Start here.
What to do in the next hour, what to leave alone, and when a hospital comes first. Then call us and we will get you seen.
Mon–Fri 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM8539 Sunset Blvd #16, West Hollywood
Go to an emergency room first
Some of this is not a dental problem
If any of the following is happening, a hospital needs to see you before a dentist does. Call us afterwards and we will pick up the dental side.
Trouble breathing or swallowing
Go to a hospital emergency room now, or call 911. This is a medical emergency before it is a dental one. Call us afterwards and we will handle the tooth.
Swelling spreading toward your eye or down your neck
Go to an emergency room first. Swelling that travels needs medical care the same hour, and we will pick up the dental side once you have been seen.
Bleeding you cannot stop with firm pressure
Go to an emergency room first rather than waiting for a dental appointment. Call us once the bleeding is under control so we can look at what caused it.
Jaw or facial injury from a blow to the head
Go to an emergency room first so the head injury and any fracture are ruled out. Book with us afterwards for the teeth and the bite.
Find what happened, then act
Six of the situations we see most, and exactly what to do before you reach us. Do these things first, then call.
- Within the hour if you can. This is the one dental problem where minutes change what is possible, so call (310) 855-2434 while someone else drives.
My tooth got knocked out
- 1Pick the tooth up by the white crown and keep your fingers off the root.
- 2Rinse it for a second or two in milk or saline, then ease it back into the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth.
- 3If it will not go back in, drop it into a cup of milk and come straight to us.
Avoid: Do not scrub the root, wrap the tooth in a tissue, or let it dry out on the way over.
- Same day if it hurts, feels loose, or is cutting your tongue or lip. A small cosmetic chip with no pain can usually wait a day or two.
I broke or chipped a tooth
- 1Rinse your mouth with warm water and keep any pieces you can find.
- 2Hold a cold pack against your cheek for about ten minutes at a time to settle the swelling.
- 3Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax until you get here.
Avoid: Do not chew on that side or keep testing the broken edge with your tongue.
- Same day. Pain that wakes you at night, builds over hours, or spreads into your jaw or ear is a reason to call first thing in the morning.
I have a toothache I cannot ignore
- 1Rinse with warm salt water and floss carefully on both sides of the sore tooth to clear anything trapped there.
- 2Take the over-the-counter pain reliever you would normally use, exactly as the label directs.
- 3Sleep with your head propped up on an extra pillow, which often eases the pressure overnight.
Avoid: Do not hold an aspirin against the gum, because it burns the tissue instead of numbing it.
- Within a few days. Come sooner if the tooth is sharp against your tongue or aches with cold air and cold drinks.
My filling or crown fell out
- 1Keep the crown somewhere safe. In many cases it can be cleaned and cemented back on.
- 2Rinse your mouth, then cover the exposed tooth with the temporary dental cement sold at any pharmacy.
- 3Stay on soft food and chew on the other side until we see you.
Avoid: Do not glue it back yourself with household adhesive, which damages the tooth underneath and can make the crown unusable.
- Same day. Swelling means an infection is moving into the surrounding tissue, so this is not something to ride out over a weekend.
My face is swollen or there is a bump on my gum
- 1Call us as soon as you notice the swelling, even if the pain has faded.
- 2Rinse with warm salt water a few times a day and keep your head elevated.
- 3Watch the swelling and note whether it is spreading toward your eye, your throat, or under your jaw.
Avoid: Do not squeeze or try to drain it yourself, and do not put heat on your face.
- Within a day or two. Call sooner if a sharp edge is rubbing your gum raw or you cannot eat.
My denture or bridge broke
- 1Put the appliance and every broken piece into a bag and bring all of it with you.
- 2Wear your spare set if you have one, and leave the damaged appliance out of your mouth.
- 3Switch to soft food and rinse after eating so your gums stay comfortable.
Avoid: Do not repair it with household glue or file the edges down at home, because both make a lab repair harder.
A calm room, and a plan in one visit
You are met by staff used to people in pain. We take digital X-rays, examine the tooth and the tissue around it, and explain what we are looking at before we touch anything. Most urgent problems are stabilised the same day.
- Same-day appointments held for urgent pain
- Digital X-rays and a full exam at the first visit
- Sedation options if you need them
- A written estimate before treatment begins
What counts as a dental emergency?
Treat it as an emergency when you are in pain you cannot ignore, when something is bleeding, swollen, or loose, or when a tooth has broken. Lost crowns and fillings count too, because the tooth underneath is left exposed. If you’re not sure, describe what happened to our front desk at (310) 855-2434 and we will tell you how soon to come in.
Can I be seen today?
Usually, yes. We keep room in the schedule for urgent problems, so call early in the day if you can and tell us exactly what is going on. Our office is open Monday through Friday from nine in the morning until six in the evening, and Saturday and Sunday visits are arranged by appointment. The number is (310) 855-2434.
What will an emergency visit cost?
It depends on what is actually wrong, which we cannot know until we look. An exam and digital X-rays come first, and the treatment they point to, whether that is a filling, a root canal, or an extraction, sets the rest. You get a written estimate before any treatment begins. Call (310) 855-2434 and we will check your insurance while you are on the phone.
What do I do if it happens after hours?
Call (310) 855-2434 and leave a message, then follow the first-aid steps above for whatever happened. Messages are picked up when the office opens, and Saturday or Sunday appointments can be arranged when you need one. If breathing, swallowing, spreading swelling, or bleeding you cannot stop is part of the picture, go to a hospital emergency room instead of waiting.
Should I go to an emergency room or a dentist?
Start at a hospital emergency room when the problem is medical as much as dental: trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling moving toward the eye or neck, bleeding that will not stop, or a head injury. Hospitals stabilize you but rarely repair teeth, so call us afterwards for the dental work. For pain, breaks, lost crowns, and abscesses without those warning signs, come to us first.
Call us and we will find you a slot
Dental pain rarely settles on its own, and infections do not wait. The sooner we see it, the smaller the fix.