
Dental emergencies range from sudden, severe pain to injuries that affect your ability to speak or eat. If you or a family member experiences intense tooth pain, uncontrolled bleeding, a tooth that has been knocked out, or a rapidly growing swelling in the face or neck, these signs indicate the need for prompt attention. Acting quickly can mean the difference between saving a natural tooth and requiring more extensive restorative care later.
Not every problem requires emergency-room level treatment, but it does benefit from timely evaluation by a dental professional. Persistent pain, a visible crack that exposes the inner portion of the tooth, or a crown or filling that has come off are situations where same-day dental care can prevent complications. Our team emphasizes quick, sensible triage so patients understand whether a visit is urgent and what to expect on arrival.
At Chadha & Co Dental, we focus on helping patients make calm, informed decisions when a dental issue arises. Our approach prioritizes safety and comfort: immediate pain control, a careful exam, and a plan tailored to the clinical findings and each patient's needs. Knowing when to seek treatment and where to go can reduce anxiety and improve outcomes for oral injuries and infections.
The first goal in any emergency appointment is to identify and address pain and the underlying cause. A concise, targeted history and a focused clinical examination allow us to determine the severity and urgency of the condition. When appropriate, we use digital imaging to clarify the extent of trauma or decay and to guide treatment decisions efficiently.
Pain management is central to our initial care—this can include local anesthesia, temporary restorative measures, or short-term medication to control swelling and infection. Comfort measures are combined with clear explanations so patients understand immediate steps and anticipated next stages of care. Reducing pain quickly also helps clinicians conduct a more thorough, less stressful treatment.
If an infection or swelling threatens the airway or is accompanied by fever and systemic symptoms, prompt coordination with medical services is essential. In those rare scenarios, rapid referral to a hospital or emergency department is the safest course. Otherwise, most dental emergencies can be managed in the dental office with conservative, evidence-based interventions that stabilize the situation and preserve oral health.
Toothaches are among the most frequent reasons patients seek urgent care. Treatment depends on the cause: a deep cavity, an exposed nerve, or a cracked tooth. When decay or trauma has reached the tooth's inner tissues, root canal therapy is often recommended to remove infected tissue and save the natural tooth. When decay is caught before that stage, fillings or bonded restorations can restore function and relieve pain.
Chipped or fractured teeth are handled according to the size and location of the break. Small chips can usually be repaired with bonding material for an immediate cosmetic and functional fix. Larger fractures may require crowns to rebuild the tooth’s structure. If a tooth is completely dislodged, prompt reimplantation within a narrow time window can sometimes preserve the tooth; careful handling and rapid transport in appropriate conditions improve the chances of success.
Lost or damaged restorations—such as crowns or fillings—are common in emergency visits. A temporary repair can protect the tooth and reduce sensitivity, delaying definitive restorative work until a more controlled appointment. For traumatic injuries that affect multiple teeth or the supporting jawbone, we coordinate care with specialists when necessary to restore comfort and function while minimizing long-term consequences.
Oral infections can present as localized pain, tenderness, swelling, or a bad taste in the mouth. When an abscess develops, it may require drainage and targeted antimicrobial therapy in addition to dental treatment of the source. Addressing the root cause—such as removing infected tissue or performing root canal treatment—is essential to prevent recurrence and systemic spread.
We monitor signs that suggest a more serious infection, including rapidly increasing swelling, fever, breathing or swallowing difficulties, or swelling that spreads to the neck. These are red flags that demand immediate medical evaluation. For routine dental infections, judicious use of antibiotics combined with definitive dental care is the standard approach to bring patients back to health.
After resolving acute infection and swelling, follow-up care is important to ensure healing and to plan permanent restoration. Whether a tooth needs a crown after root canal therapy, or a missing tooth will be replaced with a bridge, implant, or removable appliance, sequencing treatment sensibly reduces the risk of repeat infection and improves long-term stability.
Once the immediate issue is controlled, the focus shifts to rehabilitating the tooth and restoring normal function. Modern restorative options include durable composite restorations, full-coverage crowns, and tooth replacement choices such as dental implants, fixed bridges, or removable prostheses. The appropriate solution depends on each patient's oral health, anatomy, and personal goals.
We emphasize clear follow-up plans after emergency visits to monitor healing and to schedule any necessary definitive care. Protective measures—such as nightguards for patients who grind their teeth or mouthguards for athletes—can reduce the risk of future traumatic injuries. Education about at-home care and early warning signs helps patients avoid repeat emergencies whenever possible.
Preventing dental crises often begins with regular preventive care. Routine exams and cleanings, timely treatment of cavities, and attention to oral hygiene lower the likelihood of sudden problems. When emergencies do occur, a prompt, measured response maximizes the chance of preserving natural teeth and maintaining overall health.
Dental emergencies are understandably stressful, but timely evaluation and focused treatment can relieve pain, protect oral structures, and guide you back to routine care. Our priority is to stabilize the situation, control discomfort, and outline practical next steps tailored to each patient’s needs.
If you or a family member needs urgent dental attention, please contact us for more information about how we can help. Chadha & Co Dental is committed to providing thoughtful, expert emergency care when you need it most.


