Some dental problems announce themselves loudly, like a pounding toothache, while others are quieter, like a crown that pops off while you chew. Both can leave you unsure whether to call a dentist today or wait for a regular appointment.
St. Nicholas sits just east of San Marco, so reaching JAX Dental Studio means heading west on Atlantic Boulevard to San Marco Square, then turning south on Hendricks Avenue to our office. As a dentist near St. Nicholas, we hold time each Monday through Thursday for urgent visits, and we can often re-cement a crown or replace a lost filling during that same appointment. St. Nicholas is among the areas we serve nearby, just east of our Hendricks Avenue office.
A simple test is to ask whether the problem is getting worse, keeping you from eating or sleeping, or leaving part of a tooth exposed. If the answer to any of those is yes, it is worth a same-day call.
Sharp or constant tooth pain, a permanent tooth that was knocked out, swelling or a gum bump near one tooth, and a tooth that broke with a jagged edge all belong in this group. A lost crown or filling does too, because the tooth underneath is open to decay, sensitivity, and further breakage until it is covered again.
A lost crown alone is not a hospital matter, but heavy bleeding, an injury to the face, or any struggle to breathe or swallow is, so call 911 or go to an emergency room for those. Once you are safe, we can check the teeth. Our online booking is open at any hour, so you can request a dental follow-up as soon as you are home.
Timing shapes your next step, because our office is open Monday through Thursday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM and closed Friday through Sunday. Call as early in the day as you can and tell us what happened, and we look for a spot in the time we reserve for emergencies. If the problem starts on a Friday and the tooth feels comfortable, protect it and call when we open Monday morning.
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.
A lost restoration is one of the more manageable dental emergencies. Put the crown in a small bag or container and bring it with you, along with any chips of tooth, because a crown in good shape can often be cleaned and cemented back on. If you swallowed it or cannot find it, that is okay, and we can still protect the tooth. Until then, chew on the other side and brush the area gently so food does not pack in.
Loose crowns are a common problem. In a 2022 study of more than 1,000 single crowns, published in the European Journal of Oral Sciences, Swedish researchers found that loss of retention, meaning the crown came unstuck, was the leading single reason crowns failed. After a quick exam and digital X-rays, Dr. Poblenz explains which repair fits your tooth.
A lab-made porcelain crown takes a few weeks, and we start that process with our iTero 5D digital scanner, which captures a 3D impression in minutes without trays of impression putty. When the finished crown arrives, Dr. Poblenz checks the fit and your bite and makes small adjustments before cementing it in place.
Dr. Poblenz and our team complete continuing education hours every year that far exceed what Florida requires, and we bring tools like the iTero 5D scanner and digital X-rays into everyday care. Our approach is relationship-driven, which means honest talk, every option explained, and the final decision left to you.
Even a small repair gets an unhurried explanation, with time for your questions before anything is cemented. If the tooth under an old crown has broken down too far to hold a new one, he talks with you about other choices, including removing the tooth and replacing it, and he explains the trade-offs of each so you can decide with the full picture.
Tooth-colored bonding repairs small chips and gaps, usually in one visit and with little or no removal of enamel. Adults with chips or worn edges are matched with cosmetic dentistry in St. Nicholas, from bonding to porcelain veneers.
Neighbors in St. Nicholas often call with the same practical questions before they come in. Here are clear answers you can use right away.
No, an abscess does not heal without treatment. The pimple-like bump may drain and the pain may ease for a while, but the source of the infection stays inside the tooth or gum. Antibiotics settle an active infection, yet the tooth itself still needs a root canal or removal, so call us even if the pain improves.
Stick to soft, lukewarm foods such as yogurt, eggs, mashed potatoes, or soup, and chew on the side away from the problem tooth. Avoid very hot, very cold, sticky, or hard foods, which can set off pain or break a weakened tooth. Rinse gently with warm water after eating so food does not stay packed around the area.
Please do not use household glue, which can burn the gum and keep the crown from seating properly. A pharmacy dental cement kit is a short-term option, but skip it if the tooth is sore or the crown does not slide on easily. Keep the crown clean, bring it with you, and call us so the dentist can check whether it can be re-cemented.
X-rays show what the eye cannot, including cracks near the root, decay under an old filling, and infection in the bone. Our digital images appear on a screen within moments, and Dr. Poblenz walks you through what each one shows before he suggests treatment. That way the plan comes from a diagnosis rather than a guess.
No, root canal therapy and dental crowns are both provided at our office, so the same team handles your emergency visit and the follow-up. A lab-made crown takes a few weeks, and a temporary crown protects the tooth in between. If a tooth needs to come out, extractions are also done here.
From the homes around St. Nicholas Town Center to the streets near Bishop Kenny on Atlantic Boulevard, our San Marco office is a natural stop for a quick repair. Dr. Charles Poblenz earned his DMD from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry in 2015 and is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and he color-matches each new crown to the teeth around it.
When a new crown is needed, we file the insurance claim for you, and our team checks your benefits before treatment so the cost is clear from the start. If a crown or filling just came out, request a same-day visit and bring the pieces with you.
