I'm genuinely scared of the dentist and I've avoided it for years. Will you judge me?

No. A lot of our patients come in exactly this way, and we mean it when we say there is no lecture. Tell us you are anxious when you call and we will go slow and explain everything before we do it.

Can you sedate me so I don't feel the panic?

Yes. Nitrous oxide relaxes most people and wears off quickly. For stronger anxiety or bigger treatment, we offer oral sedation and IV sedation. We will match the level to you at the start of the visit.

The pain is bad but I'm terrified. Should I just wait and hope it passes?

Please do not wait. An infected tooth gets worse and more painful over time, which makes the fear harder, not easier. Getting seen now usually keeps the treatment simpler, and sedation makes the visit itself manageable.

What if it's been so long that my mouth is a mess? I'm embarrassed.

That is okay. We start with whatever is hurting and stabilize it, and anything bigger can wait for later visits at your pace. The emergency visit is just about getting you out of pain comfortably.

Will I know the cost before anything happens?

Yes, we quote you up front and check your insurance. You will not be surprised, which is one less thing to worry about.

Emergency Dentist in Southwest Austin (Lantana)

Knocked-out adult tooth

The single most time-sensitive dental emergency. A permanent tooth can often be saved if it is back in the socket within 30 minutes, ideally sooner.

Call now · 30-min window

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Pick it up by the crown Hold the white chewing surface, not the root. The root cells you do not see are what we are trying to keep alive.
2 Rinse it gently if dirty A quick rinse with milk or saline. Do not scrub, do not use soap, do not dry it.
3 Re-insert if you can Slide it back into the socket the way it came out and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it.
4 Otherwise, store in milk Cold milk is best. Saliva (cheek pocket) or saline are good too. Plain water is a last resort.
5 Call us on the way in We will pull staff into the next available room before you arrive so we can re-implant the second you walk in.

Handle by the crown only
Store in milk if not re-inserted
Come straight in. Drive carefully

Don't

Scrub or sterilize the root
Let the tooth dry out
Wrap it in tissue or paper

Loose, pushed, or displaced adult tooth

A permanent tooth that is wiggly after a hit, or has been pushed sideways or up into the gum, is called a luxation. Getting it repositioned and gently splinted today gives you the best shot at keeping it long-term.

Same-day · today

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Do not pull it out A loose adult tooth still has living attachments. Removing it on purpose makes the injury much worse.
2 Reposition only with light finger pressure If the tooth is angled sideways, you can gently nudge it back toward its original position. Stop the moment you feel resistance. Do not force it.
3 Bite on a clean, folded cloth A soft piece of gauze or cloth between your teeth helps hold the tooth steady on the drive in.
4 Cold compress on the cheek Ten minutes on, ten off. Reduces swelling and dulls the ache while you are on the way.
5 Call us on the way in We will pull a splint kit and imaging into the next available room so we can stabilize the tooth the second you walk through the door.

Reposition only with light finger pressure
Bite on a clean cloth to keep it steady
Come straight in for splinting

Don't

Yank or wiggle the tooth out
Eat or chew on that side
Wait to see if it tightens up on its own

Severe, throbbing toothache

Throbbing pain that wakes you up, gets worse when you lie down, or stops responding to over-the-counter relief usually points to nerve involvement or infection. We need to see you today.

Same-day visit

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Rinse with warm salt water A teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water. Swish for 30 seconds. Helps with debris and mild inflammation.
2 Floss carefully Sometimes a piece of food wedged between teeth is the entire problem. Floss gently around the painful tooth.
3 Take what you normally take Ibuprofen 600 mg with food, if it is safe for you. It treats inflammation, not just pain. Avoid placing aspirin on the gum.
4 Cold compress on the cheek Ten minutes on, ten off. Heat will make it worse if there is any infection involved.
5 Call us and describe it Tell us when it started, what makes it worse, and whether anything makes it better. That guides how we triage.

Note when pain started and what triggers it
Use cold, not heat, on your cheek
Take ibuprofen with food if safe

Don't

Place aspirin directly on the gum
Apply heat to the cheek
Wait it out hoping nerve pain resolves

Cracked, chipped, or broken tooth

A chip without pain is rarely urgent, but a deeper crack. Especially one that hurts when you bite or drink something cold. Needs to be seen before it propagates and reaches the nerve.

