A chipped tooth can happen when you least expect it—whether you’re enjoying a meal, playing a game of pick-up basketball, or simply doing chores around the house. Beyond the initial discomfort, a chipped tooth can cause anxiety about your smile and the health of your tooth. At Urgent Dental, we understand how important quick, effective care is in these moments. Here’s what to do immediately after chipping a tooth, and the treatment options we offer to restore your smile.

Immediate Steps to Take After Chipping a Tooth

If you chip a tooth, acting quickly can make all the difference. Follow these simple steps:

• Rinse Your Mouth: Gently rinse with warm water to clean the area and remove debris.

• Evaluate the Damage: Look in a mirror if you can to assess the extent of the chip. This will help you describe the situation to our team when you call.

• Manage Pain and Swelling: Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to ease swelling and discomfort. Avoid placing ice directly on the tooth.

• Take Over-the-Counter Pain Relief: Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help manage pain. Never place aspirin directly against the gums—it can damage the tissue.

• Protect Sharp Edges: Cover the chipped area with sugar-free gum or dental wax to avoid cuts to your tongue or cheeks.

• Eat Soft Foods: Stick to soft, easy-to-chew foods and avoid using the affected tooth.

• Contact Urgent Dental Immediately: Call us right away for an emergency appointment. If possible, send a photo of the chipped tooth to help us better understand your needs.

How We Restore Chipped Teeth at Urgent Dental

Once you’re in our care, we’ll thoroughly evaluate your tooth and recommend the best treatment to restore your smile. Here are some common solutions:

• Dental Bonding: Ideal for small, simple chips. We apply a tooth-colored composite resin, sculpt it to match your tooth’s shape and harden it with a special light.

• Dental Veneers: If the chip is larger or affects the front teeth, a porcelain veneer can beautifully cover and restore the tooth’s appearance.

• Dental Crowns: For severe damage or pain, a crown may be placed over the tooth to restore its strength, shape and appearance.

• Root Canal Therapy: If the chip exposes the pulp (the tooth’s nerve center), a root canal may be necessary to remove damaged tissue, followed by a crown to protect the tooth.

• Dental Implants: In cases of severe damage where saving the tooth isn’t possible, we can place a dental implant topped with a natural-looking crown to fully restore your smile.

Why Immediate Care Matters

Chipping a tooth isn’t just a cosmetic concern—it can expose sensitive inner structures of the tooth to bacteria, increasing the risk of infection. That’s why contacting Urgent Dental as soon as possible is crucial. Early intervention can often save your tooth, prevent further complications and make treatment quicker and easier.

Trust Urgent Dental to Restore Your Smile

At Urgent Dental, we specialize in emergency dental care, including chipped and broken teeth. No matter the size of the chip, we are here to provide fast, expert care to help you feel confident about your smile again. If you’ve chipped a tooth, don’t wait—contact us today for the care you need, when you need it most.

Pulling a tooth is sometimes necessary to protect your oral health, but feeling a little anxious about what happens afterward is natural. At Urgent Dental, we often hear from patients who are worried about pain after a tooth extraction. The good news? Some discomfort is entirely normal—and not always a reason for concern. Here’s what you should know about post-extraction pain, when it’s expected and when to seek help.

Why Some Pain Is Normal After a Tooth Extraction

Tooth extraction is a surgical procedure, and just like any other surgery, it takes time for your body to heal. As your mouth starts the recovery process, it’s common to experience:

• Mild to moderate soreness at the extraction site

• Swelling of the gums or cheeks

• Light bleeding or oozing for the first 24 hours

• Tightness or tenderness when opening your mouth wide

This type of discomfort is your body’s natural response to trauma and the first step in the healing process. In most cases, the pain peaks within the first 48 hours and gradually improves over the next few days.

What Normal Healing Feels Like

Every patient is different, but generally speaking, normal post-extraction healing includes:

• Decreasing pain each day: You should notice steady improvement.

• Manageable symptoms: Over-the-counter pain medications, as recommended by your dentist, typically control the discomfort.

• Formation of a blood clot: This clot is crucial for healing and should stay in place until your gum tissue fully closes.

Following your post-op care instructions, like avoiding straws, smoking or hard foods, will help speed up the healing process and minimize complications.

When Post-Extraction Pain Might Signal a Problem

While some soreness is normal, it’s important to recognize when the pain goes beyond typical healing and may need professional attention. Contact Urgent Dental right away if you experience:

• Severe pain that worsens after three or four days instead of improving

• Pain that radiates to your ear, eye or neck

• A foul taste or bad breath that doesn’t improve with regular rinsing

• Visible bone in the socket or a dry, empty-looking space where your tooth was

These could be signs of dry socket, an issue where the protective blood clot becomes dislodged or dissolves too soon, exposing the bone underneath. Dry socket can be very painful, but with prompt treatment, we can relieve your discomfort quickly.

How Urgent Dental Can Help

At Urgent Dental, your comfort and peace of mind are our top priorities. If you’re experiencing post-extraction pain that seems unusual or severe, don’t wait—give our clinic a call. We can assess your healing, provide soothing treatments and get you back on the road to recovery fast.

Trust Your Recovery to Urgent Dental

A little pain after a tooth extraction is perfectly normal, but you should never feel like you have to suffer in silence. If you’re concerned about your healing or simply need reassurance, our experienced dental team in Matthews, NC, is here to help. Contact Urgent Dental anytime for expert advice and compassionate care—you deserve to heal with confidence.

When it comes to dental health, ignoring pain is never a good idea. Whether it’s a dull ache, sharp twinge or persistent sensitivity, these symptoms are your body’s way of signaling that something isn’t right. At Urgent Dental, we believe in acting fast to prevent bigger, more painful problems down the road. Here’s why early action matters—and how we can help.

Pain Is a Warning Sign

Dental pain isn’t just inconvenient—it’s often the first sign of an underlying issue. Tooth decay, infections, cracked teeth, gum disease and impacted wisdom teeth can all start with minor discomfort. Left untreated, these conditions can quickly escalate, leading to severe pain, tooth loss or serious infections that can even affect your overall health.

Early Treatment Saves Teeth (and Money)

Seeking care right away can make a world of difference. A small cavity caught early might require just a simple filling. But if you wait until the pain becomes unbearable, you may be looking at a root canal, extraction or other more extensive procedures. Acting early not only saves your teeth—it can also save your wallet from costly treatments later.

Infections Don’t Wait

Oral infections can spread fast. What starts as a minor toothache can turn into a dangerous abscess, leading to swelling, fever, and even difficulty breathing or swallowing. In extreme cases, untreated dental infections can enter the bloodstream and become life-threatening. Emergency dental care can stop an infection in its tracks and protect your health.

Peace of Mind When You Need It Most

There’s nothing worse than trying to sleep, eat or work while dealing with constant tooth pain. At Urgent Dental, we’re here to relieve your discomfort quickly and efficiently. Our compassionate team is equipped to handle emergencies of all kinds—no judgment, no delay, just quality care when you need it most.

Don’t Tough It Out—Call Us

Pain is your body’s call for help. If you’re experiencing any kind of dental discomfort, don’t wait. Call Urgent Dental and get the relief you deserve today. The sooner you act, the better your chances of a quick, simple solution—and the happier your smile will be.