Where to go for a dental emergency (urgencia dental)

Terms used

• Centro de salud — The centro de salud is your local public health centre, where you see a family doctor or nurse.
• Punto de Atención Continuada (PAC) — The Punto de Atención Continuada is a public out-of-hours urgent care point open evenings, nights, weekends and holidays.
• Servicio de Urgencias de Atención Primaria (SUAP) — The Servicio de Urgencias de Atención Primaria is a public out-of-hours primary care emergency service, similar to a PAC.
• Urgencias — Urgencias is the emergency department of a hospital, open 24 hours.

Key rules

• Emergency number: Call 112 if the situation is severe, such as trouble breathing or swallowing.
• Public care limits: Public care for adults covers basic dental emergencies; fillings, root canals, crowns, implants and dentures are paid privately.
• Private price: Ask the clinic for the price before treatment starts.

Where to go first

For severe tooth pain, go to your centro de salud on a weekday and ask for an urgent appointment. Most are open about 8:00–15:00 or 8:00–20:00. If you prefer private care, a clinic with same-day emergency slots is the fastest route (see below).

Outside those hours, go to the Punto de Atención Continuada (PAC) or the Servicio de Urgencias de Atención Primaria (SUAP). They are open evenings, nights, weekends and holidays. Names and hours differ by region and town, so check yours with your health centre.

What public care will do

Public services treat acute dental pain, abscesses and infections, facial swelling from a tooth, dental injuries, bleeding after an extraction and urgent extractions. In practice you get pain relief, antibiotics, drainage of an infection, or the tooth taken out. Many health centres have no dentist on site, so staff may refer you on. Fillings, root canals and similar repairs are not normally part of this care. Some regions offer more.

Signs that mean hospital

Go straight to hospital urgencias, open 24 hours, or call 112 if severe, if any of these apply:

• Swelling of the face, jaw or neck that is spreading
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Difficulty opening your mouth
• Fever together with a dental infection
• Swelling around the eye
• Bleeding that does not stop after 15–20 minutes of firm pressure
• A heavy blow to the face or jaw, or a suspected broken jaw
• Loss of consciousness or a head injury

These can point to an infection that is spreading, which is a medical emergency. A broken or knocked-out tooth with no signs from this list can go to a private clinic or health centre the same day.

Private same-day care

Many private clinics, especially chains and clinics in big cities, offer same-day emergency appointments. Some advertise 24-hour or weekend cover. Phone first and ask for an emergency slot.

Ask the price before you agree to treatment. An emergency consultation typically costs roughly 30–80 euros, and a simple extraction roughly 50–150 euros. Surgical or wisdom-tooth extractions cost more, and so does out-of-hours care. Prices are set by each clinic.

The checklist and questions below give the step-by-step version.

Checklist

• Go first to your centro de salud on a weekday, usually open about 8:00–15:00 or 8:00–20:00, and ask for an urgent dental appointment.

• Go straight to hospital urgencias, open 24 hours, or call 112 if severe, if the swelling is spreading, or you struggle to breathe, swallow or open your mouth.

• Go to hospital urgencias if you have fever with a dental infection, swelling around the eye, a suspected broken jaw or a head injury.

• Press firmly on bleeding for 15–20 minutes, and go to hospital urgencias or call 112 if it has not stopped.

• Phone a private clinic for a same-day emergency slot if you prefer private care, and ask the price before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Will a public urgencias fix my tooth completely?

No, public urgencias usually only treat the emergency, not the tooth itself. Staff give pain relief and antibiotics, drain an infection or extract the tooth. Fillings and root canals are not normally provided to adults, and many health centres have no dentist on site.

How much does a private emergency dental appointment cost?

An emergency consultation at a private clinic typically costs roughly 30–80 euros. A simple extraction usually adds about 50–150 euros, and surgical or wisdom-tooth extractions cost more. Out-of-hours visits are more expensive, so ask the price when you phone.

Can I find a same-day private dentist outside a big city?

Same-day emergency slots are most common in large cities and at chain clinics, and some advertise 24-hour or weekend care. In smaller places, phone several clinics early in the day. If none can see you, go to your centro de salud or the PAC.

Should I call 112 for a swollen face after a tooth problem?

Call 112 if the swelling is severe, spreading, or comes with trouble breathing or swallowing. Swelling around the eye, fever with a dental infection, or a head injury also mean hospital urgencias straight away. These can be signs of a spreading infection.