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Emergency Dentistry in Centennial, CO
Dental pain doesn't wait — and neither do we.
If you're dealing with a throbbing toothache, a broken tooth, or swelling that's getting worse, the last thing you need is to be put on hold or told to wait a week. At Christiansen Dental, we make it a priority to see urgent dental cases as quickly as possible — same-day appointments are often available during regular business hours. Give us a call at (303) 790-9323, and we'll do our best to get you in right away.
Book online now or call (303) 790-9323 Same-day appointments often available during business hours.
When Should You Call Us?
Dental emergencies can feel confusing — is this really an emergency, or can it wait? Here's the honest answer: if something hurts, feels wrong, or is getting worse, call us. We'd rather talk it through with you than have you suffer through a weekend wondering.That said, here are the situations that most commonly need prompt attention:
- Severe or persistent toothache — especially pain that's been going on for more than a few days
- Swelling in your mouth, jaw, or face — this can indicate an active infection and should never be ignored
- Broken, chipped, or knocked-out tooth
- Lost or broken crown, filling, or bridge
- Bleeding that won't stop
- Pain or swelling around a previous dental procedure
If you're experiencing significant facial swelling along with fever or difficulty swallowing or breathing, please go directly to an emergency room or call 911 — those symptoms can indicate an infection that has spread beyond the tooth.
What to Expect When You Call
When you reach out to us, we'll ask a few quick questions to understand what's going on and how urgent your situation is. From there, we'll get you on the schedule as soon as possible — often the same day during our regular office hours.
Once you're here, we'll focus first on getting you comfortable. Our team is calm, compassionate, and genuinely focused on you — not just the tooth. We'll take the time to explain what's happening, walk you through your options, and make sure you leave feeling better than when you came in.
Book Online or call us at (303) 790-9323
Common Dental Emergencies We Treat
Toothaches
Not all toothaches are created equal, but any tooth that's been hurting for more than a few days deserves attention. One of the most common causes is a bacterial infection that develops inside a damaged or deeply decayed tooth. The pain can range from a dull ache to something sharp and persistent, and it often gets triggered by cold, heat, or pressure — or shows up on its own with no obvious cause.
Here's something important to know: this kind of pain sometimes fades on its own for a few days or weeks, which leads a lot of people to put off calling. But that doesn't mean the problem has resolved — it often means the nerve is dying. The sooner we see you, the simpler and more comfortable treatment tends to be.
Dental Infections and Swelling
Swelling around a tooth or in the soft tissue of your mouth is one of the more serious dental emergencies. It often signals an active infection that needs treatment quickly. Depending on the situation, this may involve draining the infection, root canal treatment, or other care to stop the infection from spreading.If you can't reach us, please don't wait — head to an urgent care facility for evaluation.
Broken Tooth
A broken tooth most commonly happens when there's already a large filling in place and a portion of the remaining tooth structure fractures around it. Decay that weakens the tooth can also be a factor. We'll take a look with X-rays and intraoral photos and talk through your options, which often involve placing a crown to restore and protect what's left of the tooth.
Broken, Lost, or Damaged Filling
Fillings are incredibly durable these days — but they don't last forever. If a filling chips or breaks, we'll assess the size and location of the damage and determine whether a repair or replacement filling will do the job, or whether a crown makes more sense. We'll show you exactly what we're seeing so you can make an informed decision.
Broken or Lost Crown
If a crown breaks or comes off, the treatment depends on the specifics — the tooth underneath, the extent of the break, and whether it's affecting your bite or aesthetics. In most cases, a new crown will be needed. Occasionally, a small chip can simply be smoothed. Either way, we'll get you sorted out.
You Don't Have to Figure This Out Alone
Dental emergencies are stressful. Pain has a way of making everything feel worse and more overwhelming than it needs to be. Our team's job is to take that weight off your shoulders — to listen, to explain, and to take care of you.
We've been serving families in Centennial and the surrounding South Denver area for over 30 years. Dr. Bart Christiansen and Dr. James Christiansen know that when you're in pain, what matters most is being seen quickly by someone you can trust.
Ready to get some relief?
Book Online Now or call us at (303) 790-9323
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have more questions, call and speak with a member of our friendly team!
Our office hours are Monday–Tuesday 7am–5pm, Wednesday–Thursday 7am–4pm, and Friday 7am–1pm. If you're experiencing a life-threatening emergency outside those hours — such as severe swelling affecting breathing or swallowing — please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. For non-life-threatening pain, over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help manage discomfort until we can see you.
A toothache that has persisted for more than a few days — or one that's accompanied by swelling, fever, or sensitivity to hot and cold — should be evaluated promptly. Pain that comes and goes can feel manageable, but it often signals an underlying issue that will only get more complicated with time.
It depends on the situation. In some cases, we can complete treatment in the same visit. In others — particularly more complex procedures — we may address the immediate pain and stabilize things on your first visit, then schedule the full treatment shortly after.
For most dental emergencies, the ER isn't the best first call — and here's why. Emergency rooms aren't equipped to practice dentistry. They don't have dental chairs, dental X-ray equipment, or dentists on staff. What they can do is prescribe pain relievers or antibiotics to temporarily manage symptoms, but that doesn't fix the underlying problem. You'll still need to see a dentist afterward, which means two visits, two bills, and more time in pain.
Seeing a dentist directly gets you to the actual solution faster. We can diagnose what's going on, treat the source of the pain, and have you feeling genuinely better — not just temporarily patched up.
That said, there are situations where the ER is the right move first: if you're experiencing significant facial swelling that's affecting your ability to breathe or swallow, severe uncontrolled bleeding, or trauma involving broken facial bones, go to the emergency room immediately. Those are medical emergencies that need medical care. Once you're stabilized, we're here to handle the dental side of things.