Within 24–48 hr

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Save the piece if you can Pop any fragments into a small container with milk or saliva. We can sometimes reattach them.
2 Rinse and look at it Warm water rinse so you can see what you are dealing with. Check whether the crack reaches the gumline.
3 Cover sharp edges A pea-sized piece of sugarless gum or orthodontic wax over the rough edge will protect your tongue and cheek.
4 Eat on the other side Avoid hot, cold, or hard foods on the affected side until we have seen you.
5 Call to book Tell us if it hurts to bite. That bumps you to a priority slot rather than later in the week.

Save any tooth fragments
Eat soft foods on the other side
Cover sharp edges with wax or gum

Don't

Chew on the cracked side
Skip a visit because it does not hurt
Pick at the crack with a tongue or fingernail

Facial swelling or visible abscess

A pimple-like bump on the gum, or swelling in the cheek or jaw, is usually a dental infection that needs treatment today. Swelling that spreads toward the eye, throat, or under the jaw is an ER-first situation.

Same-day visit

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Check the red flags Difficulty breathing or swallowing, fever above 101°F, or swelling spreading toward the eye or neck means ER, not dentist office. Call 911 if severe.
2 Cold compress outside Ten minutes on, ten off, on the outside of the cheek. Reduces swelling and dulls the ache.
3 Warm salt-water rinse For a gum abscess specifically, a warm salt-water rinse every few hours helps drainage. Do not lance or squeeze it.
4 Stay upright when resting Lying flat can make throbbing worse. Prop yourself up with an extra pillow until you are seen.
5 Call us, not the pharmacy Antibiotics alone rarely resolve a dental abscess. The infection needs a dental source-control procedure too. Both, not either.

Cold compress outside the cheek
Warm salt rinses every few hours
Watch for spreading swelling or fever

Don't

Lance, squeeze, or pop the abscess
Apply heat to the outside of the cheek
Wait for antibiotics alone to fix it

Lost filling, crown, or veneer

An exposed tooth without its restoration is usually uncomfortable but not dangerous. We want to see you within a few days before the underlying tooth shifts or becomes sensitive to the point of nerve involvement.

Within 1–3 days

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Save the crown or filling A small container or zip bag is fine. If it is clean and intact, we can often re-cement it rather than remake it.
2 Cover the exposed tooth A dab of over-the-counter dental cement (drugstore, "temporary tooth filling") buys you a few comfortable days. Sugar-free gum works in a pinch.
3 Avoid hot, cold, sticky foods The exposed dentin is sensitive. Lukewarm everything, nothing chewy on that side.
4 Brush carefully around it Keep the area clean. Soft brush, low pressure. A clean exposed tooth re-cements much more reliably.
5 Book a visit Tell us at booking whether you have the crown. That changes the appointment length we reserve.

Bring the crown or filling with you
Use OTC temporary dental cement
Eat soft foods on the other side

Don't

Glue it back with super glue
Chew sticky foods on that side
Skip the visit hoping the OTC fix lasts

Wisdom tooth pain or gum flare-up

A swollen, sore gum over a partially erupted wisdom tooth (pericoronitis) is one of the most common dental flare-ups. Manageable at home for a day or two while you get in to see us.

Within 24–48 hr

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Warm salt-water rinse Every few hours, especially after meals. Helps flush food and bacteria out from under the gum flap that is covering the tooth.
2 Gentle brushing around the area A soft brush angled toward the flap. The cleaner the area, the faster the inflammation calms down.
3 Ibuprofen with food It treats inflammation, not just pain. Take what you would normally take, if it is safe for you.
4 Soft, lukewarm food for a day or two Skip anything crunchy that can get wedged under the gum flap. Yogurt, soup, eggs, smoothies.
5 Call to book At the visit we will check whether the wisdom tooth needs to come out or whether the flare just needs a clean-up and a short course of antibiotics.

Warm salt rinses every few hours
Keep the area meticulously clean
Ibuprofen with food if safe for you

Don't

Apply heat to the outside of the cheek
Dig under the gum flap with a toothpick
Ignore a fever or spreading swelling

Bleeding after extraction or surgery

Slow oozing for the first 24 hours after an extraction is normal. Active bleeding that soaks through a fresh gauze in 20 minutes is not. Call us. Almost always something simple we can fix.

