Why does it hurt so bad when you have a toothache? When you get an infected tooth it will cause inflammation just like any other part of the body. Usually when inflammation occurs, for instance on a finger, the skin and tissue around the infection swell and stretch. However, in a tooth, the pulp is surrounded by hard tissue (dentin) and will not stretch so the pressure inside the tooth where the nerve is located will increase, causing the nerve to send signals to your brain of extreme pain. This is why it is so important to find a qualified endodontist to treat the problem and relieve the toothache.
When you visit Dr. Jon Jenson, he will conduct tests on the effected tooth to determine the best course of action. If the verdict is to perform root canal therapy there will be a series of steps he will proceed with:
- Administer local anesthetic and ensure that you are comfortable and numb
- Access the infected tooth pulp by opening a small hole on the biting surface of the tooth.
- Remove the decay and clean the inside of the tooth to remove the bacteria that is present
- Insert materials that will seal the inside from any future bacteria from entering and causing problems later
- Place a filling over the hole. Something to be aware of is that very often you will then need to get a crown placed on the tooth because the root canal will have weakened it and cause it to more easily break.
If you’ve already had a root canal but are still experiencing pain you may need to be looked at again and even have an apicoectomy, which is a way to re-treat a tooth that has already received root canal therapy but has not been successful. If you have questions about a toothache you have, please contact us. We would be happy to help relieve the pain you are experiencing.