Dental emergencies rarely happen at a good time. A tooth cracks on a popcorn kernel, a filling falls out at dinner, or an ache that's come and gone for weeks suddenly keeps you up all night. Some of these need care within the hour. Others can wait a day or two.
We're an emergency dentist in Lakeview, on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago, and we offer same-day appointments for urgent dental problems. Below is what to do for the most common emergencies, and how to tell which ones can't wait.
“Teeth are more resilient than people realize. They're designed to stay with us for a very long time when they're in the right environment.”
Dr. Erin Cho
Is it a dental emergency?
A simple test: if it can't comfortably wait for a regular appointment, call. Tell us what's going on and we'll help you work out how soon you need to be seen.
Severe pain, swelling, a knocked-out or loose adult tooth, a broken tooth, and bleeding that won't stop with pressure all need prompt care. A small chip that doesn't hurt, or a lost filling with no pain, can usually wait for a regular visit. Get it looked at soon anyway, because the tooth underneath is now unprotected.
What to do if a tooth gets knocked out
This is the one where minutes matter. An adult tooth has the best chance of being saved if it's back in its socket within about 30 minutes.
Until you can be seen:
Pick the tooth up by the crown, the white part you chew with. Don't touch the root.
If it's dirty, rinse it for a few seconds in milk or water. Don't scrub it or wrap it in tissue.
Gently push it back into the socket, facing the right way, and bite on a clean cloth to hold it there.
If it won't go back in, keep it moist in a small cup of milk, or tucked inside your cheek.
Then call us straight away. A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back, but the child should still be seen.
What helps a toothache until you see a dentist?
Watch for a tooth that stays sharply sensitive to cold, where the ache lingers after the cold is gone. That's often the first sign a toothache is starting, and it shouldn't be ignored.
Until you're seen, an over-the-counter pain reliever, taken as the label says, usually takes the edge off. A cold compress on the cheek helps if there's swelling. Don't hold an aspirin against the gum; it can burn.
Pain that throbs, wakes you at night or comes with a bad taste usually means the nerve inside the tooth is inflamed or infected. It's tempting to wait it out, and sometimes the pain does fade. When it fades, though, the cause is usually still there, and it tends to come back worse.
Is a broken or cracked tooth an emergency?
Not always, but it should be seen soon. A crack can let bacteria reach the inside of the tooth, and a broken tooth is much easier to repair, and keep, when it's treated early.
Cracks can be hard to spot. The tooth may look fine but hurt when you bite down, when you let go of the bite, or with something hot or cold. Pain that's there all the time can mean the nerve is involved.
Until your appointment, rinse with warm water and keep any pieces. Press gauze on any bleeding for about ten minutes, and chew on the other side.
Swelling and tooth infections
Swelling in the gum or face usually means an infection, often an abscess at the root of a tooth. It won't clear up on its own. Antibiotics can calm it down for a while, but it comes back until the tooth itself is treated.
Until you're seen, hold a cold compress to your cheek for 15 minutes at a time and rinse gently with warm salt water. Don't put heat on it.
Go to the emergency room or call 911 if:
Swelling is spreading toward your eye or down your neck
You have trouble breathing or swallowing
You have a high fever along with facial swelling
You've injured your jaw or face
What to do if a crown or filling falls out
Losing a crown or filling feels alarming, but it's rarely urgent. The tooth underneath is exposed, though, and can become sensitive or break, so plan to be seen within a few days.
Keep the crown somewhere safe and bring it with you; sometimes it can be cleaned and put back. Chew on the other side. A little dental wax or sugar-free gum over the gap can ease sensitivity. Please don't glue it back with household glue.
Root canal or extraction?
When a tooth is badly damaged or infected, there are usually two paths: keep it with a root canal, or take it out.
A root canal removes the inflamed or infected nerve, then cleans and seals the inside of the tooth so you keep it. Back teeth usually need a crown afterward. With the tooth numbed, most people say it feels much like having a filling. An extraction takes the tooth out when it can't be rebuilt, and the gap can be filled later with an implant or a bridge.
