Northern Smiles Emergency Dentistry
Same-Day Emergency Dentist in North Phoenix, AZ
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Budget Friendly
A dental emergency is stressful enough without worrying about cost. We treat urgent problems at fair, transparent rates and offer financing, so you can get out of pain now and sort out the details with us.
Quick Recovery Times
Trips to the dentist aren't always our favorite. We do our best to be as precise and gentle as possible to reduce your recovery time!
Same-Day Weekday Appointments
When you're in pain you can't wait, so we hold time in our schedule for urgent cases and do our best to see you the same day. We're open Monday to Friday. Outside those hours, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room for severe bleeding, facial trauma or trouble breathing — otherwise call us and we'll see you as soon as we open.
What counts as a dental emergency, and how fast can you be seen?
Severe or persistent tooth pain, a knocked-out or broken tooth, a lost filling or crown, swelling or signs of infection, and uncontrolled bleeding all warrant prompt dental care. If you are not sure whether what you are dealing with counts, call us and we will help you decide. We reserve time in the schedule for urgent cases and do our best to see emergency patients the same day during office hours, so call as early in the day as you can. Our office is at 7501 N 16th St in North Phoenix, between Glendale and Northern Avenues. An emergency exam and X-ray to find out what is wrong costs far less than the treatment that follows, and we tell you the cost before we begin. We accept most PPO plans and offer CareCredit financing, and we treat the urgent problem first.
EMERGENCY DENTISTRY
Who will treat your dental emergency?
Dental emergencies in the Phoenix, AZ area can be scary. It can be a situation that produces plenty of anxiety and panic. Whether you knocked out a tooth, chipped a tooth, or broke a crown the good news is that we have the expert emergency dentists you need in Phoenix to turn your concern back into a smile! At Northern Smiles Dentistry our proficient dental team and dentists in Phoenix is well-versed in handling a variety of dental emergencies, however, if you are in extreme pain, bleeding profusely, or genuinely concerned for your well-being we always recommend visiting the emergency room. If you are unsure about the severity of your injury you can always call our dental office in Phoenix, AZ.
Same-Day Care
Do you need to be seen today?
Not every dental problem is an emergency, and knowing the difference saves you a wasted trip — or stops you waiting on something that is getting worse by the hour.
Call us immediately
A knocked-out tooth (the first hour matters most — keep it moist, handle it by the crown, never the root). Uncontrolled bleeding. Facial swelling, especially around the eye or under the jaw. A dental abscess with fever. Severe pain that will not respond to over-the-counter painkillers. A tooth cracked or broken with the nerve exposed.
Call us today, but you can likely wait a few hours
A lost filling or crown. A chipped tooth with no pain. A broken denture or a poking orthodontic wire. Dull, intermittent sensitivity. These need attention, but they are not going to change dramatically before we can see you.
When to go to the emergency room instead
A hospital ER is the right call for a suspected broken jaw, an injury involving loss of consciousness, bleeding that will not stop, or swelling that is affecting your breathing or swallowing. Be aware that for a plain toothache an ER will usually only manage the pain and infection — most hospitals do not have a dentist on staff, so the tooth itself still needs treating afterward.
When in doubt, call us at (602) 944-9197 and describe what is happening. We would rather talk you through it than have you guess.
Quick Thinking
What should you do after a traumatic dental injury?
A knocked-out permanent tooth requires quick thinking and immediate action. You’ll increase the chances that the tooth can be saved if you pick it up without touching the root, gently clean it off with water, and put it back in its socket facing the correct way. Hold it in place with gentle pressure as you rush to the dental office or emergency room. If you can’t replant it immediately, tuck it between the patient’s cheek and gum, or carry it in a container of cold milk.
How quickly does a knocked-out or loosened tooth need treatment?
For a more traumatic injury such as a tooth that has been moved or loosened, treatment needs to occur within six hours. However, if there is uncontrollable bleeding, go immediately to the ER. Fortunately, other dental injuries that happen most frequently are less severe. The most common traumatic dental injuries are chipped teeth. If a tooth is chipped, try to find any pieces that have come off, as it might be possible to reattach them. Make an appointment for an office visit as soon as possible, and bring the pieces with you.
Acute or Persistent
What causes sudden, severe tooth pain?
Acute or persistent tooth pain always signals a need for an urgent visit to the dental office. The most common cause of dental pain is tooth decay, a bacterial infection that can spread through many parts of the tooth, and even into the gum tissue. Sometimes, tooth pain indicates that you may need a root canal treatment — a procedure that not only relieves the pain of an infection deep inside the tooth, but also can keep the tooth from having to be removed. Other times, pain may be caused by a loose filling or sensitive tooth. The only way to know for sure what’s causing your tooth pain is to make an appointment at the dental office right away.
Where the cause is an infection deep inside the tooth, the fix is usually root canal treatment in North Phoenix. Where a tooth has broken or a crown has come off, see crowns and bridges.
What counts as a gum emergency?
Injuries and infections involving the soft tissues of the mouth may also require emergency treatment. The tissues of the gums, tongue, or cheek lining can be damaged by accidental bites, falls, sports injuries, and scalding liquids. They may also suffer injury from foreign bodies that become lodged below the gum line, and they can develop painful and potentially serious abscesses. A periodontal (gum) abscess is a pus-filled sac caused by an infection and is usually quite painful. Abscesses require immediate attention at the dental office.
Any injury to the soft tissues
Any injury to the soft tissues of the mouth should be rinsed with dilute salt water. If there is visible debris, it should be cleared. Bleeding can usually be controlled by pressing a clean, damp material to the area for 10-15 minutes. If this does not work, go to the emergency room immediately.
