Emergency dental care at our Lincoln Park office is same-day treatment for sudden tooth pain, broken or knocked-out teeth, infections, and lost crowns or fillings, with a periodontist, oral surgery, and endodontics in the same office when a tooth needs more than a temporary fix.
Tell us what happened and we'll triage by phone, so the right room is ready before you arrive. For patients paying out of pocket, the emergency visit is $110: a focused exam of the area in pain plus the x-rays needed to diagnose it.
Treatment to resolve the problem (fillings, extractions, root canals, antibiotics, etc.) is quoted separately before any work begins. Self-pay pricing; cannot be combined with insurance benefits or the membership plan. See full terms.
Calling after hours? Select the emergency option and you'll reach our on-call dentist, any time we're closed, including overnight. You get a person, not a voicemail, and there's no charge for the call.
Our Lincoln Park office holds same-day emergency slots six days a week (Mon–Sat) with evening hours several days. If you're calling from downtown, Old Town, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lakeview, or Logan Square, we can usually see you within hours.
Same-day emergency care in Lincoln Park
Call and tell us briefly what's going on. We triage by phone (what's hurting, when it started, whether anything broke or fell out) so the right room and tools are ready before you arrive. If you've been told to come in immediately, an exam-and-x-ray slot is usually opened the same day.
Many emergency offices can get you out of pain and then refer you elsewhere for the actual repair. Ours doesn't have to. A board-certified periodontist, dentists who focus on oral surgery, and an endodontics-focused dentist all practice in this office, so an abscess that needs a root canal or a tooth that can't be saved is usually handled the same day by the team that just examined you.
Patients make us one of the most-reviewed dental practices in Lincoln Park: 4.6 stars from more than 1,600 Google reviews.
What to do right now
Find what happened and follow the steps while you call us. If you have facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, a high fever, or bleeding you cannot control, go to the nearest emergency room first.
What to do if a tooth is knocked out
1Pick the tooth up by the crown.Hold it by the white chewing surface, never by the root. Avoid touching or scrubbing the root. The tissue on it is what allows reimplantation.
2Rinse gently if it's dirty.Rinse with milk or saline for a few seconds. Do not scrub, do not use soap, and do not let it dry out.
3Reinsert it into the socket if you can.Slip the tooth back into the socket facing the right way and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it. The sooner it's reseated, the better the prognosis.
4Otherwise, store it in milk or saliva.If reinsertion isn't possible, place the tooth in cold milk, saline, or hold it inside the cheek. Avoid water; it damages the root cells.
5Call the office immediately.Reach us on the way in so the room is ready when you arrive. We hold same-day emergency slots six days a week. Aim to be seen within 30 to 60 minutes.
What to do if a tooth is broken or cracked
1Rinse with warm water.Rinse your mouth gently to clear debris and check for any tooth fragments. Bring them with you in milk or saline if you find them.
2Manage bleeding and swelling.Apply gentle pressure with clean gauze if there's bleeding. A cold compress on the outside of the cheek helps reduce swelling.
3Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.Ibuprofen or acetaminophen at the labeled dose can help until you're seen. Avoid placing aspirin directly on the gum; it can burn the tissue.
4Avoid chewing on that side.Eat soft foods and avoid hot, cold, or hard items, which can worsen the crack or expose the nerve.
5Call us for a same-day visit.Reach whichever office is closest to you. We'll triage by phone and reserve a same-day slot when needed.
What to do if a crown or filling falls out
1Save the crown if you have it.Rinse it gently and store it in a small container. We can often re-cement an intact crown the same day.
2Keep the area clean.Brush gently around the exposed tooth and rinse with warm salt water after meals to keep the area free of debris.
3Avoid chewing on that tooth.Switch to softer foods and chew on the opposite side until the tooth is restored.
4Cover the tooth temporarily if it's sensitive.Pharmacy temporary cement (Dentemp or similar) can shield an exposed tooth for a day or two, but it is not a long-term fix.
