Emergency dental care in Houston, same day
Tooth pain that will not quit, a swollen jaw, a knocked-out tooth. We hold same-day slots every weekday; on Saturday it depends on the day's schedule, so call early. Call (713) 322-7474 before noon and we can almost always see you the same day.
Some of this needs an emergency room, not a dentist
Read this part first, because it is the one thing on this page that could matter tonight.
Go to a hospital emergency room, or call 911, rather than a dental office if any of these apply:
• Swelling that is spreading toward your eye, or down into your neck or under your jaw.
• Any difficulty breathing or swallowing, or a change in your voice.
• Swelling together with a fever, chills, or feeling generally unwell.
• You cannot open your mouth more than about an inch.
• Facial trauma where you may have broken a jaw, or bleeding that will not stop with fifteen minutes of firm pressure.
A dental infection that has spread into the tissues of the face and neck is a medical emergency, not a toothache. Dentists treat the tooth; a hospital treats the spread. If you are reading the list above and recognizing yourself, stop reading and go.
For everything else, and that is most things, a dentist is the right call and an emergency room is usually a long wait for antibiotics and a referral back to a dentist anyway.
Emergency dentist open today in Midtown Houston
Most days, yes. We are open Monday to Friday 9 to 5 and Saturday 9 to 3, and we hold emergency slots every weekday; on Saturday it depends on the day's schedule, so call early. If you searched "emergency dentist open today near me" from Midtown, Montrose, Downtown, River Oaks or the Texas Medical Center, we are at 106 W Gray St, minutes away by car, with parking on site.
Call (713) 322-7474. As a rule, call before noon and we can almost always see you the same day. For severe pain or swelling we prioritize same-day even after the schedule has filled, and a Friday evening problem does not have to wait until Monday because Saturday runs 9 to 3.
Tell whoever answers what is happening rather than just asking for an appointment. Swelling, a knocked-out tooth and uncontrolled bleeding change how quickly you are brought in, and the front desk cannot triage what they have not been told.
A broken tooth gets a same-day temporary crown. On weekdays, an emergency tooth extraction, or the nerve removal that starts an emergency root canal, is usually done at the first visit by our surgeons and endodontists; it waits only when swelling or infection makes it unsafe. We give you the exact fee in writing before treatment starts.
If you are a new patient, that is fine and it does not slow anything down. Bring an ID, your insurance card if you have one, and a list of any medications you take. If the problem lands on a weekend, we are open Saturdays from 9 to 3 - call early in the day.
Emergency, urgent, or can it wait
Same-day problems: pain that keeps you awake or wakes you at night, pain that does not respond to over-the-counter relief, swelling of the gum, cheek or jaw, a tooth knocked out or pushed out of position, a broken tooth with an exposed nerve or a sharp edge cutting your tongue, or a dental abscess.
Worth being seen within a few days: a lost filling or crown with no pain, a chipped tooth that is not sharp and not sensitive, a broken denture, an ache that comes and goes with hot or cold but settles.
Usually can wait for a normal appointment: mild sensitivity, a small chip you can only feel with your tongue, food packing between two teeth, a wisdom tooth that aches occasionally without swelling.
If you are not sure which of the three you are in, call and describe it. Working that out over the phone takes about two minutes.
Jaw pain or clicking without swelling is usually a TMJ problem, not an emergency. It still deserves a visit, just not tonight.
An abscess is an infection with a clock on it
The emergency we most want you to take seriously is the one that sometimes stops hurting. A tooth abscess does not go away on its own: the infection sits in a sealed space, and left alone it can spread into the jaw, the neck, or further. If the bump on your gum bursts and the pain suddenly eases, that is drainage, not resolution; the source is still there and still needs treatment.
Antibiotics alone do not fix it either. They can calm spreading infection long enough to treat safely, but the tooth itself has to be drained, root-treated, or removed, which is work a dental chair does and a pharmacy cannot. Our abscess guide covers the signs in detail.
What to do in the next hour
A knocked-out adult tooth is the one where minutes genuinely count. Pick it up by the crown, never the root. If it is dirty, rinse it briefly in milk or saline rather than tap water, and do not scrub it. If you can, put it back in the socket and bite gently on a clean cloth. If you cannot, keep it in milk, or in your own saliva, and get to us. Do not let it dry out. A tooth replanted within the first hour has a far better outlook than one replanted at hour three.
A knocked-out baby tooth is different. Do not put it back, because replanting can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Bring the child in, and bring the tooth.
For a broken tooth, save any pieces, rinse your mouth with warm water, and use a cold compress on the outside of your face.
For a lost filling or crown, keep the crown if you have it. Temporary dental cement from a pharmacy is fine for a night. Superglue is not, and it makes the tooth harder to save.
