Our Emergency Dentistry Services

Dr. Hancock attempts to see any patient with a dental emergency within the same day during office hours. He will do his best to get you out of pain and find the cause and repair it. A lost filling, tooth ache, or damaged or broken tooth can interfere with your life. Dr. Hancock will identify the problem, get you out of pain and restore your mouth to a healthy condition.

If you have just experienced a dental emergency, call us immediately at (615) 383-0132.

Tips for Handling an Emergency

• Broken teeth – Save all pieces and rinse your mouth with warm water. Flush out any remaining fragments and use a cold compress on the trauma area.
• Tooth knocked out –
  • Put the tooth back in the socket (if possible), and gently bite down on gauze or a wet tea bag to keep it in place.
  • If that’s not possible, place the tooth in a container and cover with a small amount of whole milk or saliva. You can also carry the tooth behind the lower lip or under the tongue until you get to the dentist’s office.
•  Loose crown – If a crown feels loose or comes off, carefully try to put it back on. You can use over-the-counter dental cement, denture adhesive or even toothpaste on the inside of the crown to hold it in place.
• Dental abscess – contact us immediately if you have an abscessed tooth. This can lead to a serious infection if left untreated. First, rinse out your mouth with saline solution of ½ teaspoon salt in a glass of 8 ounces of water several times a day.
• Lost dental filling – try to seal any empty space with temporary tooth filling material from the drug store, or you can use a piece of sugarless gum.
• Toothache – thoroughly rinse your mouth with warm water and floss to remove any food particles. If swelling occurs, apply a cold compress to the painful area.

To make an appointment, call (615) 383-0132 or click here to request an appointment online.