Emergency Dentist in Pflugerville, TX — Same-Day Appointments

What to do right now

Knocked-out adult tooth. Hold it by the crown, not the root. Rinse briefly with water — don’t scrub. If you can, place it back in the socket and bite gently on gauze; otherwise keep it in milk or your own saliva. Call us immediately. The American Dental Association advises keeping the tooth moist the whole time, back in the socket, between your cheek and gum, or in milk, and getting to a dentist right away. The sooner it is put back, the better the chance of saving it.

Severe toothache. Rinse with warm salt water, gently floss to dislodge anything trapped, and take over-the-counter pain relief as directed. Do not put aspirin on the gum — it burns the tissue. Call us; pain that wakes you at night or gets worse over hours usually means infection.

Broken or chipped tooth. Save any pieces. Rinse your mouth, apply a cold compress to the cheek for swelling, and cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax from a pharmacy. Avoid chewing on that side.

Lost crown or filling. Keep the crown. You can temporarily seat it with a dab of denture adhesive or toothpaste from a pharmacy — never household glue. Call us for a proper re-cement or replacement.

Swelling. Swelling in the face or gums is an infection until proven otherwise. Call us today. If swelling makes it hard to breathe or swallow, go to the emergency room.

What we do at an emergency visit

1. See you the same day, as early as the schedule allows.
2. Take a targeted digital X-ray to find the cause, not just the pain.
3. Get you comfortable — local anesthetic, drainage of an abscess, or a temporary repair.
4. Explain exactly what is going on, what it will cost, and the options.
5. Treat the cause the same day when we can, or schedule the definitive treatment (a filling, root canal, crown or extraction) as soon as possible.

The most common emergencies we see

• Toothache from a deep cavity or cracked tooth — often a filling or crown; sometimes a root canal if the nerve is involved.
• Abscess — a pocket of infection needing drainage and antibiotics, followed by root canal or extraction.
• Broken tooth — bonding for small chips; a crown for larger breaks.
• Knocked-out tooth — re-implantation and splinting if we see you quickly.
• Lost filling or crown — re-cement or replace.
• Wisdom tooth pain — assessment, and removal or referral if needed.

Why call a dentist, not the ER

Emergency rooms rarely have a dentist. They can prescribe pain relief and antibiotics, but they cannot fix a tooth, so the problem — and the bill — come back. A dental office treats the cause on the spot in most cases. The exceptions are uncontrolled bleeding, breathing difficulty, or a suspected jaw fracture, which belong in the ER.

Cost and insurance

We quote the emergency exam fee on the phone so there are no surprises, and most PPO plans cover emergency exams and X-rays. Treatment costs are explained before anything begins. If cost is a worry, tell us — there is almost always a way to get you out of pain first and stage the rest.