For swelling, cold on the outside of the face, sit up rather than lie flat, and call. Do not put an aspirin against the gum: it burns the tissue and does nothing for the tooth.
Getting through tonight
If you cannot be seen until morning, the goal is a tolerable night without making anything worse. Mayo Clinic's toothache first aid lines up with what we tell callers: an over-the-counter pain reliever taken as directed, a cold compress against the cheek in twenty-minute stretches, gentle flossing to clear any trapped food from around the tooth, and sleeping with your head propped up so the throbbing eases.
Two things not to do: hold aspirin against the gum, which burns the tissue and helps nothing, and put heat on a swollen face, which feeds a swelling instead of calming it. None of this treats the cause; it buys the hours until the call at (713) 322-7474.
If we are closed
We are open Monday to Friday 9 to 5 and Saturday 9 to 3. We are not a 24 hour service, and this page is not going to pretend otherwise while you are in pain at two in the morning.
If it can wait until we open, here is what actually helps overnight. Ibuprofen and acetaminophen taken together, at label doses, work better for dental pain than either alone for most people, provided you can take both safely. Sleep propped up rather than flat, since lying down increases the pressure and the throbbing. Cold on the outside of the face. Avoid very hot, very cold and very sweet things, which set off an exposed nerve.
If it cannot wait, go by the list at the top of this page. Spreading swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, fever with facial swelling, or trauma to the jaw are emergency room situations at any hour, and a 24 hour dental clinic is not the right destination for those either.
Call us at (713) 322-7474 first thing. Leaving a message overnight is fine, or walk in once we open; the earlier in the day you reach us, the sooner you are seen.
What emergency treatment involves
The visit starts with an exam and imaging, often a CBCT 3D scan when an infection or a fracture needs to be seen properly rather than guessed at.
The first goal is getting you out of pain and getting any infection under control. That is not always the same visit as the definitive repair, and we will tell you which is which rather than letting you assume the problem is finished.
Draining an abscess, opening a tooth to relieve pressure, temporarily dressing a broken tooth or refitting a crown are all same-visit. A root canal or an extraction may be same-visit or may follow once swelling has settled, because working through an active infection is less effective and more uncomfortable.
Antibiotics are prescribed when they are indicated by the spread of infection, and not as a substitute for treating the tooth. An antibiotic without treatment usually means the pain returns a week later. Before you come in, our emergency dentist guide covers first aid for a knocked-out tooth and when to go to the ER instead.
Emergency root canals and extractions
A tooth that is throbbing constantly, keeping you awake, or painful to bite on usually has an infected nerve, and the choice is between saving it and removing it.
An emergency root canal is performed here by our endodontists in Houston rather than referred out. In an acute situation the first appointment is often about relieving the pressure and the pain, with the canal system completed at a follow-up once things have calmed down.
An emergency extraction is done by our oral and maxillofacial surgeons. If the tooth cannot be restored, removing it is the right answer rather than a failure, and we will say so plainly. IV sedation is available if you would rather not be present for it.
Either way you get the cost in writing before treatment starts, in pain or not. Nobody should agree to something they have not seen the price of.
Children
Dental emergencies in children are common and usually less alarming than they look.
A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back in, because replanting risks damaging the permanent tooth forming above it. Bring the child and the tooth. A knocked-out permanent tooth in an older child follows the adult guidance above, and the hour matters.
If a front tooth chips in a fall or a playground collision, bring any fragments.
Swelling of the face in a child, or a child who is feverish and unwell alongside a toothache, should be treated as urgent rather than watched overnight, and the emergency room list at the top of this page applies to children more readily than to adults.
We are a general and specialist practice rather than a dedicated pediatric office. If a child needs care beyond what suits our setting, we will tell you and help you get to the right place rather than attempting it.
Getting to us fast in Houston
We are at 106 W Gray Street in Midtown, a short drive from Downtown, Montrose, River Oaks, the Museum District, EaDo, the Heights and the Texas Medical Center, with parking on site so you are not circling the block while your tooth throbs.
Call before you drive in. It lets us prepare, and if what you describe belongs in an emergency room we would rather tell you that on the phone than after you have parked.
Monday to Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 9 to 3.
Call (713) 322-7474 or book online. More on tooth extraction, root canal cost and what a dead or darkening tooth means.
Treatments
Severe tooth pain
Most often a root infection or cracked tooth. We diagnose with CBCT and treat the same visit when possible.
Knocked-out tooth
Time matters. Put the tooth in milk and call us. Re-implantation within 1 hour has the best outcome.
Swelling or abscess
Facial swelling is urgent. We find the source, drain it when that is needed, prescribe antibiotics when they are indicated, and plan definitive treatment.
