Emergency Dentistry – Spring Lake, NJ

Call Us Immediately for Urgent Dental Care

Man with healthy smile after emergency dentistry

If you’re facing a dental emergency and require same-day treatment, notify our Spring Lake dental office immediately. Dr. Dooley and his team are dedicated to meeting the needs of our patients. Simply give us a call and speak with one of our helpful team members. We’ll be happy to listen to your needs and set aside a time for you to come in. Even if our dental office is closed, we’ll provide you with a way of contacting a member of our team for emergency dentistry in Spring Lake, NJ.

Why Choose Dooley Dental for Emergency Dentistry?

  • Comfort Services Available
  • State-of-the-Art
    Equipment
  • A Knowledgeable, Caring Dentist

How to Handle Common Dental Emergencies

Woman holding ice pack to cheek after dental emergency

Not all dental emergencies are alike, but they always need to be dealt with as soon as possible to protect your mouth from further pain and damage. Your first move should always be to call our dental office in order to set up an emergency appointment with Dr. Dooley. Describe your symptoms to us so that we can give you instructions on how to take care of your mouth until you can get to our dental office. Below are some general tips for particularly common emergencies.

Toothaches

Woman with toothache holding cheek

Some toothaches are caused by something getting caught between your teeth, and they end once the offending object is removed. But if the toothache is caused by an infection, then you’ll need immediate dental attention. Take over-the-counter pain medication as needed, and use a cold compress if swelling occurs.

Chipped/ Broken Tooth

Closeup of smile with chipped front tooth

After notifying us of your needs, rinse your mouth gently and apply a cold compress to the affected area. A cold compress will help you prevent swelling.

Knocked-Out Tooth

Smile with knocked out bottom tooth

The first thing you should do—after notifying our dental office—is gently rinse your tooth and try putting it back into the socket it came from. If you’re unable to do this, store your tooth in your mouth or in a baggie of milk or water. This preserves your tooth until Dr. Dooley can see you. Same-day care is important in cases like this because reattachment may be possible if we’re able to see you quickly enough.

Lost Filling/ Crown

Model smile used to replace lost dental crown

Not every patient undergoing treatment for a crown experiences trouble with their temporary, but if your temporary has broken or fallen out, don’t hesitate to let us know. Temporary crowns are designed to help patients protect vulnerable teeth while a permanent restoration is manufactured.

In cases where a temporary has fallen out, it can be temporarily reattached with a small amount of toothpaste or denture adhesive. This is a quick fix, so call us immediately for an appointment. Dr. Dooley would be happy to professionally reattach your temporary for you.

Head/ Neck/ Jaw Pain

Man with jaw pain holding cheek

As the pain could easily be associated with a TMJ disorder, you’ll need to stay away from habits that could contribute to such an issue. Eat only soft foods and try to avoid resting your head on your fist. You can take ibuprofen or another pain medication if you feel like you need to.

How to Prevent Dental Emergencies

Dentist examining dental patient to prevent dental emergencies
  • Brush and floss at least twice a day. Make sure that you’re replacing your toothbrush once every three or four months.
  • Minimize the amount of sugar you eat on a daily basis.
  • Wear a protective mouthguard while playing sports; you can also use one to keep your teeth safe from grinding while in bed.
  • Drop bad habits that are hard on your teeth like frequently biting fingernails, opening packages with your teeth, or crunching ice.

The Cost of Dental Emergencies

Man shaking hands with dental team member

The emergency consultation itself will be relatively inexpensive, but the price of emergency treatment is something that isn’t set in stone. For example, if you have a decayed tooth, sometimes a filling is enough to repair it while in more severe cases a root canal or an extraction might be required. Our focus will be on finding the fastest way to stop your pain and save your tooth; we’ll explain any costs associated with potential treatments and go over how insurance or financing can help lower out-of-pocket expenses.

Root Canals

X-ray of root canal treated tooth

Dr. Dooley can restore optimal oral health and wellbeing with root canal therapy. During your root canal, our team cleans out the interior of your tooth, removing any trace of infection, before filling it and placing a protective, supportive crown over it. Your custom-made crown won’t just improve your tooth’s strength and appearance, it will also protect it from developing a new infection

Learn More About Root Canal Therapy

Tooth Extractions

Metal clasp holding extracted tooth

Some teeth are so badly damaged that they are incapable of supporting a crown or a filling. Others suffer from infections that have worsened to the point that antibiotics and root canal therapy cannot cure them. In such circumstances, the teeth have become so thoroughly compromised that removing them is the only way to protect the rest of your mouth. Once the tooth or teeth have been safely removed, Dr. Dooley can help you choose possible replacements afterwards.