Severe tooth pain, swelling, a broken tooth, or an unexpected dental injury can make it difficult to focus on anything else. When a dental emergency occurs, prompt professional care can help relieve discomfort, identify the cause, and reduce the risk of the problem becoming more serious.
At Smiles Today Dental, Dr. Amar Kerio and our dental team provide emergency dental care at two convenient Las Vegas locations. Same-day emergency appointments may be available during regular business hours. Call our office and we’ll help determine the soonest available appointment and the best location for your needs.
Need Emergency Dental Care in Las Vegas?
Some dental problems should not wait for a routine appointment. If you’re experiencing significant tooth pain, swelling, dental trauma, or sudden damage to a tooth or restoration, contact Smiles Today Dental as soon as possible.
Our team can evaluate the affected area, use digital imaging when necessary, determine what’s causing the problem, and recommend appropriate emergency dental treatment.
Common reasons patients contact us for urgent dental care include:
- Severe or persistent tooth pain
- Broken, cracked, or chipped teeth
- Knocked-out or dislodged permanent teeth
- Dental abscesses, infections, or swelling
- Lost or damaged fillings
- Loose, broken, or lost dental crowns
- Dental injuries caused by accidents or trauma
- Urgent tooth extraction needs
- Broken dentures or other dental restorations
Not sure whether your situation is a dental emergency? Call today and our team can help you determine the appropriate next step.
Common Dental Emergencies We Treat
Severe Toothache or Tooth Pain
Severe or worsening tooth pain can have many causes, including tooth decay, infection, a damaged filling, a cracked tooth, or inflammation inside the tooth.
An emergency dental visit focuses on identifying the source of the problem rather than simply masking the symptoms. Depending on your diagnosis, treatment may include a restoration, root canal treatment, drainage, tooth extraction, or another appropriate treatment.
Persistent or severe tooth pain should be evaluated, particularly when it occurs along with swelling, fever, or other signs of infection.
Broken, Cracked, or Chipped Tooth
A damaged tooth can range from a small cosmetic chip to a deeper fracture involving the inner layers of the tooth.
Prompt evaluation is especially important when the tooth is painful, sensitive, bleeding, or has a large portion missing. Depending on the severity of the damage, treatment may include dental bonding, a filling, dental crown, root canal treatment, or extraction when a tooth cannot be predictably restored.
Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth
A knocked-out permanent tooth is a time-sensitive dental emergency.
Pick up the tooth by the crown — the part normally visible in your mouth — rather than the root. Do not scrub the root. The tooth should remain moist while you seek professional care.
If you cannot safely place the tooth back into its socket, keep it in milk or an appropriate tooth-preservation solution and contact a dentist immediately.
When possible, reach a dentist or endodontist within approximately 30 minutes of the injury. Prompt treatment may improve the chance of saving the tooth.
Dental Abscess, Infection, or Swelling
Painful swelling around a tooth or gum may indicate a dental infection or abscess. Other symptoms can include tenderness, pain when biting, a bad taste in the mouth, or swelling of the face or jaw.
Dental infections require professional evaluation because the underlying source typically needs dental treatment. Depending on the diagnosis, treatment may involve drainage, root canal therapy, extraction, or medication when clinically appropriate.
Seek emergency medical care immediately if swelling is making it difficult to breathe or swallow, or if you are experiencing other potentially life-threatening symptoms.
Lost Filling or Dental Crown
A missing filling or crown can expose the underlying tooth and cause sensitivity or pain. It may also leave the tooth vulnerable to additional damage.
Avoid chewing on the affected side and contact our office for an evaluation. Depending on the condition of the tooth and restoration, we may recommend repairing or replacing the filling or crown.
Dental Trauma and Injuries
Falls, sports injuries, vehicle accidents, and other trauma can damage teeth and surrounding tissues.
Even when a tooth looks intact, an injury may affect the tooth internally or damage its supporting structures. Contact a dental professional after significant dental trauma so the affected area can be properly evaluated.
Emergency Tooth Extraction
Whenever reasonably possible, preserving a natural tooth is preferred. However, a severely fractured, infected, damaged, or otherwise non-restorable tooth may need to be removed.
Smiles Today Dental provides tooth extractions and oral surgery when clinically appropriate. We will explain the diagnosis and available treatment options before proceeding.
Broken Dentures
A cracked or broken denture can interfere with eating and speaking and may irritate your gums.
Smiles Today Dental has an in-house denture lab, helping our team provide efficient denture repairs, adjustments, and other denture services without relying entirely on an outside laboratory.
If your denture breaks, avoid attempting a permanent repair yourself. Contact our office so we can determine the appropriate repair.
When Should You Go to the Emergency Room?
Most toothaches, damaged teeth, lost restorations, and other dental problems are best evaluated by a dentist because a dental office can diagnose and treat the underlying dental condition.
However, some symptoms require emergency medical attention instead of waiting for a dental appointment.
