Oral pain can be excruciating and can make daily tasks such as talking and eating extremely difficult. The best way to reduce your tooth or gum pain is to seek out professional dental care as soon as possible. A dental professional will be able to identify the source of your pain and suggest possible treatments.

There are many reasons you could have a toothache or oral pain, and the treatment you receive will be based on the diagnosis.

Cavity
Cavities are caused by tooth decay, a type of damage to your tooth that begins to eat away at the inner or outer layer. Cavities can be extremely painful, and depending on how severe they are, the necessary treatments will vary. Usually, your dentist will drill out the decayed part of your tooth and then fill the cavity. However, if your cavity is severe, then you might have to get a crown. A crown is used when the tooth is so decayed that not much of it is left. During this procedure, your dentist will remove and repair the decayed part and then fit a crown over the rest of the tooth. In some cases, the decay has damaged the root or pulp of your tooth so badly that you’ll need a root canal. In this procedure, your dentist will remove the decay as well as the pulp of your tooth and will usually install a crown afterward.

Abscessed Tooth
An abscess refers to a sack of pus that will develop around the root of an infected tooth. An abscessed tooth isn’t something you can treat on your own, you’ll need to visit a dentist or endodontist to get it treated. If you leave it alone, the infection could spread to your jaw, head, and neck. An abscessed tooth is usually caused by advanced tooth decay, a cracked tooth, or gum disease. Impacted wisdom teeth are the molars at the back of the mouth that can’t develop normally due to lack of space to emerge and are often removed. However, the common treatment for an abscessed tooth is a root canal, which was detailed above. Sometimes you might need surgery to drain a certain type of abscess, called a periodontal abscess.

While most people wish to avoid a surgical tooth extraction, it can sometimes be the only means of relieving oral pain. If your tooth is the cause of your pain and there are no other means of repair, a dentist will suggest a surgical tooth extraction procedure for your benefit. However, you can deny such a procedure if you choose, although it’s highly recommended that you follow the advice of your dental practitioner.

If you’re in need of an implant, oral or jaw surgery, and/or a tooth removal, then contact the office of Implant, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of Washington today.