Severe tooth pain? Call us now:
(02) 4208 0155
- Same-day emergency appointments available
- The only specialist endodontic clinic in Wollongong
- Call directly for fastest response — do not use the online form for same-day emergencies
Signs you need emergency endodontic care
- Severe spontaneous throbbing tooth pain
- Pain keeping you awake at night
- Extreme sensitivity to hot or cold that lingers for minutes after the stimulus is removed
- Swelling of the face, jaw or gum
- A tooth that has suddenly darkened
- An abscess or pimple on the gum near a tooth (with or without pus)
- A knocked-out, loose or displaced tooth after injury
- Any dental pain that is severe and uncontrolled
These are all signs of acute irreversible pulpitis or acute apical abscess — both are best managed by a specialist endodontist as early as possible.
Same-day emergency appointments
We prioritise patients in pain. We hold time in our daily schedule specifically for emergency patients:
- Call (02) 4208 0155 for same-day assessment
- Opening hours: Monday–Friday 9am–5pm
- Tell us you have an emergency when you call — we will do our best to see you the same day
- After hours: if pain is severe and uncontrolled, attend your nearest hospital emergency department. Wollongong Hospital is the closest ED.
What happens at an emergency appointment
The priority is to get you out of pain safely and stabilise the tooth. A typical emergency visit includes:
- Thorough clinical assessment and diagnosis — history, clinical tests, pulp vitality, biting tests.
- Immediate pain relief — effective local anaesthetic administered before anything else.
- Imaging — periapical radiograph and CBCT where indicated.
- Emergency treatment if clinically appropriate on the day — pulpotomy, pulpectomy, or drainage of an abscess.
- Clear treatment plan explained before any treatment commences, with a written quote.
- Report sent to your referring dentist same day.
Most patients leave with dramatically reduced pain — often immediate relief once the source of infection is addressed.
Why see a specialist for dental emergencies
- Diagnose and treat the cause — specialist endodontists treat the source of dental pain, not just the symptoms. Painkillers and antibiotics alone rarely resolve the problem.
- CBCT 3D imaging — identifies problems invisible on standard X-rays, including resorption, fractures and additional canals.
- Operating microscope — up to 25× magnification for precision treatment, especially important in difficult or previously treated teeth.
- Fotona SkyPulse laser (SWEEPS) — deeper disinfection of infected root canal systems.
- Higher success rates on complex, difficult, and retreatment cases — which is where most emergency patients present.
For referring dentists — emergency referral process
For urgent patient referrals:
- Call (02) 4208 0155 directly
- Do NOT use the online referral form for same-day emergencies
- Tell us: patient name, tooth number, symptoms, urgency
- We will give you an appointment time immediately
- Report sent electronically same day
Call (02) 4208 0155 Refer a Patient
Frequently Asked Questions
Call (02) 4208 0155 directly — do not use the online form for emergencies. We will do our best to see you the same day. We hold time in our daily schedule specifically for referred patients in pain.
Do not touch the root. If possible, pick the tooth up by the crown, rinse it briefly in cold water if dirty, and replant it into the socket immediately. If replantation is not possible, store the tooth in milk or saliva — never water — and come in without delay. Call us: (02) 4208 0155. Time is critical: the first 30 to 60 minutes determine the outcome.
No. Local anaesthetic is administered before any treatment begins, and supplementary techniques are used for teeth that are difficult to numb (the classic hot lower molar). The procedure itself is comfortable. It is the underlying pulpitis or abscess before treatment that causes pain — treatment relieves it.
If pain is severe and uncontrolled after hours, attend your nearest hospital emergency department. For dental trauma, facial swelling affecting breathing or swallowing, or fever, attend the ED immediately. Call us first thing the following business morning on (02) 4208 0155 to arrange specialist follow-up.
A referral from your dentist is preferred but not always required for emergency assessment. If you are in severe pain, call us on (02) 4208 0155 and we will advise. For most emergency patients, we will liaise with your general dentist after the appointment to coordinate ongoing care.
Our standard fixed-fee schedule applies. Consultation and radiographs: $300. Root canal treatment from $2,100. A full written quote is given before any treatment begins. HICAPS is available on-site for same-day health fund rebate claims.