Emergency Dentist in Bellevue

Is this a dental emergency, or can it wait until morning?

Most people who call us are not sure, and that is fine. Here is how I sort it.

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Call or text right away, at any hour, for a knocked-out adult tooth, a tooth pushed out of position, swelling in the face or jaw, bleeding that does not stop with steady pressure, pain that medication taken as directed on the label does not touch, or an injury to the jaw. In these cases the clock matters, either for saving the tooth or for keeping an infection from getting ahead of us.

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Call when we open for a chip that does not hurt, a crown or filling that came out without pain, a dull ache that comes and goes, mild sensitivity to cold, or a broken wire you have covered with wax. These need attention within days, not months, but you can sleep tonight.

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If you are not sure which group you are in, call anyway. Sorting it out is part of the job. For the first-aid steps for each situation, including what to do with a knocked-out tooth in the first hour, read what to do before you can reach us.

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How fast can you see me?

During business hours we hold time for emergencies and work you in as early as the schedule allows, so the sooner you call, the more room we have. We open at 7:00 AM every weekday: Monday to Wednesday 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Thursday and Friday 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

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Evenings and weekends, call or text the same number, 425.643.5778, and follow the greeting. The voicemail connects you with me directly, so I can help you decide what to do tonight and, when it is needed, come in to treat you. If I cannot be reached, a local specialist I work closely with covers for me.

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You do not need to be an existing patient, and new patients are welcome at any time. Many of our long-term patients first came to us on a bad day. Our office is in the Factoria neighborhood of Bellevue, just off I-90 and I-405, a short drive from most of the Eastside.

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What happens at an emergency visit?

Comfort first. If you are in pain, we numb the area before we do anything else, because nobody can weigh options while they hurt.

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Then we find the cause. Usually that means a digital x-ray. When I need to see a cracked root or an infection in three dimensions, we take a CBCT scan right here, so you are not sent across Bellevue to an imaging center to wait on results.

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Then we talk, about what I found and what it needs. An emergency visit is for fixing what is actually wrong today, not for handing you a full treatment plan. Conservative dentistry does not change on a bad day. If a tooth needs a bonded filling, that is what we do. If it needs a crown, we can usually finish it the same visit. If the nerve is involved, a root canal saves the tooth, and I do those here. Only when a tooth truly cannot be saved do we talk about removing and replacing it, and that conversation can wait for a calmer appointment.

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If you are a nervous patient, tell us. We build in extra time, and I wrote about how we approach dental anxiety. If it has been years since your last visit and this is what finally brought you in, you are welcome here, no lecture.

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What will it cost if I don't have insurance?

We tell you before we start. An emergency visit without insurance begins with an exam and the x-rays needed to find the problem. We get you out of pain, explain what is going on, and give you a clear cost estimate for any treatment beyond that. Nothing more happens until you have the number and say yes.

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With insurance, we are in-network with Delta Dental Premier, Delta Dental PPO, Regence and Premera, and we accept most other PPO plans. Bring your card, or send a photo of it with your appointment request, and we will look up your benefits for you.

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Can you fix the tooth the same day?

Often, yes. Because we design and make restorations in the office, an emergency visit can end with the tooth finished rather than patched.

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The four situations pictured near the top of this page are the ones we finish most often in a single visit: a chipped tooth or lost filling, a broken back tooth, an infected nerve, and a crown that came off.

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A tooth that cannot be saved can be removed here, with a bone graft to preserve the site for a future implant, so you are not referred out for the extraction.

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There are exceptions, and I will tell you when a lab-made crown or a specialist is the better choice for your tooth.

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When should I go to the ER instead of calling us?

Go to the emergency room, or call 911, if swelling is spreading toward your eye, under your jaw, or down your neck; if you have a fever along with swelling; if you have any trouble breathing, swallowing, or opening your mouth; or if the jaw may be broken or you have taken a hard blow to the head or face. Those are medical emergencies first.

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The ER can manage the infection and the pain and image the jaw. What it cannot do is fix the tooth. Once you are stable, call us so the source of the problem gets treated and it does not come back. For pain alone, call us first: we can treat the tooth, and the ER cannot.

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What if my child has a dental emergency?

We see children, and the same rules apply with one difference. If a baby tooth is knocked out, do not put it back, because that can damage the adult tooth developing underneath. Hold a clean cloth on the area, keep your child calm, and call us so we can check that the tooth below is safe. A chipped baby tooth that does not hurt can wait until we open; one that hurts with cold or air gets a same-day call. For older kids with adult teeth, the first-hour steps in my emergency guide apply, and the clock matters just as much.