Kids find creative ways to bump their teeth, from a tumble off the monkey bars to an elbow during a backyard game of tag, and grown-ups crack molars and lose fillings at the worst possible moments too. When it happens in your house, a calm plan helps everyone breathe a little easier.
Families along San Jose Boulevard, the neighborhood’s main parkway, can follow it north to Hendricks Avenue and JAX Dental Studio in San Marco. As a family-friendly dentist near San Jose, we see patients of all ages and hold same-day openings Monday through Thursday, with Dr. Charles Poblenz explaining each step to you and your child. San Jose is one of the areas we serve locally, and we keep the same Monday through Thursday hours for every family who calls.
For both children and adults, the question is whether a tooth is hurting badly, damaged, or at risk of getting worse before a routine visit. Problems in that category deserve a phone call the day they happen.
A permanent tooth that was knocked out or shoved out of line, a tooth that chipped or broke, a toothache strong enough to wake someone up, a crown or filling that came loose, and puffy gums around one tooth all qualify. For a child, a baby tooth injury still deserves a call, because the permanent tooth is developing right beneath it.
Start with the person, not the tooth. If there was a hard hit to the head or face, bleeding that keeps flowing, or any trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room before anything else. Once everyone is safe, we can look at the teeth.
Kids get hurt on their own schedule, and our office is open Monday through Thursday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM, and closed Friday through Sunday. Call as soon as you can on an open day and tell us who is hurt and how. Save any chipped pieces in a bag, and hold a cold compress on the outside of the cheek for 20 minutes at a time to ease swelling on the way over.
We are in network with BlueCross BlueShield, Humana, Cigna, Aetna, and Florida Combined Life, and we offer CareCredit, Cherry, and an in-house membership plan for patients without insurance.
Baby teeth and permanent teeth follow different rules. Do not put a knocked-out baby tooth back in its socket, because pushing it in can damage the adult tooth forming underneath. A pediatric dentist writing for Cincinnati Children’s explains that baby teeth are usually not put back for exactly this reason, while putting a grown-up tooth back is always the goal.
For a permanent tooth, hold it by the white top, not the root, and do not scrub it, though a brief rinse is fine if it landed in dirt. If your child can cooperate, gently ease it back into place. Otherwise, keep it in a small container of milk or a tooth preservation product and come straight in.
Speed matters here. The same article notes that the odds of saving a tooth become small once it has been out of the mouth for 60 minutes. Reaching us within about 30 minutes gives the tooth its best odds. Here is how our team cares for young patients before and after an injury.
Nervous kids get simple words and a slower tempo, and nothing happens without an explanation first. If the injury needs more care later, Dr. Poblenz handles the follow-up here, so your child sees the same faces each time.
From the waterfront estates to the Spanish Revival bungalows and midcentury ranch homes of San Jose, families want a dentist who treats everyone in the house. Dr. Poblenz, an Academy of General Dentistry member, treats every age group, so a child’s injury and a parent’s checkup can happen in the same familiar office.
If a permanent tooth is knocked out during a weekend, replant it or keep it in milk and seek emergency care right away, then let us know Monday so we can check it. Our online booking is open around the clock, so you can also request a time from home after the kids are asleep.
Bonding repairs chips and closes small gaps, usually in one visit, after the urgent problem has been treated. Families can fold that work into cosmetic dentistry in San Jose, which also covers veneers and tooth-colored fillings.
Children get hurt at inconvenient moments, and parents usually have questions before they have answers. Here is what families near San Jose ask us most.
Rinse the area gently with clean water, then press a clean cloth or gauze on the cut for about 15 minutes without peeking. A cold compress on the outside reduces swelling. If bleeding continues after that, the cut is deep or gaping, or your child took a hard blow to the face, go to the emergency room, then have us check the teeth.
Ask your pediatrician or pharmacist which product and dose fit your child’s age and weight, because children’s dosing is based on weight. Never give aspirin to a child or teen, and never place any tablet against the gum. A cold compress on the cheek eases swelling while you arrange a visit with us.
Coverage depends on your plan, and plans differ on waiting periods and annual maximums, so check those with your insurer. Most PPO plans are welcome here, and billing paperwork is handled for you. Fees are reviewed with you before treatment begins, and CareCredit and Cherry financing are offered for any remaining balance.
Yes, call us, because a hit hard enough to loosen a baby tooth can also affect the permanent tooth underneath. A tooth that is only slightly loose with little pain can usually wait for a call on the next open day. Do not let your child wiggle it, and offer soft foods in the meantime.
Tell us your child’s age, what happened, when it happened, and whether a tooth or piece of tooth was found. Mention any bleeding and any other injuries. If your child lost consciousness, keeps vomiting, seems unusually drowsy, or is confused after a head blow, skip our call and go straight to the emergency room.
A dental injury is a lot for a child, and a calm, kind team makes a real difference. Our hygienists and assistants work alongside Dr. Poblenz to keep visits gentle, and his training at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, where he earned his DMD in 2015, guides every exam. He explains what he sees to both you and your child, then leaves the decisions in your hands.
Parents without dental insurance can ask about CareCredit and Cherry financing for any treatment their child needs. If someone in your family has hurt a tooth, contact our office to request a same-day visit.
