In the previous blog, we discuss about what toothache is, We also points out that toothache can be caused by dental cavities, periodontal disease, infection and tooth crack.
To treat the toothache, dentist would first have to find out about the causes of the toothache. If the toothache is caused by tooth cavity, then the dentist would have to perform the filling procedure. The dentist would have to remove the decay on the tooth. With the deep decay, dentist would have to put a protective layer onto the deepest area of the cavity (closest in proximity to the dental pulp.) Then the filling material is to repair the tooth back to its original shape or its current optimal condition.
However, if the toothache is caused by bacteria infection, we can try to control the infection with antibiotics. However, later, the cause of infection would need to be addressed and this could be due to either periodontal disease or defect in tooth structure. If it is periodontally related, then periodontal cleaning would follow after the infection is being controlled by antibiotics. Or if the infection is due to the defect in tooth, dentist would have to repair the defect with either a filling materials or crown.
Sometimes, the infection cannot be adequately controlled by antibiotics because the nerve within the tooth is dying and is unable to fend off the bacteria attack. Then the dentist would need to perform root canal therapy to remove the dying nerve tissue in the tooth and disinfect the tooth.
If the toothache is due to tooth crack, dentist would first have to determine the severity of the tooth crack. If the crack is severe, the tooth might not be saved. If the crack is moderate in size, dentist can put a crown on the tooth in order to prevent the tooth from further damage. Crown holds the tooth together so that the crack cannot propagate. Sometimes, the crack is affecting the pulp and if that’s the case, dentist would need to do root canal therapy before the final crown is put on.
I know this is a lot of information in this article. In future, I will go more in depth about each scenarios. Thank you for reading. Happy Blogging!
Written by Daniel Tee, DDS, MS
If you have any questions or want to schedule an appointment, Please call 480-820-6131
Practicing Emergency Dentist Serving Tempe, Chandler, Phoenix, Mesa, and Gilbert Arizona
