Tooth pain can make it hard to eat, sleep, or focus on your day. Whether your tooth hurts a little or a lot, knowing your treatment options can help you feel better fast. At Westside Dental Center in Plantation, FL, Dr. Uttma Dham helps patients find out why their teeth hurt and fix the problem.
What Causes Tooth Pain?
Tooth pain happens for different reasons. You might have a cavity, an infection, a cracked tooth, or problems with your jaw. When you visit Dr. Dham at our Plantation dental office, she’ll examine your mouth carefully to find out what’s causing your pain. Then she’ll recommend the best treatment to help you feel better.
Dental Fillings: Fixing Cavities That Hurt
Cavities are one of the biggest reasons people get tooth pain. Cavities happen when bacteria in your mouth make acids that eat away at your tooth. This creates a hole that exposes the sensitive inside part of your tooth. That’s why it hurts when you eat or drink something hot, cold, or sweet.
A dental filling fixes the problem by removing the decayed part of your tooth and filling the hole with a strong material. This stops the pain because it:
- Gets rid of the bacteria causing the problem
- Covers up the sensitive parts of your tooth
- Brings your tooth back to its normal shape
- Stops the cavity from getting worse
Dr. Dham uses filling materials that match the color of your natural teeth. Most fillings can be done in just one visit, so you’ll feel better right away.
Root Canal Therapy: Saving Badly Infected Teeth
Sometimes a cavity goes really deep into your tooth. When it reaches the pulp (the center of your tooth with nerves and blood vessels), you’ll feel serious pain. This pain often gets worse at night or when you lie down. A root canal is needed to save your tooth and stop the pain.
Many people worry about root canals, but they’re not as scary as you might think. First, Dr. Dham numbs your tooth so you won’t feel anything. She makes a small opening in your tooth and removes the infected pulp and bacteria
Then she cleans and disinfects the inside of your tooth. She fills the space with a tooth-colored material that seals your tooth to keep out germs
A root canal helps you in several ways. It stops the severe pain, saves your natural tooth, keeps the infection from spreading, and helps you avoid losing your tooth. Dr. Dham has years of experience doing root canals. She’ll ensure you feel much better right after the treatment.
Dental Crowns: Protecting Weak or Damaged Teeth
Your tooth might hurt because it’s cracked, broken, or weakened by a large filling. When this happens, you might feel pain when you chew or when you eat something hot or cold. A dental crown can fix this problem and protect your tooth.
A crown is like a cap that covers your entire tooth. It helps relieve pain by:
- Protecting cracked teeth from breaking more
- Covering sensitive areas that hurt
- Making your tooth strong again
- Keeping bacteria out of damaged spots
Dr. Dham will prepare your tooth and make impressions so the lab can create your custom crown. You’ll wear a temporary crown while your permanent one is being made. When it’s ready, Dr. Dham will cement it in place. Your tooth will feel comfortable again and work just like normal.
Tooth Extraction: Removing Teeth That Can’t Be Saved
Dr. Dham always tries to save your natural teeth when possible. But sometimes a tooth is too damaged to fix, and removing it is the best choice. You might need an extraction if:
- Your tooth is too decayed or broken to repair
- Gum disease has made your tooth loose
- Your wisdom teeth are causing pain or infection
- Your mouth is too crowded and needs more space
Removing a problem tooth stops the pain by getting rid of the infection, relieving pressure, and letting your mouth heal properly. Dr. Dham performs tooth extractions carefully to make sure you’re comfortable. If you’re nervous about dental work, we offer sedation options to help you relax. After the extraction, Dr. Dham will talk to you about replacing the tooth with an implant, bridge, or denture.
TMJ Treatment: Fixing Jaw Problems That Cause Tooth Pain
Sometimes your teeth hurt, but the real problem is in your jaw joint. TMJ disorders affect the joint and muscles that move your jaw. This can cause pain in your teeth, face, neck, and shoulders.
Signs you might have TMJ problems include jaw pain, trouble chewing, clicking or popping sounds when you open your mouth, jaw that gets stuck, tooth pain without a clear cause, and headaches or earaches.
Dr. Dham offers several treatments for TMJ pain. Custom night guards or splints can reposition your jaw and stop you from grinding your teeth at night. Making changes to your lifestyle, like managing stress and doing jaw exercises, can also help. For more serious cases, Dr. Dham might suggest other treatments to relax your muscles and reduce swelling.
Treating TMJ problems doesn’t just stop tooth pain. It also helps your jaw work better and improves your quality of life.
Get Relief from Tooth Pain Today
Tooth pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Ignoring it can make the problem worse and harder to treat. Whether you need a filling, root canal, crown, extraction, or TMJ treatment, Dr. Dham has the experience to help you feel better.
At Westside Dental Center, we care about our patients who visit our Plantation, FL, dental office. We’re here to help everyone have healthy, pain-free smiles. Call us today or request an appointment with Dr. Dham online.