Same-Day Emergency Dentist in Laguna Hills

If a tooth has been knocked out, broken, or is keeping you awake, do not wait for a routine appointment. We keep same-day emergency appointments open. Call us, describe what happened, and we will get you in and tell you what to do in the meantime.

First, is this something an emergency room should handle?

Most dental problems belong with a dentist. A small number do not, and telling them apart quickly matters more than anything else on this page.

If none of those apply, keep reading. The next section covers what to do in the first hour for the problems we see most, and we hold same-day slots for exactly this, so call as soon as you can.

What to do right now

A permanent tooth has been knocked out

This is the one true race against the clock in dentistry. A tooth replanted within about 30 minutes has a real chance of surviving. After an hour the odds fall away sharply.

1. Pick the tooth up by the crown, the part you normally chew with. Do not touch the root, and do not scrub or wipe it. The fibers on the root surface are what allow it to reattach.
2. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline. Avoid prolonged tap water.
3. If you can manage it, put the tooth straight back into the socket the right way round and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it there. The socket is the right place to carry it.
4. If you cannot, keep it in cold milk. Saline works too. An adult who is certain they will not swallow it can hold it inside the cheek. Do not store it in water, and do not let it dry out.
5. Call us immediately and say a tooth has been knocked out, so we know it is time critical.

A tooth is broken, chipped or cracked

• Save any pieces you can find and keep them in milk
• Rinse your mouth with warm water
• Hold a cold compress against the outside of your cheek, 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off, to control swelling
• If a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek, cover it with dental wax or a piece of sugar-free chewing gum until you are seen
• Avoid chewing on that side entirely, since a cracked tooth can split further under pressure

Severe toothache

Pain that wakes you at night, or that lingers long after something hot or cold, usually means the nerve inside the tooth is involved. That does not settle on its own. Our tooth pain guide explains what each kind of pain usually means, and the cracked tooth page covers the crack that hurts when you let go.

• Floss gently either side of the tooth first, because trapped food is a surprisingly common cause and costs nothing to rule out
• Rinse with warm salt water
• Take over-the-counter pain relief exactly as directed on the packet
• Keep your head raised when you lie down, as lying flat often makes dental pain worse
• Never place aspirin directly against the gum. It burns the tissue and does nothing for the tooth

A swollen gum or a gum boil

A tender lump on the gum beside a tooth is usually an abscess. It sometimes bursts and the pain eases, which feels like recovery but is not. The infection is still there. Rinse with warm salt water, do not squeeze it, do not apply heat to the outside of your face, and call us. Re-read the emergency room list above if any swelling starts to spread.

A lost filling or crown

• Keep the crown. If it is intact we can very often re-cement the one you already have
• Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy will hold a crown for a day or two
• Never use superglue. It contaminates the tooth and the crown, and it frequently turns a simple re-cement into a much bigger repair
• Keep the exposed tooth clean and avoid very hot, very cold and very sweet things, which is what the sensitivity is reacting to

Bleeding that will not stop after an extraction

Roll a piece of clean gauze into a firm pad, place it directly over the socket, and bite down steadily for 30 to 45 minutes without lifting it to look. Checking every few minutes is the usual reason bleeding continues. Do not rinse, spit, smoke or use a straw for the first 24 hours, because all four dislodge the clot. If it is still soaking through after a solid hour of pressure, call us.

A denture that has broken or no longer fits

Do not try to repair a denture yourself. Household and superglue adhesives are not safe in the mouth and they distort the fit, which often makes a repairable denture unrepairable. Bring it in, along with any pieces.

An orthodontic wire is digging in

Push the wire flat with the eraser end of a pencil, then cover it with orthodontic wax or a small ball of sugar-free gum. If a loose bracket or band is the problem, leave it in place and call us. Do not cut a wire unless it is at real risk of being swallowed.

What we can treat here

Because general, restorative, surgical and root canal treatment all happen in this office, most emergencies can be finished in the same building rather than referred on.

• Root canal treatment for an infected or dying nerve
• Extractions, including surgical extractions
• Treatment and drainage of dental abscesses
• Re-cementing and replacing crowns, bridges and fillings
• Repair of chipped, broken and cracked teeth
• Replanting and splinting a knocked-out tooth, and implant options if it cannot be saved
• Denture repairs and relines
• Treatment of painful gum infections
• Sedation, if dental treatment is something you dread

When we are open

We hold same-day appointments for emergencies, so you are not being fitted into whatever happens to be left at the end of the week. Call as early in the day as you can, because the earlier we know about a problem, the more options we have.

Cost, and knowing it before we start

Nobody wants to discuss money with their face throbbing, which is exactly why we put it in writing. You will get an itemized estimate before any treatment beyond an emergency examination, showing what your plan is expected to pay and what it will leave you.

We accept Delta Dental, Aetna, Cigna, MetLife, Guardian, Humana, Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare and other major PPO plans, and the Delta Dental, Guardian and MetLife HMO plans (full list). If you are not insured, ask about the membership plan when you call. Emergency visits are one of the situations it was designed for.

An emergency is the worst possible time for an unplanned bill. If the treatment turns out to be more than you can settle on the day, it can be spread over time through an outside lender. The financing page sets out which companies we work with, what each one checks, and what happens if a promotional period ends before the balance is cleared.

Common questions

Can I be seen today?

Usually yes. We keep same-day slots open for emergencies. Call, describe what has happened, and the front desk will find you a time.

Can you see me if I have never been a patient here?

Yes. Call and describe what has happened.

Will the pain settle if I wait?

Pain from a dying nerve often does fade, and people reasonably read that as improvement. It usually means the nerve has died rather than healed, and the infection then moves into the bone. That stage is more painful, more expensive and more likely to cost you the tooth.

Can antibiotics alone fix a dental infection?

Rarely. Antibiotics can hold a spreading infection back, but the source is inside the tooth, where the bloodstream does not reach. Until the tooth is treated or removed, the infection returns once the course finishes.

My tooth was knocked out yesterday. Is it too late?

For replanting that specific tooth, most likely yes. It is still worth coming in. The socket needs checking, the neighboring teeth may be damaged in ways that are not obvious, and the sooner we plan a replacement the more straightforward it is.

What if it is after hours or the weekend?

After hours and on weekends the same number reaches our answering service, and you can text it too. Anything involving spreading swelling, a fever, or difficulty breathing or swallowing should not wait: use the emergency room list at the top of this page. For pain and damage without those warning signs, follow the first-hour advice above and call us when we open; we hold same-day emergency slots every weekday.

Can I be sedated for emergency dental treatment?

Yes, if dental treatment is something you dread. Nitrous oxide, oral sedation and IV sedation are available in the office. Tell us when you call so the right option can be planned for the visit. Root canal, surgical and restorative treatment all happen in this office. So most emergencies can be finished in the same building rather than referred on. You get an itemized estimate before any treatment beyond the emergency examination.

Where do I park for an emergency visit?

Street parking is free, and there are free spaces behind the building. There is also a paid parking structure. An elevator runs up to Suite 450 at 24022 Calle De La Plata. The office is wheelchair accessible. The Laguna Woods Village bus stops in the plaza. We are open Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Same-day emergency slots are held each day. Call (949) 830-0074 as early in the day as you can. After hours and on weekends the same number reaches our answering service, and you can text it too.