What causes tooth pain?
A toothache or tooth pain can be caused by an irritation to the nerve in the root of your tooth. Common issues related to tooth pain include an infection of the tooth (abscess), tooth decay, or injury to the tooth.
Decay in almost all cases will only continue to progress, further compromising and weakening a tooth. Typically caries (cavities) will not hurt until they infect the pulp (nerve) of the tooth. At this point, typically more involved and expensive dentistry could be indicated.
You may be experiencing a high bite (or hyperocclusion) following restorative dentistry, or if your bite changes. Your bite will not correct on its own, and you will need to have your bite checked and occlusion adjusted.
Progression of Decay Video:
Inflamed nerve (pulpitis)
Abscess Video:
Abscess
Endodontic Abscess video:
Recession Video:
Root sensitivity can be caused by gum recession. You may experience tooth pain caused by hot, cold, air, sweets, or acidic foods and drinks due to an exposed root surface. It is important to note that gum recession involves not only your gums pulling away from your tooth, but more importantly, is secondary to bone loss underneath. This bone loss is caused typically by an inflammatory response to things like dental plaque, tarter, aggressive brushing, traumatic bite, or moving/shifting teeth. Recession may require soft tissue grafting in order to prevent further damage to the gums and surrounding bone tissue.
Toothache Symptoms
You may experience pain while chewing (pressure sensitivity), have hot or cold sensitivity (which may linger), have bleeding, swelling, or throbbing. Pain may travel through your jaw, and into your ear as well.
How can you prevent a toothache?
At Lepore Comprehensive Dentistry, we believe in prevention. By detecting infections, failing restorations or broken teeth, we can help you achieve your best oral health and prevent a troublesome toothache. This includes coming in for dental cleanings and examinations, having a healthy diet, and home care.
Solutions to toothaches include:
Bite adjustments (high bite) – also known as an equilibration. Equilibrations can be limited to one tooth, multiple teeth or all of your teeth to correct bite issues.
Desensitizer application
Root Surface Filling
Tissue grafting can be done to address receding gums, which can help to prevent bone loss that would jeopardize the root surface of the teeth. Grafting can also be used to improve the look of your smile and, in some cases, may be the only way to achieve an aesthetically-pleasing outcome.
This procedure involves taking gum tissue from another area of the mouth and placing it in the area of recession. The area is sutured and given time to heal. Your doctor will let you know when the area is fully recovered. Once healed, your gums will be returned to a healthy level that protects the underlying area and results in an improved smile.
Gum Grafting (recession)
A root canal is needed when the nerve of a tooth has become damaged by injury or infected by decay. This procedure saves the tooth and can help restore it to natural function.
For the first step of this procedure, your doctor numbs the area and then creates an opening in the tooth to access the root’s interior. Your doctor will then remove the infected tissue and flush and clean the area. Next, the root is filled with a special sealing material, and the opening is filled and sealed. The tooth has been saved and restored to its natural function.
Root Canal (pulpitis or abscess): If an abscess is present, or the nerve is experiencing an irreversible inflammation (irreversible pulpitis) your tooth may require a root canal.
Sometimes, teeth that have had root canal therapy do not heal properly, which can lead to pain and reinfection of the affected tooth.
A root canal re-treatment procedure can be done to remove the infection and save the tooth. The initial root canal treatment may not fully heal due to several causes which may include tooth decay or trauma, where bacteria is allowed to seep back into the root canal and reinfect the tooth.
During a root canal re-treatment procedure, your doctor first removes any existing restorative materials in order to regain access to the root canal. Once the restorative material is removed, the canals are thoroughly cleaned and examined for any additional or misshaped canals that may require treatment. Next, the root is refilled with a special sealing material, and the opening at the top of the tooth is also refilled and sealed. Once the root canal retreatment is complete and the infection removed, your doctor will design and place a new crown over the tooth, restoring it to proper form and function.
Retreatment of Previous Root Canal (abscess)
Apicoectomy (abscess)
Find tooth pain relief
Given the wide variety of tooth pain, it’s important to work with Dr. Lepore to perform an examination in order to diagnose the issue, and develop a treatment plan that best meet your oral health needs. Tooth pain is a signal that something is wrong, and waiting on treatment can result in further issues.