Call 911 or seek emergency medical care if you experience:
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Severe or rapidly spreading facial or neck swelling
- Significant or uncontrolled bleeding
- Major facial or jaw trauma
- Loss of consciousness
- Any other symptoms that may indicate a potentially life-threatening medical emergency
Once the immediate medical emergency is stabilized, follow-up dental treatment may still be necessary.
What to Expect at Your Emergency Dental Visit
When you arrive at Smiles Today Dental, our priority is to determine what’s causing the problem and develop the appropriate treatment plan.
Step 1: Focused Emergency Examination
Your dentist will review your symptoms, relevant medical and dental history, and what happened before the emergency began. The affected tooth and surrounding tissues will then be carefully examined.
Step 2: Digital Imaging When Needed
Digital X-rays or other imaging may be used to evaluate areas that cannot be fully assessed through a visual examination alone.
Smiles Today Dental uses advanced dental technology, including digital X-rays and 3D CBCT imaging when clinically appropriate.
Step 3: Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Once we’ve identified the cause of the dental emergency, we’ll explain what we found and review your treatment options.
Depending on the diagnosis, emergency treatment may include:
- Dental filling or restoration
- Dental crown
- Root canal treatment
- Tooth extraction
- Treatment of a dental infection
- Denture repair or adjustment
- Other restorative or surgical dental care
Our goal is to address the immediate problem while also protecting your long-term oral health.
Step 4: Follow-Up Care
Some dental emergencies can be addressed in a single visit, while others require additional treatment or follow-up appointments.
Before you leave, our team will explain the next steps, home-care instructions, and any recommended follow-up treatment.
Why Choose Smiles Today Dental for Emergency Dental Care?
26+ Years of Dental Experience
Dr. Amar Kerio, DDS brings more than 26 years of dental experience to patients in Las Vegas.
A graduate of Boston University School of Dentistry and a Nevada-licensed dentist since 2004, Dr. Kerio provides comprehensive care with experience in restorative dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, prosthodontics, and dental implants.
Advanced Dental Technology
Our offices use modern dental technology including digital X-rays, intraoral imaging, digital impressions, and 3D CBCT imaging to assist with diagnosis and treatment planning when appropriate.
Comprehensive Dental Services
Smiles Today Dental provides general, restorative, cosmetic, implant, orthodontic, endodontic, and surgical dental services.
That breadth of care means many conditions discovered during an emergency examination can be treated or managed within our practice.
Most PPO Dental Insurance Accepted
Smiles Today Dental accepts most PPO dental insurance plans.
Visit our dental insurance page for more information about accepted plans.
Patients without insurance can also ask our team about available financial and payment options.
Free Round-Trip Transportation
Transportation shouldn’t be another barrier to getting dental care.
Smiles Today Dental offers complimentary round-trip transportation throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Call our team for transportation details and availability.
Our Patients are Happy & Healthy
Can I get a same-day emergency dental appointment?
Same-day emergency appointments may be available during regular business hours depending on the day, office location, type of emergency, and current schedule.
Call (702) 655-6777 and our team will help determine the earliest available appointment.
What is considered a dental emergency?
A dental problem may require urgent care when it involves severe or worsening pain, significant swelling, infection, dental trauma, a knocked-out permanent tooth, significant bleeding, or damage that puts a tooth at immediate risk.
If you’re unsure whether your symptoms require emergency dental treatment, call our office for guidance.
Should I go to the emergency room or an emergency dentist?
For most toothaches, broken teeth, lost restorations, and other dental problems, a dentist is better equipped to diagnose and treat the underlying dental condition.
Seek emergency medical care for difficulty breathing or swallowing, severe or rapidly spreading facial or neck swelling, significant uncontrolled bleeding, major facial trauma, loss of consciousness, or another potentially life-threatening condition.
What should I do if a permanent tooth gets knocked out?
Pick the tooth up by the crown rather than the root. Do not scrub the root. Keep the tooth moist and seek dental care immediately.
If you cannot safely reposition it, place it in milk or an appropriate tooth-preservation solution. When possible, reach a dentist or endodontist within approximately 30 minutes of the injury.
Can you treat a dental abscess or infection?
Yes. The appropriate treatment depends on the source and severity of the infection.
Treatment may involve drainage, root canal therapy, tooth extraction, or medication when clinically appropriate. A dental examination is necessary to determine the appropriate treatment.
Do you accept dental insurance for emergency visits?
Smiles Today Dental accepts most PPO dental insurance plans. Coverage and patient responsibility depend on your individual plan and the treatment required.
Visit our accepted dental insurance page or call our office for additional information.
What if I don't have dental insurance?
Patients without dental insurance can ask our team about available payment and financing options.
Visit our financial information page or call us before your visit to discuss available options.
Contact an Emergency Dentist in Las Vegas Today
Don’t wait for severe tooth pain, swelling, a damaged tooth, or another urgent dental problem to become worse.
Contact Smiles Today Dental and our team will help evaluate the urgency of your situation and determine the soonest appropriate appointment at one of our Las Vegas dental offices.
