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Emergency Dentistry — East Brunswick, NJ

We’re Here to Support Your Aching Smile

a woman suffering from dental pain

Perhaps you’re playing sports with your friends one day, and after a misstep here and a fall there, some of your teeth end up taking quite an impact and become damaged. Or you wake up one day, and that little toothache of yours is now throbbing with pain. Situations like these happen to people every day, and when they do, dental care with our trusted emergency dentist in East Brunswick, NJ should be sought out immediately to relieve any pain and prevent the problem from getting worse.

At East Brunswick Family & Implant Dentistry, we are trained to handle a wide array of dental emergencies. Should you injure your teeth in an accident or develop severe dental pain, you can always turn to us for the same-day care that you need. Just give us a call, and we’ll do everything we can to see you and save your smile as quickly as possible.

Why Choose East Brunswick Family & Implant Dentistry for Emergency Dental Care?

  • Same-Day Appointments Available
  • Friendly and Compassionate Dental Staff
  • High-Quality Restorations Available

How to Handle Dental Emergencies

a woman calling her emergency dentist in East Brunswick

It’s crucial to remember that when dealing with any type of dental emergency, time is of the essence; a little quick thinking and swift action will ensure that your smile isn’t in jeopardy. Here are three easy-to-follow steps from our team for handling dental emergencies:

  1. Call Us at Once – Even if you’re unsure about the seriousness of your emergency, you should call and describe the situation to us. We’ll be sure to schedule your appointment as quickly as possible, even during the same day if necessary! We’ll also provide you with some general care tips over the phone to keep your mind (and mouth) at ease.
  2. Attend Your Visit – Once you’re here, rest assured that your smile is in good hands! We’ll quickly perform an emergency exam, take X-rays if they’re needed, and determine what’s going on before reviewing possible treatment options and their associated costs.
  3. Receive the Urgent Care You Need – We’ll help you decide on the best course of action before carrying out a customized treatment plan that totally eliminates any discomfort you’re experiencing and has you feeling back to yourself. Our dental office is ready to handle all sorts of dental emergencies!

The Most Common Dental Emergencies

No matter what type of emergency you’re experiencing, big or small, you shouldn’t hesitate to call us for help. Once you’ve described your symptoms to us over the phone, we can provide you with tips to help you ease your discomfort until you come in. That said, here are a few examples of common dental emergencies and some tips you can use to keep yourself at ease as you wait for your appointment.

Understanding the Cost of Dental Emergencies 

a woman smiling while visiting her dentist

The bottom line is that it’s always going to be cheaper to handle a dental emergency sooner rather than putting it off until later. Acting quickly allows us to take care of a problem using more conservative (and affordable) methods, which helps patients avoid severe discomfort while also reducing their total care costs! That said, when it comes to dental emergencies, the cost of your treatment can largely vary, and there is no way to confirm the cost of your emergency until you come in for an initial appointment. We proudly accept multiple insurance plans and we also offer financing options such as CareCredit as well as an in-house membership plan to ensure this type of treatment always fits easily into any type of budget; financial woes shouldn’t keep anyone from receiving support for their aching smile!

Keys to Preventing Dental Emergencies

a patient brushing her teeth at home

Of course, we would much rather help you avoid dental emergencies in the first place! To lessen your chances of needing an unexpected visit to the dentist, consider the following tips:

  • Always wear a mouthguard when playing sports, as 40% of all sports injuries are actually dental injuries.
  • Do not chew on especially hard things like ice cubes or rock candies—even biting your fingernails can damage your enamel!
  • Do not use your teeth to open packages or bottles.
  • Practice excellent oral care by brushing twice a day and flossing daily.
  • Come visit us for regular checkups so we can catch a small problem before it can become an emergency later.
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Toothaches

Is my toothache a dental emergency?: It may not always be clear whether your tooth pain is a genuine emergency, but it should be treated as one if it is unusually severe or has lasted more than a day. Other concerning symptoms include a bump on your gums, long-lasting tooth sensitivity, a dark-colored tooth, and swelling that could be related to an infection. It’s best to schedule an appointment at our office as soon as possible so that we can determine what’s causing your toothache.

How you should handle a toothache: If the pain is caused by a bit of food stuck between your teeth, you may be able to solve the problem on your own just by flossing gently. Otherwise, you can reduce your discomfort by taking over-the-counter painkillers. If the gums around the tooth are inflamed, it may help to rinse with salt water at regular intervals.

How we treat toothaches: Some toothaches are a result of an infection of the dental pulp, in which case a root canal treatment can be performed to save the tooth and stop your pain. In other cases, the problem might lie with another dental issue, such as gum disease. The treatment that we suggest for your toothache will vary depending on the specifics and severity of your particular situation.

