ServicesEmergency Dentistry
Emergency Dentistry in Hickory Creek
A cracked tooth, a swollen gum or a toothache that keeps you up needs attention soon. We find you an appointment, tell you honestly when we can see you, and keep you posted if anything shifts, so you can plan your day around relief.
Urgent dental care, planned with you
Dental problems rarely pick a convenient moment. A filling falls out at lunch, a molar cracks on an olive pit, a crown comes loose the night before a trip. When you reach us by phone, we ask a few direct questions about pain, swelling and bleeding. That tells us how soon you should be seen and what you can do in the meantime.
Then we give you a real appointment time. If the schedule changes on our end, we tell you as soon as we know instead of leaving you in the waiting room. The first visit is about stopping the pain and protecting the tooth. Any longer repair gets its own treatment plan, explained calmly and on a timeline you can work with.
What an urgent visit covers
- Focused exam and imaging
- We examine the problem tooth and the tissue around it and take digital X-rays. When we need a three-dimensional view of a root or the bone, we use a CBCT scan.
- Pain relief first
- Before any long conversation, we numb the area and work on calming the pain. Gentle care matters most when a tooth is already sore.
- Temporary protection
- A cracked tooth or lost filling can get a temporary seal that holds up while you decide on a permanent fix. Sharp edges are smoothed so they stop catching your tongue and cheek.
- Infection and swelling
- If an abscess is behind the pain, we address it directly and may prescribe medication. Then we plan the root canal or extraction that actually resolves it.
- Loose crowns and broken teeth
- A crown that came off can often be recemented if the tooth under it is sound. A chipped front tooth can be covered to protect it and your smile until a lasting repair.
- A clear next-step plan
- You leave knowing what we did, what still needs doing and a realistic timeline for it, whether that is a root canal next week or dental implants later on.
Signs a tooth should not wait
Throbbing pain that wakes you
Pain that pulses on its own, or flares when you lie down, usually means the nerve inside the tooth is inflamed or infected. Over-the-counter pain relievers may dull it, but they do not fix the cause.
Swelling in the gums or face
Swelling near a tooth often points to infection. If it spreads toward your eye or neck, or makes swallowing or breathing hard, go to a hospital ER right away.
A cracked or broken tooth
Cracks tend to grow. Seeing it early can be the difference between a crown and losing the tooth.
Sensitivity that lingers
A quick zing from ice water is common. Sensitivity to heat that lasts more than a few seconds is worth an exam.
A knocked-out adult tooth
Pick it up by the crown, not the root, keep it moist in milk, and reach us by phone immediately. Timing matters for saving it.
A bump on the gum
A small pimple that drains or keeps coming back is often an abscess finding a way out. It needs treatment even if the pain has faded.
What shapes the cost of urgent care
The total depends on what the tooth needs once we see it. We give you a line-item estimate before any treatment beyond the exam, and we check your insurance benefits so you know your share up front.
What we find
A recemented crown or a temporary filling is a small visit. An infected nerve or a split root leads to a larger treatment plan.
Temporary versus permanent
Some patients choose a temporary fix today and the final restoration later. That spreads the work out, and we explain how it affects the total.
Imaging needed
Most visits need only digital X-rays. A CBCT scan is added when the root or bone needs a closer look.
Insurance, membership and financing
We are in-network with 15+ major PPO dental insurance plans. Uninsured patients can join our in-house Membership Plan, and 0% interest financing for up to 24 months is available, with no credit score impact to check for preapproval.
How your visit runs
- 1
A short phone conversation
Tell us what happened and how it feels. We give you an appointment time we expect to keep, plus simple steps to manage until you arrive.
- 2
Exam and images
We check the tooth, take the X-rays we need and talk through what we see. You look at the images with us.
- 3
Relief and honest options
We treat the pain, then lay out your choices with their tradeoffs. Nothing beyond pain relief happens without your approval and a written estimate.
- 4
Follow-up booked before you go
Any further work is scheduled before you leave. If that time has to move, we call you rather than letting it slide.
Questions about urgent dental visits
How soon can I be seen?
It depends on the day's schedule and how urgent your symptoms sound. We give you an honest time on the phone rather than a hopeful guess. If something changes on our end, you hear it from us first.
What does the first visit cost for a new patient?
Many urgent visits start with our $25 Focused Evaluation. It includes a comprehensive exam, digital X-rays, a CBCT scan if needed, and treatment planning and consultation. Any treatment beyond that is estimated line by line before we begin.
Should I go to the hospital instead?
For most tooth pain, a dental office is the better place, since hospitals usually cannot repair the tooth itself. Go to a hospital ER first if swelling affects your breathing, swallowing or eye, if you have a high fever, or if bleeding from an injury will not stop.
Can a broken tooth be saved, or will it come out?
Many can be saved with a root canal and a crown. If the crack runs below the gumline, an extraction may be the honest answer. In that case we walk you through replacing it with dental implants or dentures on a timeline that suits you.
Do you see patients from nearby towns?
Yes. We see patients from Hickory Creek and nearby towns such as Lake Dallas, Corinth and Lewisville. Give us your symptoms by phone and we will set a time that fits your drive.
Get the pain looked at, on a timeline you know
Tell us what is going on and we will find you an appointment and say plainly when we can see you. If plans shift, we let you know.