A cracked crown at 9 p.m. or a swollen jaw on a Sunday doesn't wait for office hours — neither do we. Smile Center Dentistry reserves same-day capacity specifically for dental emergencies.
Emergencies don't follow a schedule, so our capacity planning doesn't assume they will. We've built our whole daily schedule around the fact that some patients weren't planning to see a dentist today.
We assess severity over the phone first — not every situation needs an immediate trip, and we'll tell you honestly. We'd rather triage accurately than tell everyone to rush in regardless of severity.
Same-day emergency capacity is built into our daily schedule, not something we scramble to find. We plan for emergencies every single day, not just when it's convenient for us.
Digital X-rays, re-implantation kits, and temporary restoration materials are stocked and ready, not ordered after you arrive. Our team trains specifically on emergency protocols, not just routine procedures.
You'll hear the likely cost range during phone triage, before you even walk in the door. Emergencies are stressful enough without a surprise bill on top of it.
If you're not sure whether your situation qualifies, call — that's what triage is for.
Time matters — a tooth re-implanted within 30-60 minutes has a real chance of surviving. We'll walk you through what to do with the tooth while you're still on the way.
From a hairline crack to a tooth broken at the gumline, we assess the damage and stabilize it same-day. Temporary restoration is often possible the same visit, with a permanent fix scheduled after.
An abscess can spread quickly if untreated — we treat these as priority cases, not routine appointments. We'll tell you clearly if this needs emergency-room-level care instead of a dental visit.
Pain that's sharp, throbbing, or keeps you up at night usually points to something that needs same-day attention, not a wait-and-see approach. Pain management starts the moment you're in the chair.
A missing filling or crown exposes the tooth to sensitivity and further damage — we can often place a temporary same day. We schedule the permanent replacement once the emergency is stabilized.
Cuts to the lip, tongue, or cheek alongside dental trauma need assessment to rule out deeper injury. We're honest when a case needs an ER or oral surgeon instead of a dental chair.
Our staff asks a few quick questions to gauge severity before telling you what to do next.
If it's not urgent enough for today, we'll still get you in fast, usually within a day or two.
We diagnose fast because pain doesn't wait, and neither should the answer.
We treat the immediate emergency first, then schedule any follow-up work needed for a permanent fix.
"Called in a panic after my son's tooth got knocked out. They stayed calm and walked us through everything on the phone."
"Swelling in my jaw scared me, but they got me in same-day and it turned out to be treatable without an ER trip."
"They stabilized my broken tooth the same afternoon I called, no multi-day wait."
"Called about a lost filling and they had a temporary in place within two hours."
"Bit my lip hard alongside a chipped tooth from a fall. They checked for jaw fracture before treating the tooth — appreciated the thoroughness."
We prioritize same-day slots for anything urgent, and phone triage tells you exactly what to expect. We'll always tell you honestly if today isn't possible and what the next best option is.
Handle it by the crown, not the root, rinse gently if dirty, and try to keep it moist — in milk or your own saliva if possible. We'll walk you through it step by step on the phone while you're en route.
An abscess can become dangerous if ignored, so we treat swelling with pain as a priority case. Don't wait to see if it goes away on its own — infection rarely resolves without treatment.
No — pricing is quoted upfront during phone triage, the same transparent approach as any scheduled visit. We think charging more for urgency is exactly the wrong time to surprise a patient with cost.
We triage after-hours calls the same way, just with a slightly different response window depending on severity. Don't assume nothing can be done until morning — call and let us make that call with you.
For facial trauma, uncontrolled bleeding, or difficulty breathing/swallowing, go to the ER first — otherwise, call us and we'll advise. When in doubt, call us first — we can help you decide quickly which direction to go.
Smile Center Dentistry's emergency line covers Pinehurst and the surrounding Pinehurst, NC communities, with same-day capacity reserved daily. If you're unsure whether your address falls in our response area, call +1-866-227-2801 and we'll confirm quickly.
Same-day slots are reserved for exactly this. Call and we'll get you in.
Call +1-866-227-2801