Emergencies

Most dental emergencies are time-sensitive. Some — a knocked-out tooth, especially — are time-critical. The right first move is almost never Google. It is to call the office, or any dentist you can reach.

These pages exist so that if you cannot reach us right away, you know what to do in the meantime. They are not a substitute for being seen.

If you only read one thing

• Knocked-out adult tooth: rinse with water (don’t scrub or remove tissue), try to re-seat it in the socket. If you can’t, put it in milk or saliva. Call now. The first 30–60 minutes matter most.
• Broken front tooth: save the fragment if you can find it. Rinse your mouth with warm water. Avoid the broken edge with your tongue. Call today.
• Lost crown: if the underlying tooth is not painful, this is urgent but not panic-urgent. Bring the crown in if you have it. Avoid chewing on that side. Call today or tomorrow.
• Severe pain or swelling: call now. Tooth pain that wakes you up, or any swelling in the jaw or face, points to infection. Antibiotics may be needed before treatment.
• Trauma to the face: if you’re unsure whether anything is fractured, go to the ER first. We will work with whoever sees you.

Common emergencies

Each of the pages below is short and answers the question: what do I do in the next thirty minutes?

• Knocked-out tooth →
• Broken or chipped front tooth →
• Lost crown or filling →

If it’s after hours

Call 212-382-3782 and leave a message describing what happened. Dr. Koppelman returns urgent calls.

If you cannot reach us and the situation is critical — bleeding that won’t stop, a fully knocked-out adult tooth, or significant facial trauma — go to the nearest ER. Bellevue Hospital (1st Avenue at 27th) and NYU Langone (1st Avenue at 33rd) both handle dental trauma in their emergency departments.