Emergency Dentist in Edison, NJ
Prompt care for severe tooth pain, broken teeth, and dental injuries, less than 15 minutes from Edison by Route 27 or the Garden State Parkway.
When a molar starts throbbing or a front tooth cracks, the hard part is often finding an office that can see you today instead of next week. Colonia Dental Associates sets aside time in the schedule for urgent cases, and for most emergencies during office hours we can see Edison patients the same day they call.
Our office at 422 Fairview Avenue in Colonia is less than 15 minutes from most of Edison by Route 27 or the Garden State Parkway, whether you’re coming from Menlo Park, Clara Barton, Oak Tree, or North Edison. Dr. Ashlee N. Apratim, D.M.D., who completed her advanced clinical training at JFK Medical Center in Edison, and Dr. Gurjinder Singh, D.M.D., are both Associate Fellows of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and handle extractions and most urgent repairs at our office. If you need a root canal, we relieve your pain first and arrange a referral for the root canal itself.
Signs You Need an Emergency Dentist
Not every dental problem needs same-day care, but pain, swelling, bleeding, and trauma shouldn’t wait for a routine appointment. Call us right away if you have:
- Tooth pain that’s sharp, throbbing, or getting worse
- A tooth that’s been knocked out, pushed out of position, or suddenly feels loose
- A crack or break, especially one that hurts when you bite
- Swelling in the gums, jaw, or face, or a pimple-like bump on the gum
- A crown, filling, or bridge that has come off or broken
- Bleeding that doesn’t slow down with gentle pressure
- Pain after a recent extraction that gets worse instead of better
Hospital or Dentist?
Head directly to an emergency room for a possible jaw fracture, swelling that affects breathing or swallowing, a high fever alongside facial swelling, or injuries from a serious accident. For most Edison residents, the closest emergency department is JFK University Medical Center in Edison. Hospital ERs can manage pain, infection, and injuries, but they generally aren’t equipped to repair teeth, so call us once you’ve been stabilized.
Emergency Treatments Available at Our Office
Every emergency visit starts with finding the cause of the problem. Then we do as much as we safely can at that appointment to relieve pain and protect the tooth. Common emergency treatments for Edison patients include:
- Pain relief for an infected or inflamed nerve, with a referral for root canal treatment when it is needed
- Tooth extractions for teeth too damaged or infected to restore
- Temporary or permanent crowns for cracked and broken teeth
- Fillings and dental bonding to rebuild chipped teeth and replace lost fillings
- Treatment for abscesses and gum infections to relieve pressure and pain
- Reimplanting and stabilizing knocked-out or displaced teeth
When a tooth has to come out, we can walk you through replacement options at the same visit, including dental implants near Edison, placed at our office by our AAID-trained doctors.
Your Emergency Visit, Step by Step
Call first. Phone 732-381-7171 and describe what happened. Our team will judge how urgent it is, tell you if you should go to a hospital instead, and book the earliest available time.
Diagnosis. At the office, your dentist examines the area and takes the X-rays needed to see what’s happening below the surface. You’ll hear what we found, what we recommend, and what it will cost before treatment begins.
Treatment and a plan. Many emergencies can be treated or stabilized in that same visit. If you need follow-up care, such as a final crown, we’ll schedule it before you leave.
First Aid for Common Dental Emergencies
If a tooth is knocked out: Hold it by the crown, never the root. Rinse it briefly with milk or water if it’s dirty, but don’t scrub it or remove any tissue. Gently place it back in the socket, or store it in milk or saliva, and call us before you leave the house. Reaching our office within about 30 minutes gives the tooth its best chance, and most of Edison is under 15 minutes away.
If you have a bad toothache: Rinse with warm water and floss around the tooth to remove trapped food. Ibuprofen taken as directed is usually the most effective over-the-counter option for dental pain, and acetaminophen can also help. Hold a cold compress against your cheek for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Don’t place aspirin on the gum, since it can burn the tissue.
If a tooth breaks or a crown comes off: Keep the pieces or the crown and bring them to your appointment. Chew on the other side, and use pharmacy dental cement to hold a loose crown in place for now.
If your face or gums are swelling: Swelling usually means infection and should be seen quickly. Call us as soon as it starts, and go to the ER if it spreads toward your eye or throat or makes it hard to breathe or swallow.
Cost, Office Hours & Directions from Edison
Our emergency exam fee is $75, and a visit limited to the exam and one X-ray can be as low as $121. Before any treatment, we’ll review the cost with you. We’re happy to file insurance claims on your behalf. We are in network with Cigna PPO and Horizon Traditional plans, can apply out-of-network PPO benefits to your care, and CareCredit and Cherry financing are available.
We’re open Monday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. two Saturdays a month, and closed Wednesdays and Sundays. If a life-threatening emergency happens outside those hours, go to the nearest emergency room.
From Edison, take Route 27 or the Garden State Parkway to our office at 422 Fairview Avenue in Colonia. We also see emergency patients from nearby Metuchen, Iselin, and South Plainfield. Call 732-381-7171 or contact our office to be seen as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions About Emergency Dentistry in Edison
In most cases, yes. We set aside time for urgent cases and schedule emergency patients the same day whenever possible during office hours. Calling early in the day gives us the most flexibility to fit you in.
An emergency exam is $75. If your visit is limited to the exam and one X-ray, the total can be as low as $121. Any treatment beyond that is priced based on what you need, and we’ll go over the cost with you first. We accept CareCredit and Cherry financing and file insurance claims for you.
Our office is at 422 Fairview Avenue in Colonia, and most Edison patients get here in under 15 minutes by Route 27 or the Garden State Parkway.
Go to the ER, such as JFK University Medical Center in Edison, if you have a possible broken jaw, trouble breathing or swallowing, uncontrolled bleeding, or a high fever with facial swelling. For toothaches, broken teeth, lost fillings, and knocked-out teeth, call us first. Hospital ERs generally can’t repair teeth, while we can often treat the problem at the same visit.
Keep the crown or filling if you can find it and avoid chewing on that side. Dental cement from a pharmacy can hold a crown in place temporarily. Call us to schedule a visit so we can recement or replace it before the exposed tooth is damaged further.
Ibuprofen taken as directed on the package is usually the most effective over-the-counter option for dental pain because it reduces inflammation, and acetaminophen can also help. A cold compress on the outside of your cheek for 15 to 20 minutes can ease swelling. These are short-term measures, and severe pain still needs professional treatment.