Pain is your body's way of signaling that something is not quite right and though there are many reasons for oral pain, one of the most common complaints and reasons for seeking urgent dental care is a toothache. Whether you simply need a dental filling, a crown, or require a root canal procedure to save your tooth, we'll alleviate your discomfort and restore the look and function of the involved tooth.

Dental trauma can result in a defect as minor as a small chip in tooth enamel to a more extensive and painful crack or fracture. With sufficient force, a tooth can even be displaced or completely knocked out of its socket. With prompt emergency care, many injured teeth can be restored and saved.

The last teeth in your mouth to develop, wisdom teeth often do not have enough room to fully erupt or may be positioned in the wrong direction. These issues can affect your dental health as well as overall well-being. Our office provides skilled care to address the complications caused by problematic wisdom teeth.

A broken or lost dental prosthesis or restoration can cause embarrassing gaps in your smile as well as compromise your ability to eat and speak with ease. If you've lost or broken a dental filling, denture, crown, or other dental appliance, you can rely on our office to perform a prompt repair or provide a durable and cosmetically pleasing replacement as quickly as possible.
At the office of Chadha & Co Dental, emergency appointments are always available. Of course, in addition to providing top treatment for dental emergencies, we also welcome patients searching for high quality and affordable care. We offer a complete range of the latest and best cosmetic and dental services for every member of your family.
If you are suffering from a toothache or have sustained a dental injury, it is important to visit the dentist as soon as possible before more serious complications arise. Whether your dental emergency is painful, if it affects the appearance of your smile, or if you suspect that an infection is present, our office will make every effort to see you as promptly as possible for care.
At the office of Chadha & Co Dental, we treat your dental emergency as our top priority. Our caring team will respond to your emergency call right away, making sure you get the gentle, state-of-the-art care you need without delay.
As your trusted emergency dentist in North Bethesda, we provide the highest quality of care to mitigate the stress, anxiety, and discomfort of dental problems. Our dedicated team will help you start feeling better as soon as we receive your emergency call.
At the office of Chadha & Co Dental, we provide skilled and experienced care to effectively resolve a broad range of dental emergencies, restoring a patient's oral health while protecting their overall wellbeing.
However, even so, specific dental emergencies pose significant threats to one's health. These situations require immediate, emergency room care. Serious and potentially life-threatening dental emergencies include significant oral and facial trauma such as jaw fractures, deep wounds or lacerations to the face and mouth, an abscess or infection that causes widespread facial or submandibular swelling, or affects breathing and swallowing.
At the office of Chadha & Co Dental, we provide prompt, skilled, and experienced care to address dental emergencies. We understand that finances are always a concern and do our best to provide options in care that are both affordable and respect your budget.
Once we've had the opportunity to examine your smile, we can give you a clear picture of any existing dental issues, along with a quote for what the cost of treatment will be. The cost of care all depends upon the extent and complexity of issues affecting the health or appearance of your smile and the types of procedures that are required.
To help alleviate any additional stress or delay, you can count on our staff to work with you to optimize coverage for your dental care and to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses. For patients without insurance, we strive to make things easier as well! We invite you to visit our financial information page or speak to an expert in our business office.
Dental emergencies are often painful and debilitating experiences. For this reason it's important to have an emergency dentist in North Bethesda, who welcomes patients with urgent dental needs while providing the prompt care required to restore oral health.
Here are just some of the reasons why so many patients choose our office for emergency dental care and to meet their family's dental needs:
We're dedicated to helping patients enjoy good oral health and beautiful smiles. We look forward to helping you keep your smile in tip-top condition. You can rest assured that our highly skilled office team will provide you the highest quality of state-of-the-art dental care and have you smiling again in no time!
To make an appointment or for more information on our office and the many state-of-the-art services we provide, give us a call today.
Seek immediate dental care for sudden, severe tooth pain, uncontrolled oral bleeding, a tooth that has been completely dislodged, or rapidly increasing swelling of the face or neck. These symptoms can indicate serious injury or infection that may threaten a tooth or overall health if not treated promptly. Acting quickly can preserve a natural tooth, reduce the risk of spreading infection, and limit the need for more extensive restorative work.
At Chadha & Co Dental our approach to emergencies emphasizes rapid assessment, pain control, and a clear plan for stabilizing the problem. If you experience other troubling signs such as difficulty breathing, swallowing, or a high fever, seek emergency medical care immediately because those symptoms can signal a systemic or airway-compromising condition.
If a permanent tooth is knocked out, time and careful handling are crucial; pick up the tooth by the crown (the chewing surface) and avoid touching the root. If the tooth is dirty, gently rinse it with milk or saline—do not scrub or remove attached tissue—and, if possible, try to reinsert it into the socket and hold it in place while you get to the dentist.
