Toothache? Don’t Suffer Needlessly!

Do you have pain when biting or chewing? Have you become excessively sensitive to hot or cold drinks or food? Have you noticed swelling in your gums or face? You could have damage to, or an infection of, your tooth’s pulp. Read on to learn why your tooth hurts and how we can help.

Did you know that your tooth is made of the hardest material in your body? The sturdy outer enamel layer allows you to chew your food with ease while it protects the next layer, the dentin, and the soft inner pulp from suffering any damage from all that chewing.

But when the pulp tissue is damaged through infection or trauma, your body is alerted and you experience sensitivity and pain. Fortunately, a fully developed tooth can survive without its pulp because surrounding tissues also provide essential nourishment to the tooth. This allows me to eliminate the cause of the discomfort and pain — and save your tooth — by removing the pulp in a process known as root canal therapy.

In a root canal treatment, an opening is made in the crown of your tooth and the infected or damaged pulp is removed. The cavity will be filled and the opening in the crown closed. Afterward, the tooth restoration will be completed with a filling or a permanent crown. The good news is that most patients report little or no pain during root canal therapy, and the restored tooth could last your lifetime.

Preserving your natural teeth is my goal because it allows you to enjoy better oral health now, with more options for future dental care. Because different dental conditions can share similar symptoms, you need to visit us so we can find the cause and determine if a root canal will bring the relief you seek for your specific case. If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment, call our office today.

Best,
Dr. Sonny Afshar