A foreign body lodged beneath the gum line
A foreign body lodged beneath the gum line can sometimes be gently worked out with dental floss or a toothpick. But if this can't be accomplished easily, make a dental appointment so the area does not become damaged and/or infected.
Northern Smiles Orthodontics
What should you do about a broken brace or wire?
Although there can be discomfort associated with orthodontic treatment, there are only a few true orthodontic emergencies. They include trauma or injury to the teeth, face or mouth. Infection or swelling of the gums, mouth or face, and severe, unmanageable discomfort or pain in these areas can also be orthodontic emergencies. In any of these situations, seek immediate care from the dental office or emergency room — whichever is your best option. For loose, broken or irritating pieces of orthodontic hardware, please call the dental office for advice.
Dental emergency triage: what to do first
Not every dental problem needs to be seen within the hour, and a few should not wait for a dental appointment at all. This is how we triage the calls we get.
| Situation | How urgent | What to do first |
|---|---|---|
| Uncontrolled bleeding | Go to the ER now | Do not wait for a dental appointment |
| Knocked-out permanent tooth | Immediately | Pick it up by the crown, never the root. Rinse gently with water and put it back in the socket the right way round, holding it with gentle pressure. If you cannot, tuck it between cheek and gum or carry it in a container of cold milk |
| Tooth moved or loosened | Within six hours | Call us straight away |
| Swelling, or a gum abscess | Same day | Abscesses need immediate attention — call, do not wait it out |
| Severe or persistent tooth pain | Same day | Call as early in the day as you can. Acute pain always signals an urgent visit |
| Chipped tooth | As soon as possible | Find any pieces that came off and bring them — they can sometimes be reattached |
| Lost filling or crown | Within a few days | Keep the crown if you still have it |
| Loose or irritating brace hardware | Next available appointment | Call the office. Most orthodontic problems are not true emergencies |
| Facial trauma with severe pain or swelling | Immediately | Dental office or ER — whichever you can reach faster |
Our hours are Monday to Friday. If you are not sure which row you are in, call (602) 944-9197 and we will tell you.
How fast can you get to our North Phoenix office?
When a tooth breaks or an abscess flares, the distance to the chair is the whole problem. We are at 7501 N 16th St, between Glendale and Northern Avenues, which puts us inside ten minutes of Sunnyslope, Moon Valley, North Central Phoenix and most of 85020. Call us during weekday hours and we will do our best to see you the same day. Directions are on our North Phoenix dental office.
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a dental emergency? +
Severe or persistent tooth pain, a knocked-out or broken tooth, a lost filling or crown, swelling or signs of infection, and uncontrolled bleeding all warrant prompt care. If you're unsure, call us and we'll help you decide.
Can you see me the same day? +
We reserve time for urgent cases and do our best to see emergency patients the same day during office hours. Call us as early as you can so we can get you in quickly.
What should I do if my tooth gets knocked out? +
Pick the tooth up by the crown (not the root), gently rinse it, and try to place it back in the socket. If you can't, keep it in a container of milk and get to us right away — time matters for saving the tooth.
What do I do for a dental emergency after hours? +
For severe bleeding, facial trauma, or difficulty breathing, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For urgent dental concerns, call our office and follow the instructions; we'll see you as soon as we're open.
Why does my tooth hurt so much? +
Tooth pain usually signals decay, infection, or a cracked tooth and rarely improves on its own. We find the cause and provide relief — often with a filling, root canal, or other treatment — so you're not left hurting.
Will the emergency room do anything for a tooth? +
An ER can manage pain and treat a spreading infection with antibiotics, and that is the right place to go for a suspected broken jaw, uncontrolled bleeding, or swelling affecting your breathing. But most hospitals do not have a dentist on staff, so the underlying tooth problem still needs a dental visit afterward. For a toothache alone, calling us first is usually faster and less expensive.
How much does emergency dental treatment cost in Phoenix? +
It depends entirely on what is wrong — an emergency exam and X-ray to diagnose the problem costs far less than the treatment that follows. We tell you the cost before we begin. We accept most PPO insurance plans and offer CareCredit financing, and we will always treat the urgent problem first and schedule the rest.
Can I be seen without insurance? +
Yes. Being uninsured does not stop you being seen for a dental emergency. We provide the cost up front and offer CareCredit financing so you can spread payments out.
What can I do for the pain until my appointment? +
Rinse with warm salt water, take an over-the-counter painkiller you normally tolerate, and use a cold compress on the outside of your cheek for swelling. Do not put aspirin directly against the gum — it burns the tissue. Avoid very hot or cold food and try to chew on the other side.
What is the 3-3-3 rule for toothache? +
You will see this online as taking 600 mg of ibuprofen — three 200 mg tablets — three times a day, for no more than three days. It is not an official dental or medical guideline; it is a widely shared way of structuring over-the-counter pain relief until you can be seen. Two things matter more than the rule itself. First, ibuprofen is not safe for everyone — check with your pharmacist or doctor if you take blood thinners, have stomach or kidney problems, or are pregnant. Second, it treats the pain and not the cause. A toothache that needs three days of medication needs an examination, so call us and we will get you in.
Related reading
Answers to the questions patients ask us most about this treatment.
Other services
More ways our Phoenix team can help.
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Troy Stansberry, D.D.S.
Dr. Troy Stansberry grew up in Phoenix, AZ and attended Creighton University for his bachelors, and Creighton School of Dentistry for his D.D.S. degree.
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Feel free to contact us at Northern Smiles Dentistry with any questions or concerns
Opening Hours
- Monday 07:30 AM - 4:00 PM
- Tuesday 08:30 AM - 5:30 PM
- Wednesday 07:30 AM - 2:00 PM
- Thursday 07:30 AM - 3:00 PM
- Friday 07:30 AM - 2:00 PM
- Saturday - Sunday Closed
