Emergency Dentist
Same-Day Emergency Dental Care in Chicago
A dental emergency rarely arrives at a convenient time. A tooth cracks on a Friday night, a crown comes loose before a meeting, or a dull ache turns into pain that keeps you awake. When that happens, waiting makes the problem harder to fix, not easier.
Art of Modern Dentistry keeps time open each day for urgent patients at both Chicago offices. Call the location closest to you and tell our team what is happening. We will triage your symptoms over the phone, tell you what to do in the meantime, and get you in as quickly as we can.
If you are in pain right now, call 773.935.3600 for our Lincoln Park office or 312.922.1898 for South Loop.
Know where to go
Is This a Dental Emergency?
Not every dental problem needs same-day attention, and a few need a hospital rather than a dental office. Use this to decide what to do in the next hour.
True dental emergency
- A tooth has been knocked out
- Severe, constant pain that over-the-counter medicine will not touch
- Pain that wakes you up or stops you from eating
- Visible swelling in the gum, cheek or jaw
- A tooth broken deeply enough to show a pink or red spot inside
- Bleeding from the mouth that will not stop
- A bad taste or discharge near a sore tooth
Medical emergency
- Difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Swelling spreading toward your eye, neck or throat
- Fever and chills alongside a painful tooth
- Facial trauma involving the jaw or facial bones
- Bleeding you cannot control with pressure
A hospital can stabilize you and manage a spreading infection. Emergency rooms generally do not have a dentist on staff, so call us afterward to treat the tooth itself.
Urgent, not emergent
- Mild sensitivity to hot or cold
- A small chip with no pain and no sharp edge
- A lost filling that is not painful
- A dull ache that comes and goes
- Food caught between teeth
Still call us. These are easier and less invasive to treat early, and we can tell you whether it can safely wait.
Treated in-house
Dental Emergencies We Treat
Our Chicago dentists handle the full range of urgent dental problems at both offices, from trauma and infection to dental work that has come loose or broken.
Knocked-Out Tooth
A tooth that has been fully displaced can often be saved if you reach us quickly and the tooth is stored correctly.
Severe Toothache
Constant or throbbing pain usually means the nerve inside the tooth is inflamed or infected and needs treatment, not just pain relief.
Broken or Chipped Tooth
We smooth sharp edges, protect exposed dentin, and restore the tooth with bonding or a crown depending on how deep the break goes.
Abscess or Infection
An abscess is always urgent. We drain the infection, treat the source, and prescribe antibiotics when swelling or fever is present.
Lost Filling or Crown
Exposed tooth structure is vulnerable to decay and fracture. We re-cement or replace the restoration to seal it back up.
Bleeding or Swollen Gums
Sudden gum swelling, bleeding or a painful lump can signal infection under the gumline that needs prompt attention.
Wisdom Tooth Pain
An impacted or partly erupted wisdom tooth can trap bacteria and flare painfully. We assess it and remove it when needed.
Emergency Extraction
When a tooth is split below the gumline or destroyed by infection, removing it is the fastest route out of pain.
What to Do Before You Reach Us
These steps protect the tooth and keep you more comfortable on the way in. They are a bridge to treatment, not a replacement for it.
| If this happened | Do this now |
|---|---|
| A tooth was knocked out | Pick it up by the crown, never the root. Rinse gently with water if it is dirty, and do not scrub it. Place it back in the socket if you can, or store it in milk or your own saliva. Call us immediately, because the first hour matters most. |
| A piece of tooth broke off | Rinse your mouth with warm water and save any fragments in milk or saline. Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to limit swelling. Cover a sharp edge with dental wax or sugar-free gum so it does not cut your tongue. |
| You have severe tooth pain | Rinse with warm salt water and floss gently on either side of the tooth in case something is trapped. Use an over-the-counter pain reliever as directed on the label. Do not place aspirin or crushed tablets directly against the gum, which burns the tissue. |
| Your face or gum is swollen | Apply a cold compress to the outside of your face and keep your head elevated, including while lying down. Call us the same day. If the swelling spreads toward your eye or throat, or you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to the emergency room. |
| A crown or filling came out | Keep the crown somewhere safe and bring it with you. Avoid chewing on that side. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy can protect the tooth for a short time, but it is not a repair. |
| Your mouth is bleeding | Apply firm, steady pressure with clean gauze for about ten minutes without lifting to check. If bleeding continues beyond that, call us or seek emergency care. |
What Happens When You Call
We keep the process short, because the point of an emergency visit is to get you out of pain and stabilize the tooth.
