One of the most common concerns for people who experience toothache is whether severe tooth pain can lead to extraction. In this article, we discuss when tooth extractions are necessary and when toothache can be treated with less radical procedures.
Can Severe Tooth Pain Lead to Extraction?
Severe tooth pain indicates an infection, which can lead to extraction if left untreated. Furthermore, an untreated tooth infection can spread to the surrounding tissues (gums and jawbone) and to the teeth, and even lead to a life-threatening abscess. That is why it is essential to make an appointment with your dentist as soon as the toothache begins, or go to an emergency dental office if the pain is severe. Remember that a tooth infection never goes away on its own, and proper dental treatment and, in some cases, a course of oral medication are required.
Other symptoms that can signal infection, apart from severe pain, include:
- Persistent unpleasant taste in the mouth and bad breath
- Sensitivity of the tooth to hot and cold foods and beverages
- Changes in the color of the tooth (can become brown, gray, or black)
- Swelling in the gums around the tooth or in the jaw
- Cysts or pimples on the gums around the infected tooth
- Fever in combination with other symptoms
Typically, severe toothache and the other symptoms we mentioned above are caused by an infection that has reached the tooth’s pulp, not just a simple cavity. Such an infection is typically treated with root canal therapy. Let us look at the procedure in more detail.
How an Infected Tooth Can Be Saved with Root Canal Therapy
Root canal therapy can help save an infected tooth, provided the infection has not severely damaged the tooth’s structure or spread to the surrounding tissue. During root canal therapy, your dentist accesses the inner chambers of the tooth through its crown, removes the infected pulp, and cleans the canals. Then, the tooth is filled with special biocompatible material and sealed.
Root canal therapy typically takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the complexity of the case. Recovery usually takes around 10 days. During this period, you are likely to experience some soreness and temperature sensitivity in the treated tooth. Still, the procedure offers immediate relief from the pain you experienced before the root canal. In many cases, a dental crown is required after root canal therapy, as the tooth is typically weakened by infection and the procedure, and the risk of future fracture is high.
When an Infected Tooth Has to Be Extracted
As we mentioned earlier, if the infection is extensive and the tooth’s structure is severely damaged, it may not be possible to save the tooth with root canal therapy; it may need to be extracted instead. Also, teeth that become reinfected after a prior root canal procedure or infected wisdom teeth are typically extracted.
Tooth extraction is a surgical procedure that can take as little as 10 minutes if no complications arise. The surgery is performed under local anesthesia, which blocks pain, and patients typically feel noticeable relief after extraction compared to the pre-procedure toothache. The recovery time for tooth extraction is typically 10 to 14 days.
Make an Appointment at Highland Smiles
If you experience severe pain or other symptoms of dental infection, as listed in this article, do not hesitate to make an appointment with El Cajon’s top dentist. Remember that the sooner you address the issue, the more chances you have to save your tooth from extraction. We are looking forward to your visit.
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