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Learn More About Gum Disease Treatment

Chipped Tooth

Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?: A chipped tooth doesn’t always need to be treated right away, but it shouldn’t be ignored either. Even a minor chip could eventually lead to bigger dental problems. It’s best to call our office to let our team know what happened and to schedule an appointment for the near future.

How you should handle a chipped tooth: Rinse with water to wash away bacteria near the injured tooth. Stay away from hard foods for the time being, and do not bite or chew with the tooth in question. If any large pieces of the tooth have broken off, try to save them; you’ll want to bring them with you to your appointment.

How we treat chipped teeth: A bit of composite resin can often be used to make minor repairs to the tooth. Another option is to cover the area with a porcelain veneer, which is often a good choice if the affected tooth is one that other people will see when you smile.

Learn More About Porcelain Veneers

Cracked Tooth

Is a cracked tooth a dental emergency?: Even if a crack is small and isn’t accompanied by pain, it could still increase the tooth’s chances of suffering from further damage, and it could leave the pulp of the tooth vulnerable to infection. As soon as you notice that your tooth has been damaged, give our office a call.

How you should handle a cracked tooth: Needless to say, you will want to avoid further damage, so when you eat, you should keep the food away from the injured tooth and chew it with the opposite side of your mouth. On top of that, make an effort to keep the tooth clean by rinsing with water, and use a cold compress or pain relievers if you need to.

How we treat cracked teeth: Some cracks are more extensive than others. We will need to check the tooth to see how serious the damage is before we suggest any treatments. Oftentimes, we can restore the tooth and protect it from further harm by covering it with a crown. A tooth that is damaged beyond repair may need to be removed, but rest assured that this is a last resort.

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Very Sensitive Teeth

Are very sensitive teeth a dental emergency? Sensitive teeth can often be a main indicator that you have an underlying oral health issue, such as decay or infection. While this isn’t always a dental emergency, you’ll want to get it treated as soon as possible to avoid needing more costly treatment later on.

How you should handle sensitive teeth: Refrain from eating or drinking anything particularly cold, hot, sugary, or acidic, as this can lead to more discomfort. Rinse your mouth thoroughly and take over-the-counter pain relievers as instructed on the label. You might also try using desensitizing toothpaste to help with your situation until you can get treated.

How we treat tooth sensitivity: Your treatment plan will generally depend on the root cause of your tooth sensitivity. For minor situations, we can provide fluoride treatment, tooth-colored fillings, and even custom nightguards for Bruxism. More major oral health issues may require gum disease treatment or root canal therapy.

Learn More About Fluoride Treatments

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Nightguards for Bruxism

Learn More About Periodontal Therapy

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Knocked-Out Tooth

Is a knocked-out tooth a dental emergency? If one of your teeth has been knocked out, you’ll have to seek emergency dental treatment immediately to save it. For the best chance of getting your tooth back in place, you’ll need to get treated within 30-60 minutes of the incident. In the meantime, keeping the tooth viable and safe will be your top priority.

How you should handle a knocked-out tooth: After notifying us about your situation so that we can pencil you in for a visit, you’ll want to rinse off the tooth and hold it by the top side (crown). DO NOT touch the roots because this can cause further damage. If possible, put the tooth back in its socket; otherwise, keep it in a container of saliva or milk. Avoid storing it in water, as the particles can end up damaging the surface root cells.

How we treat knocked-out teeth: Once you’ve arrived, we’ll assess your situation and determine if your tooth is viable as well as the best method for saving it. Usually, this involves splinting it to a healthy tooth nearby for support while it heals. If we aren’t able to do this, we’ll have to go over your tooth-replacement solutions, such as a bridge, denture, or dental implant.

Learn More About Dental Bridges

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Lost Filling or Crown

Is a lost filling or crown a dental emergency? Dental fillings and crowns will not last forever, so you shouldn’t feel too worried about losing one. That said, you will still need to get it addressed early on so that you can avoid future issues, such as bacteria, infection, and further damage.

How you should handle a lost filling or crown: After finding your restoration, rinse it off and bring it with you to your appointment so that your dentist can determine if it’s reparable or needs a replacement. While you wait for your dental visit, make sure to avoid chewing on that side of your mouth so that your exposed tooth stays safe. You might consider putting your dental crown back in place with the help of some toothpaste, if possible. The same should NOT be done with fillings. To protect your tongue and other soft oral tissues, try covering any jagged or sharp edges of your underlying tooth with dental wax or sugar-free gum.

