Wisdom tooth pain usually means the tooth is coming in crooked, stuck under the gum, or the gum around it is infected. Our Phoenix dentists can see you today, find the cause on an X-ray, and start relief right away. Call (602) 737-2446. Open Monday through Saturday from 7am.
The emergency exam and X-rays cost $45. The $45 covers the emergency exam and diagnostic X-rays. Treatment is priced separately and quoted to you in writing before any work starts.
Open Saturdays · Same-day appointments · Most PPO plans · Se habla español
Signs you need wisdom tooth pain relief today
Wisdom teeth arrive between the late teens and mid twenties, and for many that's a dull ache that comes and goes. That kind can be watched. These signs mean the tooth needs to be looked at today:
- A swollen, red, or tender gum behind your last molar, especially a flap that traps food
- Pain that has spread to your ear, your throat, or the side of your face
- Trouble opening wide, or pain when you swallow
- A bad taste from the back of your mouth
- A cheek that looks puffy from the outside
- Fever with any of the above
A swollen gum behind a molar is usually pericoronitis, an infection in the gum flap over a partly erupted tooth. It doesn't clear up on its own. If swelling makes it hard to breathe, go to the emergency room first, then us.
What happens at your same-day visit
The visit opens with the $45 exam and X-rays. The X-ray answers what a mirror can't: which way the tooth is angled, whether it's impacted, how much room it has, and whether the pain is even coming from the wisdom tooth.
For an infected gum flap, our dentists clean out the debris trapped under it, flush the area, and may prescribe an antibiotic if the infection has spread. That usually brings relief within a day or two. A tooth erupting normally with room to come in may need nothing more than a plan for the discomfort.
If the X-ray shows an impacted tooth, or one that keeps getting infected, removing it is the fix that lasts. Our dentists will tell you whether that can happen at the same visit or whether an active infection needs to settle first. The procedure itself is covered on our emergency wisdom tooth extraction page. Either way, you'll get an exact written price before any work begins.
Cost of wisdom tooth pain relief in Phoenix
You pay $45 for the exam and X-rays. After that, the price depends on what your tooth needs, so we don't post a number here. Our dentists write down the exact price before starting. We take cash and most major PPO plans, including Cigna, Aetna, Delta Dental, Guardian, and Principal, and we offer CareCredit, Cherry, and HFD payment plans. Details are on our cost and insurance page.
Why patients choose our Phoenix office
We're open Monday through Saturday, 7am to 5pm, and take walk-ins; calling ahead lets us have a room ready. A live person answers our phone 24/7, and if it's Sunday, we'll hold you the first Monday slot.
Everything from gum treatment to extraction happens here, with our own dentists, all licensed in Arizona. Most PPO plans are accepted, payment plans are available through CareCredit, Cherry, and HFD, and parking is on site.
Wisdom tooth pain relief near you in Phoenix
Our office is at 10209 N 35th Ave Ste 129B, Phoenix, AZ 85051, on 35th Avenue between Dunlap and Peoria in the North Mountain area, about a mile west of I-17. From Sunnyslope, Dunlap Avenue runs straight west to us. From the Grand Canyon University area on Camelback, 35th Avenue north gets you here in about 10 to 15 minutes.
We treat wisdom tooth pain for patients from Sunnyslope, Alhambra and Christown, and Glendale.
Frequently asked questions
How long does wisdom tooth pain last?
A tooth erupting normally tends to ache on and off for a few days at a stretch, then settle, then return weeks later as it moves. Pain from an infected gum flap or an impacted tooth doesn't follow that pattern. It builds, spreads, and keeps you up at night. If it's lasted more than a few days or is getting worse, that's the signal to get an X-ray.
What helps wisdom tooth pain at home tonight?
Rinse with warm salt water every few hours, take a pain reliever from the pharmacy shelf as the label directs, and hold a cold pack on your cheek in 15-minute stretches. Chew on the other side. Never put aspirin directly on the gum. These steps buy time; they don't treat the cause. Our toothache relief page has more, and we open at 7am.
Is a swollen gum behind my back molar an infection?
Usually, yes. Swelling and tenderness in the gum over a wisdom tooth is the classic sign of pericoronitis, where food and bacteria get trapped under the flap. It can spread into the jaw if it's ignored, which is when it starts to look like a dental abscess. Same-day cleaning and, if needed, antibiotics usually turn it around quickly.
Do wisdom teeth always need to come out?
No. A wisdom tooth with room to erupt, one you can reach with a toothbrush, can stay for life. The ones that cause trouble are angled, stuck, or partly through the gum, where they trap food and keep getting infected. The X-ray at your $45 exam shows which kind you have, and our dentists will tell you honestly if yours can stay.