In pain, it's easy to agree to whatever ends it fastest, without knowing what you're giving up. At Re·gen, we try to save your own tooth whenever it can be kept predictably. Teeth are more resilient than most people think. We show you the tooth on your X-rays and photos, look at the health of your whole mouth and your own risk factors, and give you a realistic picture of both paths. You choose knowing how each one is likely to hold up over the years.
“It's not always black and white. Age and the long-term prognosis of the tooth matter a lot. In a younger patient, preserving the natural tooth is usually the priority. If a tooth has already had multiple root canals or has a poor long-term prognosis, then an implant may become the more predictable option.”
Dr. Erin Cho
Seeing an emergency dentist in Chicago
Seen the same day
Call, and we find you the soonest time
“I had a really bad toothache and they were able to give me an appointment same day.” Jennifer Garcia, in a Google review
“I had a sudden tooth emergency and needed an extraction right away. They got me in faster than I expected and explained everything step by step so I knew exactly what was happening.”
Yomi Adey, in a Google review
What patients say
360+ 5-Star Google Reviews
“They were able to give me an appointment same day”
“I had a really bad toothache and they were able to give me an appointment same day. I have had bad experience with the dentist, but everyone in the office has been really caring and have made this experience comfortable.”
Jennifer GarciaGoogle · Jul 2026
“They got me in faster than I expected”
“I was in a lot of pain and honestly a little scared, but they made me feel calm almost immediately. They got me in faster than I expected and explained everything step by step so I knew exactly what was happening.”
Yomi AdeyGoogle · Nov 2025
“I did not feel any pain during my wisdom tooth removal”
“When I called here, I was given an appointment within two days, which was great because I was in extreme pain… I did not feel any pain during my wisdom tooth removal, and I'm actually very glad I chose to come here.”
Andrea OrnelasGoogle · Apr 2026
“We had such an amazing experience”
“…not only did they get us in for a same day consultation but they also pulled his wisdom teeth out. We had such an amazing experience.”
Klaudia ReGoogle · Apr 2026
“As someone with high dental anxiety, I feel very comfortable here”
“I'm scared of injections and can honestly say I don't feel a thing while they numb me up… As someone with high dental anxiety, I feel very comfortable here.”
Emmie TobolskiGoogle · Jul 2026
“The most transparent and not pushy dental office staff I've ever experienced!”
“…she was very patient and explained how the appointment would be billed and exactly what our payment responsibility is beforehand. The most transparent and not pushy dental office staff I've ever experienced!”
Christina MoskalaGoogle · Jun 2025
Our dentists
Our founder, Dr. Erin Cho, and Dr. Ashley Choi, both trained at the University of Illinois Chicago.
For urgent problems, yes. We offer same-day appointments. Call us, tell us what's happening, and we'll find you the soonest available time.
Do I need to be a patient already?›
No. Plenty of our patients first came to us with an emergency, and some have since brought their whole family.
Should I go to the ER or the dentist for tooth pain?›
The dentist, in most cases. An emergency room can help with pain and infection but usually can't treat the tooth. Go to the ER for spreading swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, a high fever, or an injury to your jaw or face.
What if it happens when you're closed?›
We're open Tuesday to Friday. For spreading swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, or a high fever, go to the emergency room. For pain you can manage, follow the steps on this page and call us when we open.
Can a tooth infection go away on its own?›
No. Antibiotics can calm the swelling, but the infection comes back until the tooth is treated with a root canal or taken out.
Will I know the cost before treatment?›
Yes. If you need more than relief from the pain, you'll know what the treatment is, why it's needed and what it costs before you decide.
Do you take dental insurance?›
We're in network with most PPO plans. We make using your dental benefits simple. Contact us and our team will be happy to help you understand what your plan may cover. We currently do not accept HMO or Medicaid plans.
Do you take out wisdom teeth?›
Often, yes. Patients have had wisdom teeth removed here, sometimes on the same day as their consultation. We check the tooth's position on an X-ray first.
Jennifer GarciaGoogle · Jul 2026
Yomi AdeyGoogle · Nov 2025
Andrea OrnelasGoogle · Apr 2026
Klaudia ReGoogle · Apr 2026
Emmie TobolskiGoogle · Jul 2026
Christina MoskalaGoogle · Jun 2025
