The pain in your tooth has become unbearable. You thought it would go away on its own. Instead, it’s steadily become worse and worse.

Eating is a problem now. Trying to bite or chew hurts. Even drinking coffee or a smoothie causes pain if it gets near that one tooth You’ve noticed some problems with your gums as well, and you aren’t sure if that’s related. It seems likely since the gum problem and the painful tooth are near one another.

It sounds like the solution for your situation is a root canal at Davenport Dental Group in Laredo, TX. Please call our Junction Drive location at 956-242-6745 or our Winfield location at 956-517-2695 to make an appointment before your problem becomes worse.

The Cause Of The Problem

Root canals are the best treatment for infected teeth. The procedure removes the infected tissue from inside the tooth, saves the tooth, and restores its function.

Before we discuss how we can make your root canal as a pain-free as possible, we need to explain how teeth become infected.

Harmful bacteria are in your mouth right now. Those bacteria multiply daily, and they use the sugars in foods that you eat to create plaque, a sticky film that sticks to teeth. If the plaque is not removed by brushing or flossing it can harden into tartar, which is more difficult to remove.

Tartar can irritate your gums, leading to infections or periodontal disease. A symptom of this is a receding gumline, which can expose the roots of your teeth to the same bacteria, plaque, and tartar. If bacteria eats into the root of your tooth, then it can reach the pulp (a soft connective tissue found inside teeth). When the pulp is inflamed you can experience the painful toothache described in our introduction.

Of course, that’s not the only way for bacteria to get inside a tooth. A cavity is the result of bacteria damaging the enamel of a tooth. If decay isn’t fixed with a dental filling or crown, bacteria will eventually reach the pulp chamber at the center of your tooth. Again, this can cause the soft tissue inside to become inflamed and irritated.

Last but not least, you may have suffered a dental injury. A deep break or crack can allow bacteria to get deep inside a tooth faster than tooth decay.

Dealing With The Infection

As painful as this kind of infection can be, we also know that many people become anxious when they hear “root canal.”

This procedure has been maligned for years. In modern dentistry, we can attest this is reputation is not deserved. It’s possible to perform a root canal that no more painful than a filling.

With sedation dentistry, we can block pain during your procedure. Sedation has the added benefit of keeping patients calm and relaxed as well. It’s also likely that you won’t remember much if anything about the process if you are sedated.

After the infected material is removed, we fill your tooth and cap it with a crown. Your tooth can look and function as well as it ever has after you have recovered.

Let’s Stop The Pain

At Davenport Dental Group, we hope you will call us at the first sign of trouble with your teeth. If we can help you avoid a root canal, we will. However, you should know that we can do this for you when needed.

To request an appointment, fill out our online form or call 956-242-6745 (Junction Drive) or 956-517-2695 (Winfield).