We triage over the phone
Tell us your symptoms and we will tell you whether to come in, go to the ER, or book a regular appointment.
We find you a time
Urgent slots are held at both offices. We will place you at whichever location can see you soonest.
We diagnose with imaging
Digital x-rays and an exam show exactly what is happening below the surface before anything is treated.
We relieve the pain
Most visits end with the source of the pain addressed, whether that means draining an infection, starting root canal treatment, or protecting a broken tooth.
We plan the permanent fix
If the tooth needs a crown, an implant or follow-up care, we schedule it before you leave and go over your insurance and payment options.
Related Treatments
Emergency Dentistry FAQs
What is considered a dental emergency?
A dental emergency is any problem that needs immediate treatment to stop bleeding, relieve severe pain, or treat an infection. That includes a knocked-out tooth, uncontrolled bleeding, facial swelling, a broken tooth with the nerve exposed, and pain that over-the-counter medicine will not control. Conditions that threaten your airway, such as swelling that spreads toward the throat, are medical emergencies and belong in a hospital first.
What should I do if a tooth gets knocked out?
Pick the tooth up by the crown, the part you normally chew with, and avoid touching the root. Rinse it gently if it is dirty, then either place it back into the socket or store it in milk or your own saliva. Do not let it dry out and do not scrub it. Call us immediately, because the chance of saving the tooth is highest within the first hour.
Can a toothache wait a few days?
Mild sensitivity or a dull ache that comes and goes can usually wait for a regular appointment. Severe throbbing pain, pain that wakes you at night, facial swelling, or a fever should be treated the same day. Those are signs the nerve is infected, and the infection does not resolve on its own.
Will the emergency room pull a tooth?
Usually not. Hospital emergency rooms rarely have a dentist on staff, so they typically manage pain and prescribe antibiotics rather than treating the tooth. Go to the ER for airway problems, uncontrolled bleeding, spreading facial swelling, or facial trauma. For the tooth itself, you will still need a dental visit afterward.
What is the difference between urgent dental care and emergency dental care?
Emergency care handles situations that are immediately tooth-threatening or life-threatening, such as a knocked-out tooth or uncontrolled bleeding. Urgent care covers problems that are painful and need prompt attention but are not critical, such as a lost crown, a broken filling, or a wire from an appliance cutting your cheek. We treat both at our Chicago offices.
Can an abscessed tooth become a hospital emergency?
Yes. An abscess is a bacterial infection that can spread beyond the tooth. If swelling extends toward your eye, neck or throat, or you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to an emergency room right away. Otherwise, call us the same day. An abscess is always urgent and will not clear up without treatment.
Can a broken tooth cause an infection if it does not hurt?
Yes. Even a painless crack lets bacteria reach the inner pulp chamber, where an infection can develop quietly over weeks or months. A break that does not hurt today still needs to be examined and sealed.
Do you see emergency patients who are not existing patients?
Yes. You do not need to be an established patient to be seen for a dental emergency at either of our Chicago offices. Call the location nearest you and our team will get you scheduled.
Emergency Dental Care Across Chicago
With offices on Southport Avenue and South Michigan Avenue, we are within reach of most of the North Side and downtown. Patients come to us for urgent care from across the city, including:
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Schedule your visit with Art of Modern Dentistry today. Our experienced dental team is here to listen to your goals, answer your questions, and help you find the right treatment for your smile and oral health.
Call us at 773.935.3600, contact us online or request an appointment to get started.
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