Start with the symptom
Dental problems
Most people arrive knowing what they have, not what it is called. Pick the one that sounds like your situation: each page explains what it usually means, how urgently it needs attention, which treatments address it, and what moves the cost.
What is going on?
Find your situation
Missing teeth
One tooth, several teeth, or a full arch — how the gap changes over time and which replacements fit which situation.
4 treatment routesTooth pain
Sensitivity, throbbing, pain on biting, swelling — what each pattern usually points to and how quickly it needs attention.
6 treatment routesA broken or chipped tooth
From a chipped edge to a tooth split below the gum — the first hours, the real urgency, and which repair fits which break.
6 treatment routesDiscolored teeth
Surface stain, deeper color change, or one dark tooth — three different problems that respond to three different treatments.
5 treatment routesCrooked or crowded teeth
Crowding, gaps, and a bite that meets badly — when it is cosmetic, when it is not, and how aligners, braces and veneers differ.
5 treatment routesDo not wait on these
When to call the same day
Most dental problems can be booked normally. These are the ones where the treatment gets larger the longer they are left.
A tooth has just been knocked out. This is the rare dental problem where minutes matter: handle the tooth by the crown rather than the root, keep it moist, and call the nearest office straight away.
Swelling in the face, jaw, or under the eye, especially with a fever or a bad taste. Swelling means an infection has moved out of the tooth into the tissue around it, and it does not resolve on its own.
A tooth has been knocked completely out. Pick it up by the crown, not the root, keep it moist — in milk, or in your own saliva — and call the nearest office immediately. Time out of the socket is the single biggest factor in whether it can go back.
Call the office nearest you and describe what is happening — the front desk will tell you how soon you can be seen.
If swelling is affecting your breathing or swallowing, or bleeding will not stop — go to the emergency room or call 911. That is past what a dental office can handle.
Other ways in
If none of those fit
Browse treatments
Every treatment we provide, explained — if you already know its name.
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Our articles, grouped by what you are trying to decide.
Start readingNew patients
What a first visit looks like and what to bring.
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Four offices across Huntington Beach, Marina del Rey and Downey.
Compare officesDescribe it to someone who can look.
An exam turns a symptom into options you can compare. Request an appointment, or call the office closest to you.
