Need an emergency dentist after hours? Learn which dental problems may need urgent attention tonight, what may be able to wait until morning, and when emergency medical care is more appropriate than a dental clinic.
If severe tooth pain, swelling, a broken tooth or dental trauma starts after regular office hours, the safest next step depends on how serious the symptoms are. Many tooth-related problems should be assessed by a dentist promptly, while breathing difficulty, uncontrolled bleeding or significant facial trauma may require emergency medical care.
A dental problem can change quickly. Pain that was manageable earlier in the day may become difficult to tolerate at night, swelling can develop around an infected tooth, or a filling, crown or tooth can break while eating.
The question is not simply whether a dentist is open. It is whether the condition can safely wait until the next available appointment.
If you need a broader first-aid guide for common dental injuries and emergencies, see our guide to what to do during a dental emergency.
Do You Need an Emergency Dentist Tonight?
You should consider contacting an emergency dentist promptly when pain, swelling, damage or another dental problem is significant, worsening or interfering with normal activities such as eating or sleeping.
| What is happening? | What to consider |
|---|---|
| Severe or worsening tooth pain | Contact an emergency dentist promptly |
| Broken or cracked tooth with significant pain | Urgent dental assessment |
| Knocked-out permanent tooth | Seek dental care immediately |
| Increasing gum, jaw or facial swelling | Prompt dental assessment |
| Difficulty breathing or swallowing | Call 911 or seek emergency medical care |
| Bleeding that cannot be controlled with pressure | Seek emergency medical care |
| Major facial or jaw trauma | Emergency medical assessment may be required |
Online information cannot determine how serious an individual dental problem is. If your symptoms are rapidly worsening or you are uncertain about their severity, contact an appropriate healthcare professional.
When a Toothache Cannot Wait Until Morning
A mild toothache that remains stable may sometimes be able to wait for a scheduled appointment. Severe, constant or worsening pain deserves more urgent attention.
Contact a dentist promptly if tooth pain is keeping you awake, becoming progressively worse, making it difficult to bite or chew, or occurring together with swelling.
The cause could involve decay, inflammation inside the tooth, infection, a crack, gum disease or another dental condition. Pain alone cannot identify the diagnosis.
If the symptoms are significant, contact our emergency dentist in Thornhill to arrange an assessment during clinic hours.
Dental Swelling After Regular Office Hours
Swelling around a tooth, gum, jaw or face can be associated with a dental infection or another condition that should not simply be ignored until it disappears.
Increasing swelling, dental pain, fever, drainage or a persistent unpleasant taste are reasons to seek professional assessment.
If swelling begins to interfere with breathing or swallowing, do not wait for a dental clinic to open. Call 911 or seek emergency medical care.
If you can breathe and swallow normally but the swelling is increasing, arrange a dental assessment promptly. Depending on the diagnosis, treatment could involve drainage, root canal therapy, extraction or another treatment recommended after examination.
What if a Tooth Breaks at Night?
A broken tooth is not always equally urgent. A small chip without pain is different from a fracture that causes significant pain, bleeding, sensitivity or difficulty biting.
Rinse your mouth gently with water. If swelling is present, a cold compress against the outside of the face may help while you arrange care.
If you find a broken piece of tooth, keep it and bring it to the appointment.
Some damaged teeth can be repaired. Others may require more extensive treatment. A tooth that cannot predictably be restored may require tooth extraction, but extraction should not be assumed before the tooth has been clinically assessed.
A Knocked-Out Permanent Tooth Should Not Wait
A knocked-out permanent tooth is time-sensitive. Contact a dentist and seek treatment immediately.
Handle the tooth by the crown rather than the root. If it is dirty, rinse it gently with cool water without scrubbing it.
If the tooth can be safely placed back into its socket without forcing it, it may be held there while travelling for treatment. If this is not possible, keep the tooth from drying out by placing it in cold milk and bring it with you.
Do not attempt to put a knocked-out baby tooth back into its socket. Children with dental trauma should still be assessed promptly.
Does a Lost Filling or Crown Need an Emergency Dentist?
Not always. A lost filling or crown without significant pain may sometimes be able to wait until the next available appointment.
More urgent assessment may be appropriate if the underlying tooth is painful, extremely sensitive, fractured or damaged by trauma.
Avoid chewing hard or sticky foods on the affected side until the tooth has been examined. Do not use household glue to attach a crown or other dental restoration.
When Wisdom Tooth Pain Becomes Urgent
Wisdom tooth discomfort does not automatically require emergency treatment. The situation becomes more concerning when pain is worsening or occurs with swelling, drainage, fever, increasing difficulty opening the mouth or difficulty swallowing.
A dentist needs to determine whether the problem is related to inflammation around the tooth, decay, infection or another condition.
If removal is recommended after assessment, you can learn more about our wisdom tooth removal and tooth extraction services.
Cases requiring a surgical approach may also involve an oral surgery assessment.
Which Dental Problems May Be Able to Wait Until Morning?
Some dental problems are uncomfortable without necessarily requiring late-evening treatment.
A very small chip with no pain, mild sensitivity that is not getting worse, or a lost restoration without significant discomfort may sometimes be assessed at the next available appointment.