Call us same-day

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Fold a clean gauze tight Roll it into a small dense square and place it directly over the socket, not just in your mouth.
2 Bite firm and steady for 30 min No talking, no peeking, no swishing. Constant pressure is what stops the bleed. Set a timer.
3 Switch to a wet tea bag If still bleeding, swap to a damp black tea bag. Tannic acid helps the clot form. Bite for another 30 minutes.
4 Sit upright and stay calm Lying flat raises blood pressure to the head and re-starts the bleed. Sit up. Skip the gym today.
5 Call us if still bleeding If you have soaked through two rounds of pressure, call. We may need to re-pack the socket or place a stitch.

Firm, constant pressure for 30 minutes
Damp black tea bag if gauze is not enough
Sit upright, skip the workout

Don't

Rinse, spit, or use a straw
Smoke or vape (dry socket risk)
Lie flat if you can avoid it

Cut lip, cheek, tongue, or gum

Soft-tissue injuries inside the mouth bleed dramatically because the area is so vascular. They look much worse than they usually are. Most stop on their own with pressure. A few need stitches.

Depends on bleed

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Rinse with cool water Get a clear look at what happened. Cool, not cold, so you do not constrict the blood vessels too aggressively.
2 Pressure with clean gauze Press firmly with a clean cloth or gauze for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not keep checking. That re-starts the bleed.
3 Cold compress outside Ice pack or cold cloth on the outside of the lip or cheek reduces swelling and slows bleeding underneath.
4 Decide: stitches or no A cut that goes through the vermillion border of the lip, or gapes open at rest, or keeps bleeding past 15 minutes. Those need stitches at an ER or urgent care.
5 Call us for the dental side Once the bleeding is controlled, call so we can check there is no underlying tooth injury and follow up on healing.

10–15 min of firm direct pressure
Cold compress outside the lip
ER for cuts through the lip border

Don't

Keep checking under the gauze
Apply heat to the area
Ignore an underlying tooth injury

Broken wire, lost bracket, or aligner issue

Annoying and pokey, almost never urgent. A poking wire or lost bracket is easy to manage at home until we can get you in for a proper adjustment.

Within a few days

First-aid · while you are on your way

1 Cover the pokey wire A pea-sized piece of orthodontic wax (or a bit of sugar-free gum) over the end protects your cheek.
2 Reposition gently if loose A clean Q-tip eraser end can nudge a wire back into place. A lost bracket can usually slide along the wire. Slide it to the back where it bothers you less.
3 Salt-water rinse for ulcers Any little sores from a poking wire heal faster with warm salt rinses three times a day.
4 Lost aligner? Wear the previous one Put on the last set you wore so the teeth do not relapse. Bring all aligners to your visit.
5 Call to book the fix Tell us what is going on. Most ortho fixes are short visits. We can usually slot you in this week.

Cover pokes with orthodontic wax
Salt rinses for any sores
Wear your previous aligner if you lose one

Don't

Cut wires at home with kitchen scissors
Pull on a loose bracket
Skip wearing any aligner for days on end

Emergency Dentistry in Southwest Austin TX: Anxious About the Dentist? Gentle, Sedation-Friendly Care

Tell us what is going on. We will tell you what to do.

Knocked-out adult tooth

Loose, pushed, or displaced adult tooth

Severe, throbbing toothache

Cracked, chipped, or broken tooth

Facial swelling or visible abscess

Lost filling, crown, or veneer

Wisdom tooth pain or gum flare-up

Bleeding after extraction or surgery

Cut lip, cheek, tongue, or gum

Broken wire, lost bracket, or aligner issue

A calm rhythm from the moment you walk in.

Paperwork already done

Straight to the chair

Imaging + plain answer

Out of pain, when we can

Modern tools. Calm chairs. Zero shame.

Emergencies move to the front

No lecture, no judgment

Up-front on cost

Gentle emergency care near Lantana Place.

Enamel Dentistry near Lantana Place (SW Austin)

Emergency dentistry at every Enamel studio

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Check Your Insurance

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Emergency questions from anxious Southwest Austin patients.

What often comes next

Oral Conscious Sedation

Root Canal Therapy

Tooth Extractions

Scared and in pain? Call us. We've got you.

Emergency Dentistry in Southwest Austin TX:
Anxious About the Dentist? Gentle, Sedation-Friendly Care

Tell us what is going on.
We will tell you what to do.

Check Your Insurance
in Seconds