What you do in the first hour matters more for some of these than others. Knowing which is which is the whole point.
A broken tooth covers a wide range, from a chipped corner you notice in the mirror to a tooth split at the gum line. They do not carry the same urgency, and describing yours accurately is what gets you scheduled correctly.
This is the one where time is the variable. Handle the tooth by the crown, not the root. Do not scrub it clean. Get on the phone with a dental office immediately, and if you can, keep the tooth moist in the meantime rather than letting it dry out. This is a call to make now, not after you have finished reading about it.
If there is no pain and the edge is not cutting your tongue or cheek, this is usually a normal appointment rather than an emergency. Save any piece you find. Avoid chewing on that side until it is looked at, because a chipped tooth often has a crack running further than the missing piece suggests.
Pain that follows a break suggests the fracture has reached deeper structure. Call and say exactly that — a break with pain, and where. It is one of the descriptions that most reliably gets an office to find room.
Keep the crown if you have it. Do not try to glue it back with household adhesive; that can make the proper repair harder. The tooth underneath is often sensitive, and how quickly it needs attention depends on whether it hurts and whether the tooth is exposed.
Facial swelling that is spreading, swelling with fever, or any trouble swallowing or breathing goes to an emergency room or urgent care. Do not wait for a dental schedule to open up for that.
Say what is going on and we will match you with a Wasatch Front dental practice taking patients.
Get Matched With a DentistA rough description is plenty — we will follow up to match you with a practice and find a time.