How we treat lost fillings or crowns: Our team will evaluate your mouth and situation to determine if your lost filling or dental crown can be salvaged. For most fillings, we’ll likely replace them with new ones. If your dental crown has minor damage, we might fix it with composite resin. If it’s damaged beyond repair, we’ll work on making you a replacement.

Learn More About Tooth-Colored Fillings

Learn More About Dental Crowns

Broken Denture

Is a broken denture a dental emergency? Since wearing a broken denture can lead to injuries to your jaws, remaining teeth, gums, and other soft tissues, it’s important to bring any damage to the base or artificial teeth of your appliance to one of our dentists’ attention.

How to handle a broken denture: Don’t wear broken dentures, as doing so can hurt your mouth, and never attempt to repair your appliance on your own, as this can damage it further or lead to dangerous substances like superglue being placed in your mouth.

How we treat broken dentures: How we address broken dentures depends on the severity of the damage. In some cases, we can repair a small crack or chip with composite resin, and we sometimes need to adjust or reline dentures so they can fit properly again. However, we may need to replace a severely damaged appliance altogether. In that instance, it might be a great opportunity to consider upgrading to implant dentures that can last longer.

Learn More About Dentures

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Learn More About Implant Dentures

Loose Permanent Tooth

Are loose permanent teeth a dental emergency? A loose permanent tooth, also called an extruded or partially dislodged tooth, may happen over time or due to a sudden injury. Loose permanent teeth are at risk of being lost even if they don’t hurt, so be sure to bring them to our attention immediately.

How you should handle a loose permanent tooth: Call our office as soon as possible. Until your emergency appointment, avoid touching or chewing with the loose tooth. This is one of the rare times when we recommend not brushing or flossing, but you can clean your mouth by swishing warm water.

How we treat loose permanent teeth: We may be able to use a dental splint or dental implant salvage services to fix a loose permanent tooth. However, we will need to remove the tooth if it cannot be saved.

Learn More About Tooth Extractions

Learn More About Dental Implants

Learn More About Gum Disease Therapy 

Learn More About Sports Mouthguards

Injury to the Gums, Lips, or Tongue

Is an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue a dental emergency? Wounds to the gums, lips, or tongue can be quite common among athletes. In minor cases, we may be able to address these injuries.

How you should handle an injury to the gums, lips, or tongue: Use water to gently flush away debris and bacteria and apply pressure with gauze or a clean washcloth until the bleeding ceases. Use a cold compress or ice pack to reduce swelling and discomfort.

How we treat injuries to the gums, lips, or tongue: We may be able to close the wound with stitches and help you keep the site sanitary. However, head to your local ER if the bleeding doesn’t stop after ten minutes.

Learn More About Sports Mouthguards

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? While jaw pain can be quite a nuisance, it is not usually a dental emergency. However, contact our office to prevent serious oral health problems from developing later if the discomfort becomes chronic.

How you should handle jaw pain: We’ll be happy to offer advice over the phone to help you stay comfortable until your appointment. We usually recommend using over-the-counter pain relievers and an ice pack or cold compress to reduce discomfort and swelling. However, immediately head for your local ER if you believe your jaw is broken or dislocated.

How we treat jaw pain: We may recommend wearing a customized nightguard to protect your teeth from bruxism if you grind your teeth in your sleep. We can also perform TMJ therapy to prevent serious oral health complications later. If your jaw pain is the result of your emerging wisdom teeth, we may recommend having them removed. If you have to go to the ER before you can see us, we’ll be happy to treat your teeth after you’ve been discharged.

Learn More About Nightguards for Bruxism

Learn More About TMJ Therapy

Learn More About Wisdom Tooth Extraction

Jaw Pain

Is jaw pain a dental emergency? While jaw pain can be quite a nuisance, it is not usually a dental emergency. However, contact our office to prevent serious oral health problems from developing later if the discomfort becomes chronic.

How you should handle jaw pain: We’ll be happy to offer advice over the phone to help you stay comfortable until your appointment. We usually recommend using over-the-counter pain relievers and an ice pack or cold compress to reduce discomfort and swelling. However, immediately head for your local ER if you believe your jaw is broken or dislocated.

How we treat jaw pain: We may recommend wearing a customized nightguard to protect your teeth from bruxism if you grind your teeth in your sleep. We can also perform TMJ therapy to prevent serious oral health complications later. If your jaw pain is the result of your emerging wisdom teeth, we may recommend having them removed. If you have to go to the ER before you can see us, we’ll be happy to treat your teeth after you’ve been discharged.

Learn More About Nightguards for Bruxism

Learn More About TMJ Therapy

Learn More About Wisdom Tooth Extraction