Dental Pain West Loop Chicago
If you have a toothache that isn’t going away, you may have damage to your tooth. This damage can be anything from a cavity to an abscess, which is a dangerous infection that could be life-threatening if not treated.
Our staff at Cameo Dental Specialists is experienced in treating dental pain and can put you at ease if you need treatment.
UNDERSTANDING DENTAL PAIN
What Are the Common Signs of Dental Pain?
Common signs of dental pain include toothache, sensitivity to hot or cold, pain while chewing, changes in your bite, or swelling in your gums. In case of infection, you could also experience pus or discharge from the gums, or a fever.
COMMON CAUSES OF DENTAL PAIN
There are various conditions that could be causing your dental pain. Whatever the cause, it is important to seek treatment from your dentist sooner than later. Waiting on a dental problem will only exacerbate the issue.
Gum Disease
Sensitive or bleeding gums and bad breath are common signs of gum disease. Gum disease causes your bone and soft tissues to dissipate over time. You will notice that your gum line is pulling back from the teeth, causing bacteria pockets in the gums. Teeth will also appear longer as a result of gum recession. This damages your bite as well as the aesthetics of your smile. Not only will your bite feel different, but oral appliances will no longer fit well either. Gaps between the teeth will also begin to form as they shift.
When Should I See a Specialist for Gum Disease?
If you are experiencing pain, sensitivity, or bleeding in your gums, you should schedule an appointment with a periodontist.
Cavities
Common signs of having a cavity include bad breath, a toothache, and sensitivity to hot or cold food and drinks. You may also feel a sharp shooting pain.
Cavities can look like white, brown, or black spots. Sometimes they are not noticeable without an x-ray.
With a dental filling, our dentist can repair a small cavity in your tooth. As a first step, we will drill and remove the decay from the tooth in order to prepare it for filling. Afterward, we will fill the hole left in the tooth with a tooth-colored material.
Dental Abscess
A dental abscess is a pocket of pus caused by infection. This can be from a cavity or some type of dental trauma. Needless to say, this is very painful, and can cause a lot of pain in your tooth. If you get an abscessed tooth due to untreated tooth decay, you may need a root canal treatment.
When Should I See a Specialist for Cavities or Abscesses?
The most obvious sign that you need a cavity filled or a root canal can be a pain in a tooth, but there can be other symptoms that will alert you that something is wrong. Sudden sensitivity to hot or cold, pain when chewing, tenderness in the tooth, swelling around the gum line, and drainage are some of the things to look out for. In some cases, you will have no symptoms.
Dental Trauma
Dental trauma can be caused by any type of injury to your face. Many people who play sports experience dental trauma at some point, especially those who play contact sports such as football. Accidents, including car accidents and slip-and-fall accidents, can also result in dental trauma. Fights, being hit in the face, and even biting down on a hard piece of candy or other hard foods can lead to dental trauma.
When Should I See a Specialist for Dental Trauma?
Dental trauma is a large category that includes any type of damage to the teeth, tongue, gums, lips, or jawbone. This type of trauma can occur in many different ways. One thing that all types of dental trauma have in common, though, is that they need immediate attention.
DENTAL PAIN EXPERTS NEAR WEST LOOP CHICAGO
Our Cameo Dental Specialists include endodontists, periodontists, and oral surgeons. We are here to meet all of your oral health care needs.
Root Canal: Endodontists
Root canals are one of the most common procedures performed in our office, and they take about an hour per tooth. One our endodontists will first numb the area that needs to be treated.
Once the medicine is working, a hole will be drilled into the tooth to reach the infection and allow it to drain. We will clean the area thoroughly with a particular solution, and then the hole is filled with a resin material. If the tooth is still viable, that will complete the treatment, but a separate visit will be required to place the permanent crown if needed.
Gum Disease Treatment: Periodontists
Periodontists are specialists of the soft tissues (gums) in your mouth. They look for loose teeth and receding gums both in the upper and lower jaw. Periodontal maintenance, which is the cleaning procedures necessary to halt the progression of gum disease, is their specialty. Periodontal maintenance is typically recommended every three to four months for those with gum disease.
If you have advanced gum disease, surgical treatments are also available such as gingivectomy, pocket reduction surgery, or bone grafting.
Tooth Extraction and Wisdom Tooth Extraction: Oral Surgeons
Dental trauma may require tooth extraction or other repairs to your teeth and gums if your tooth cannot be saved.
Depending on the tooth, condition, and severity, one of our oral surgeons will perform either a simple extraction or a surgical extraction.
Simple tooth extractions occur using an elevator tool to move and lift the tooth out of the gums, while a surgical extraction requires sedation and a more in depth process, which sometimes involves breaking the tooth into pieces in order to remove it. Wisdom tooth extractions are often surgical procedures.
SCHEDULE TREATMENT FOR YOUR DENTAL PAIN WITH OUR CHICAGO SPECIALISTS TODAY!
Filling cavities, treating dental trauma, and performing root canals are routine procedures that we do on an outpatient basis at Cameo Dental Specialists to save a patient’s tooth and clear infection. If you have pain in one of your teeth, please call us at (872) 246-7525.