That changes if pain becomes severe, swelling appears, a tooth becomes loose after trauma, bleeding continues or symptoms are clearly worsening.
If you are uncertain whether you need an appointment or immediate assessment, our walk-in dental clinic can help you arrange care during operating hours.
What Can You Do While Waiting for an Emergency Dentist?
What you should do depends on the problem. In general, keep the mouth as clean as you comfortably can and avoid repeatedly touching or testing a damaged tooth.
A cold compress against the outside of the face may help when an injury or swelling is present. Avoid applying heat over facial swelling and do not place medication directly against the tooth or gum.
If bleeding is present, clean gauze or cloth can be used to apply direct pressure. Bleeding that cannot be controlled requires more urgent medical attention.
These measures are temporary. They do not replace a dental examination or treatment.
For more detailed first-aid instructions by emergency type, read What to Do in Case of a Dental Emergency.
What Happens at an After-Hours Emergency Dental Visit?
The first goal of an emergency dental visit is to identify what is causing the pain, swelling or damage and determine which problem needs attention first.
The dentist may examine the affected area and recommend dental imaging when clinically appropriate. Your symptoms, medical history and the condition of the tooth help determine which treatment options are suitable.
Some problems may be treated during the urgent visit. Others may first need to be stabilized, with definitive care completed at another appointment.
Severe tooth pain, for example, does not automatically mean extraction. Depending on the diagnosis and whether the tooth can be restored, treatment may involve a filling, crown, root canal, extraction or another appropriate option.
You can also review the dental services available at Emergency Dental Office.
Emergency Dentist Open Late in Thornhill
Emergency Dental Office is located at 7241 Bathurst Street in Thornhill, just north of Steeles Avenue. The clinic is close to North York and serves patients travelling from Toronto and surrounding York Region communities.
Our currently posted clinic hours are:
- Monday: 10 AM–10 PM
- Tuesday: 10 AM–10 PM
- Wednesday: 10 AM–10 PM
- Thursday: 10 AM–10 PM
- Friday: 10 AM–10 PM
- Saturday: 3 PM–10 PM
- Sunday: 10 AM–8 PM
Because hours and appointment availability can change, check current availability before travelling whenever possible.
Emergency Dental Office is not represented as a 24-hour clinic. If a serious medical emergency develops after closing, particularly difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding or significant facial trauma, seek appropriate emergency medical care rather than waiting for the clinic to reopen.
Emergency Dental Care Near North York
Our dental office is physically located in Thornhill near Bathurst and Steeles. Patients travelling from North York can review our emergency dental information for North York patients for more location-specific details.
If you need dental care on Saturday, see our Saturday dentist information near North York.
Patients travelling from neighbouring communities can also review information about reaching our Thornhill clinic from Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham.
These pages describe access to the same Thornhill dental clinic and do not represent separate Emergency Dental Office locations.
How Much Does an Emergency Dental Visit Cost?
The cost of an emergency dental visit depends on what is causing the problem and what is required to diagnose and treat it.
An assessment for tooth pain is different from repairing a fractured tooth, completing root canal therapy or removing a tooth. Dental imaging or other procedures may also be required depending on the diagnosis.
For that reason, one price cannot accurately represent every emergency dental visit.
For more information, read our guide to the cost of emergency dental care.
Frequently Asked Questions About After-Hours Emergency Dental Care
Is severe tooth pain a dental emergency?
Severe, constant or worsening tooth pain should be assessed promptly. More urgent care may be needed when the pain occurs with swelling, fever, trauma or significant difficulty eating or sleeping.
Should I go to the emergency room for a toothache?
Most problems limited to a tooth are better evaluated by a dentist. Emergency medical care is more appropriate when symptoms involve difficulty breathing, uncontrolled bleeding, major facial trauma or another potentially serious medical condition.
What if I need an emergency dentist after 10 PM?
Emergency Dental Office currently closes at 10 PM. If your problem begins after closing and you are otherwise stable, arrange the next appropriate available dental service. Do not wait for the dental office to reopen if you develop breathing difficulty, uncontrolled bleeding or another serious medical emergency.
Can I visit an emergency dentist without an appointment?
Our walk-in dentist service is intended to help patients who need dental care without a previously scheduled appointment during clinic hours. Checking availability before travelling is recommended whenever possible.
Can an emergency tooth extraction be done the same day?
Same-day extraction may be possible when extraction is clinically appropriate and can be safely performed. However, not every painful tooth needs to be removed. The dentist first needs to diagnose the problem and determine whether the tooth can reasonably be restored.
Is facial swelling from a tooth an emergency?
Increasing dental or facial swelling should be assessed promptly. Breathing difficulty associated with swelling requires emergency medical attention.
Is a dental abscess an emergency?
A suspected dental abscess or infection should be assessed promptly, especially when pain, swelling or other signs of infection are increasing. Breathing difficulty requires emergency medical care.
Need Emergency Dental Care Tonight?
If tooth pain, swelling, a broken tooth or another urgent dental problem is getting worse, an assessment can help identify the cause and the appropriate next step.
Emergency Dental Office provides late-evening and walk-in dental care from its Thornhill clinic near North York.
Contact Emergency Dental Office to request an urgent dental assessment.