5Call the office to schedule.Call us promptly. A re-cement is fast; a replacement crown takes a preparation visit and a final fit.
What to do for severe tooth pain or swelling
1Rinse and floss gently.Rinse with warm salt water and floss carefully near the tooth. Sometimes trapped food or debris is the cause.
2Use a cold compress.A cold pack on the outside of the cheek for 10 to 15 minutes at a time helps reduce swelling and dulls pain.
3Take an over-the-counter pain reliever.Ibuprofen at the labeled dose works well for dental pain. Acetaminophen is a safe alternative if you cannot take ibuprofen.
4Call our office for a same-day exam.Pain that wakes you, lingers, or is paired with swelling needs to be seen the same day so the cause can be diagnosed and treated.
5Go to the ER for severe symptoms.Facial swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, swelling around the eye, fever with chills, or uncontrolled bleeding is a medical emergency. Go to the nearest emergency room first.
Who it's a good fit for
You need a same-day emergency dentist in Lincoln Park for severe tooth pain
You have a broken, chipped, or knocked-out tooth
You lost a crown, filling, or veneer that's causing pain
You see visible swelling, an abscess, or a bump on the gum
You have tooth pain and may need same-day surgical care
You live or work on the North Side and need a nearby emergency dentist
What to expect
1Triage call so we can prep before you arrive
2Focused exam and a single targeted x-ray
3Immediate pain relief and infection control
4Definitive treatment that day if possible; otherwise a clear plan and a same-week follow-up
5Cost reviewed and authorized before any treatment
Current offers
Intro special
Emergency special
$110
Same-day emergency visit for patients paying out of pocket: a focused exam of the area in pain, plus the x-rays needed to diagnose it. Same price at both offices.
Includes
Exam of the area in pain
X-rays needed to diagnose the pain
Emergency visits are reserved for urgent problems such as pain, swelling, a broken tooth, or a lost filling or crown. The appointment covers the exam and x-rays for the area in pain, and it cannot be changed into a cleaning, a routine checkup, or other planned treatment.
Treatment to resolve the problem (fillings, extractions, root canals, antibiotics, etc.) is quoted separately before any work begins. Self-pay pricing; cannot be combined with insurance benefits or the membership plan.
Common questions
How do I get to Lincoln Park from downtown for an emergency visit?
Take the Red Line to North/Clybourn (we're three blocks west on North Avenue) or drive up I-90/94 and exit at North Avenue eastbound. The Sheffield deck is the closest paid parking: register your plate in the Legacy Parking app, then pick up a QR code from our front desk for one complimentary hour and a discounted rate for additional time.
What if it's after hours?
Call (312) 642-3370 and select the emergency option. That routes you to our on-call dentist any time we're closed, including overnight, so you reach a person instead of leaving a voicemail. There's no charge for the call. For severe symptoms (high fever, swelling that affects breathing, uncontrolled bleeding), use the nearest urgent care or ER first.
Who is the best emergency dentist in Lincoln Park?
Judge that on specifics rather than anyone's own adjective. Ask three questions of any practice you're considering: can they see you today, can they finish the treatment in-house, and what do their patients say. At our Lincoln Park office the answers are same-day slots six days a week with evening hours and an on-call dentist overnight; a board-certified periodontist, oral surgery, and endodontics all under one roof, so an emergency root canal or extraction doesn't become a referral; and 4.6 stars from more than 1,600 Google reviews, among the most-reviewed dental practices in the neighborhood.
Will my insurance cover an emergency visit?
Most dental plans cover emergency exams, x-rays, and palliative treatment. We verify benefits before treatment so you know what's covered.
What counts as a real dental emergency?
Severe pain, swelling, a knocked-out or fractured tooth, lost crown or filling that's painful, or any visible infection. If you're not sure, call. We'd rather hear about it and triage by phone.
Book at our Lincoln Park office
Same-day and routine appointments: book online or call us directly.