Broken / lost filling or crown
Same-day temporary placement. Lab-fabricated permanent follow-up.
Emergency tooth extraction
A tooth too damaged or infected to save is usually removed at the first visit on weekdays by our oral surgeons, with sedation options.
Emergency root canal
Severe tooth pain from an infected nerve: on weekdays our endodontists usually remove the nerve at the first visit to ease the pain, and finish the canals at a follow-up when needed.
We give you the exact fee in writing after your exam, before any treatment. What your own plan contributes depends on the policy, and we verify it with your insurer before treatment. Financing through Cherry, Affirm and Sunbit for qualifying applicants, subject to the lender's approval.
Need help at night or on the weekend?
If you're dealing with a dental emergency outside our Mon-Fri 9 AM-5 PM and Sat 9 AM-3 PM hours (a knocked-out tooth, severe swelling, or uncontrolled bleeding), we have a step-by-step first-aid guide, plus an on-call line for our existing patients and for a knocked-out adult tooth.
Frequently asked
When should I go to an emergency room instead of a dentist?
Go to a hospital emergency room, or call 911, if any of these apply: swelling that is spreading toward your eye, or down into your neck or under your jaw; any difficulty breathing or swallowing, or a change in your voice; swelling together with a fever, chills, or feeling generally unwell; you cannot open your mouth more than about an inch; facial trauma where you may have broken a jaw, or bleeding that will not stop with fifteen minutes of firm pressure. A dental infection that has spread into the face or neck is a medical emergency.
Are you a 24 hour emergency dentist?
No. We are open Monday to Friday 9 to 5 and Saturday 9 to 3, and we hold same-day emergency slots on weekdays; Saturday depends on the day's schedule. For overnight pain, ibuprofen and acetaminophen together at label doses help most people more than either alone, and sleeping propped up reduces the throbbing. For spreading swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or fever with facial swelling, go to an emergency room at any hour rather than waiting for a dental appointment.
What counts as a dental emergency?
Pain that keeps you awake or does not respond to over-the-counter relief, swelling of the gum, cheek or jaw, a knocked-out or displaced tooth, a broken tooth with an exposed nerve, and dental abscesses are all same-day problems. A lost filling or crown without pain, or a chip that is not sharp, can usually wait a few days. If you are unsure, call and describe it.
How quickly can I be seen?
Call (713) 322-7474 before noon and we can almost always see you the same day. We hold emergency slots every weekday and Saturday runs 9 to 3, so a Friday evening problem does not have to wait until Monday. For severe pain or swelling we prioritize same-day even after the schedule has filled. Describe what is happening when you call rather than just asking for an appointment.
Are you open weekends?
Saturday, 9 to 3; same-day emergency slots that day depend on the schedule, so call early. We are closed Sunday. Weekday hours are Monday to Friday 9 to 5. Saturday cover is the reason a problem that starts on Friday evening does not have to wait until Monday morning.
What do I do with a knocked-out tooth?
For an adult tooth, pick it up by the crown and never the root, rinse it briefly in milk or saline if dirty without scrubbing, and put it back in the socket if you can, biting gently on a clean cloth. If you cannot, keep it in milk or your own saliva and do not let it dry. Replanting within the first hour has a far better outlook than at hour three. A knocked-out baby tooth should not be put back.
Can I get an emergency root canal in Houston?
Yes, and it is performed here by endodontists rather than referred out. In an acute situation the first appointment is often about relieving pressure and pain, with the canal system completed at a follow-up once the infection has settled, because working through an active infection is less effective and more uncomfortable.
Do you do emergency tooth extractions?
Yes, performed by our oral and maxillofacial surgeons. IV sedation is available if you would rather not be present for it. If a tooth cannot be restored, removing it is the right answer rather than a failure, and we will tell you plainly which situation you are in. The cost is given in writing before treatment starts.
What if I have no insurance?
You get the price in writing before treatment begins. That is the whole point of a written quote, and it matters more in an emergency than anywhere else, because someone in pain will agree to almost anything.
The emergency exam and imaging come first. A temporary repair to a broken or lost filling or crown, an extraction, a root canal and IV sedation are each quoted in writing before we start.
Whether your policy contributes depends entirely on that policy. Emergency treatment is more commonly covered than elective work because it is clinically necessary rather than chosen, but the share, the deductible and any waiting period are specific to your plan. We verify with your insurer, file the claim for you, and give you your share in writing.
If you have no insurance, payment plans are available through Cherry, Affirm and Sunbit, subject to lender approval. Our in-house membership plan covers two cleanings, exams and X-rays a year, with savings on other treatment. Ask us for today's terms. It does not cover a root canal, and it is not insurance.
What we will not do is quote a figure over the phone for a tooth nobody has looked at.
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