If reinsertion is not possible, keep the tooth moist by placing it in milk, saline, or the patient’s saliva and transport it to dental care immediately. The chance of successful reimplantation decreases rapidly with time, so prompt professional treatment improves the likelihood of saving the tooth.
During an emergency evaluation for a severe toothache, a clinician will take a focused history and perform a targeted exam to identify the source of pain, often using digital imaging to visualize decay or trauma. Determining whether the pain stems from deep decay, pulp inflammation, or a cracked tooth guides the next steps and urgency of treatment.
Treatment may include pain control with local anesthesia, temporary restorations to protect the tooth, or definitive procedures such as root canal therapy when inner tissues are infected or irreversibly damaged. Short-term medications to manage infection or inflammation may be prescribed when indicated, followed by a clear plan for permanent restoration to prevent recurrence.
Facial swelling that is rapidly increasing, accompanied by fever, difficulty breathing or swallowing, or spreading toward the neck is an emergency and requires immediate medical evaluation. These signs can indicate a deep or spreading infection that may compromise the airway or have systemic effects beyond the oral cavity.
Localized dental infections without systemic symptoms are typically managed in the dental office with drainage when appropriate, targeted antibiotics, and treatment of the source tooth such as root canal therapy or extraction. Careful follow-up is essential to ensure the infection resolves and to plan definitive restorative work that reduces the chance of recurrence.
Yes. Lost or broken crowns and fillings are common emergency concerns because they can expose sensitive tooth structure and allow further decay or fracture. During an urgent visit, a dentist can provide a temporary repair to protect the tooth, reduce sensitivity, and restore basic function until a definitive restoration can be placed.
Temporary solutions may include re-cementing a crown, placing a bonded restoration, or securing a provisional crown to stabilize the tooth. After the urgent situation is controlled, a follow-up appointment is scheduled to plan the permanent restoration using materials and techniques suited to the tooth’s long-term needs.
Treatment for a fractured or chipped tooth depends on the size and location of the break and whether the pulp (nerve) is involved. Small enamel chips can often be smoothed and repaired with composite bonding for immediate cosmetic and functional improvement, while larger fractures that compromise tooth strength may require crowns or onlays to rebuild the structure.
When the pulp is exposed or symptoms suggest internal damage, root canal therapy may be necessary to remove infected or inflamed tissue before restoring the tooth. Prompt stabilization reduces the chance of further damage and improves the prognosis for long-term preservation of the natural tooth.
Visit an emergency room when a dental problem is accompanied by signs of systemic instability: severe difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding that cannot be stopped, fainting, or signs of a spreading infection with high fever. Emergency departments are equipped to manage life-threatening conditions and coordinate urgent medical interventions when airway or general health is at risk.
For most traumatic dental injuries, severe pain without systemic compromise, or localized infections, timely evaluation at a dental office is more appropriate because dentists can provide source-based treatment such as reimplantation, drainage, or definitive dental procedures. If you are unsure, seek medical attention for any concerning systemic symptoms and follow up with dental care as soon as feasible.
An emergency dental appointment typically begins with a focused history and clinical exam to identify the problem and prioritize immediate needs, followed by digital imaging when necessary to assess trauma or decay. The clinician’s first goals are to control pain, manage infection or bleeding, and stabilize the tooth or tissues so further damage is minimized.
Once the situation is stabilized, the dentist will outline short-term measures and discuss the recommended sequence for definitive care, which may include restorative procedures, root canal therapy, or referral to a specialist. Clear post-visit instructions and follow-up scheduling help ensure proper healing and timely completion of permanent treatment.
After emergency care, follow any instructions provided by your clinician regarding medications, oral hygiene, and dietary restrictions to support healing and prevent complications. Keep the area clean with gentle rinsing as advised, avoid chewing on the treated side when possible, and take prescribed medications exactly as directed to control pain and infection.
Attend scheduled follow-up appointments so the dentist can monitor healing and plan definitive restorative work when appropriate. If new or worsening symptoms occur—such as increasing pain, swelling, fever, or unusual drainage—contact your dental provider promptly for reassessment.
Preventing dental emergencies begins with routine preventive care: regular exams, professional cleanings, and timely treatment of cavities or cracks before they become acute. Using protective measures such as an athlete’s mouthguard during sports and a nightguard for bruxism reduces the chance of traumatic injuries and wear-related fractures.
Maintaining good oral hygiene, addressing early signs of toothache or looseness promptly, and following recommendations for restorative care all contribute to long-term dental stability. Chadha & Co Dental supports patients in North Bethesda with preventive strategies and individualized plans to minimize the likelihood of sudden dental crises.

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Contacting Chadha & Co Dental is easy! Our friendly staff is available to assist you with scheduling appointments, answering inquiries about treatment options, and addressing any concerns you may have. Whether you prefer to give us a call, send us an email, or fill out our convenient online contact form, we're here to help. Don't wait to take the first step towards achieving the smile of your dreams – reach out to us today and discover the difference personalized dental care can make.