Emergency Dentist in Durham, NC

Call the office and describe what has happened. Our team will ask a few questions to judge how urgent it is, and will get you in the same day or the next day whenever there is room in the schedule. Calling early in the day gives the best chance of being seen that same day.

As an emergency dentist in Durham, NC, Dr. Erfan Imeni will examine the tooth, take an X-ray if needed, and focus first on getting the pain and any infection under control. Definitive treatment sometimes happens at the same visit and sometimes at a planned follow-up, depending on what is going on.

Please note our hours: Tuesday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. We are not an after-hours or walk-in clinic, and we are closed on weekends. If you are unsure whether your problem can wait, call and ask rather than guessing.

If dental treatment makes you anxious — which is common when something has gone wrong suddenly — ask about sedation options when you book.

The problems we most often see urgently include:

• Severe or worsening toothache, especially pain that wakes you at night
• Swelling of the gum, face, or jaw — a sign of infection that needs attention quickly
• A knocked-out tooth — time matters most here
• A broken, cracked, or badly chipped tooth
• A lost or broken filling or crown leaving a sharp or sensitive tooth
• Bleeding that will not settle after an extraction
• A denture that has broken or is rubbing badly
• Something lodged between teeth or under the gum that you cannot remove

Depending on the cause, emergency dental care in Durham, NC may involve a filling, a root canal referral, a crown, treating the infection, tooth extraction, or a denture repair. Dr. Imeni will explain the options and the cost before starting.

For a fuller explanation of which problems are urgent and which can wait, read what counts as a dental emergency.

Knocked-out tooth

Pick the tooth up by the crown, not the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline — not tap water, and do not scrub it. If you can, place it gently back in the socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it. Otherwise keep it in milk and get to a dentist as fast as possible. This is the one situation where minutes genuinely matter.

Toothache

Take the pain relief you would normally use, keep your head raised, and use a cold compress on the outside of the face. Do not put aspirin directly on the gum, and avoid very hot or very cold food and drink.

Broken tooth or lost crown

Keep any pieces. Rinse with warm salt water, avoid chewing on that side, and cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax if it is cutting your tongue or cheek.

Bleeding

Bite firmly on clean gauze or a folded cloth for a full 15 minutes without checking. Avoid rinsing, spitting, and straws, which dislodge the clot.

When to go to the emergency room instead

Go to a hospital emergency room, not a dental office, if you have swelling that is closing your eye or spreading down your neck, any difficulty breathing or swallowing, bleeding that will not stop with pressure, or a facial injury that may involve a broken jaw. Those need hospital care first.

Are you open for dental emergencies on weekends?

No. Our hours are Tuesday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM, so we are closed Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. If a problem starts while we are closed, use the first-aid guidance above, call us as soon as we open, and go to a hospital emergency room in the meantime if you have spreading facial swelling, trouble breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, or a possible broken jaw.

How quickly can I be seen for a dental emergency?

We aim to offer a same-day or next-day appointment with an emergency dentist in Durham, NC for urgent problems during office hours. Calling as early in the day as possible gives the best chance of being seen that day. Tell the team exactly what has happened — a knocked-out tooth or spreading swelling is treated more urgently than a chipped edge with no pain.

Can you help with severe tooth pain?

Yes, and getting the pain diagnosed matters as much as relieving it. Severe pain usually means the nerve inside the tooth is inflamed or infected, and that does not resolve on its own. Painkillers can mask it for a while, but the underlying problem keeps progressing, so it is worth being seen rather than waiting it out.

Is a knocked-out tooth really an emergency?

Yes — it is the most time-sensitive dental emergency there is. The chance of saving the tooth drops steadily with every hour it is out of the socket, so keep it moist in milk and call immediately rather than waiting to see how it feels.

Will insurance cover an emergency dental visit?

Emergency examinations and most of the treatments that follow are considered medically necessary rather than cosmetic, so dental insurance often covers part of the cost. Coverage varies by plan, deductible, and annual maximum. Bring your insurance information and we will check what applies before treatment begins.

How much does emergency dental treatment cost?

The visit to diagnose the problem and settle the pain is usually modest; the cost of what follows depends entirely on the cause — a filling, a crown, treating an infection, or an extraction are all very different. You will be told what is needed and what it costs before any treatment starts. Call 919-220-5505 to be seen.