Root canal headaches can be extremely painful; so much so that they may deprive you of your sleep. They are mostly caused due to a flawed root canal treatment, or any new infection that sets in after sometime since placing the crown/completing the root canal treatment. Often, in order to stop the pain, you are forced to resort to a regular dose of pain killers for some relief. However, it is best not to consume pain killers for too long and you should seek medical attention quickly.

To further understand how root canal headaches are caused, here is a brief look at the cause and procedure of root canal treatment itself. Root canal – as the term indicates – is a treatment methodology to cure the infection that sets in the canal of a human tooth. The damage can be the result of an untreated cavity, gum disease or trauma to the tooth, but if left untreated, the infection could affect the nerves and kills the dental pulp, and spread to the other parts of the mouth, destroying the jaw bone and leading to other complications, even to a life threatening extend. If you do not do a root canal treatment, there is not other choice left, but to remove the damaged tooth.

The root canal treatment involves removing all the affected pulp, bacteria, puss, and any other decay from the cavities of the damaged tooth and filling the resulting space with neutral, medicated dental materials; so that, after the treatment, the tooth can stand on its own and perform almost all of its normal functions as if it were a live tooth. The entire procedure of root canal treatment may involve 3-4 sittings with an endodontist, and it may cost a few hundred to thousands of dollars, depending upon the complexity of the situation.

If everything goes fine and the root canal treatment nearly perfect, the tooth will cure within a week’s time and it will function almost normally as any other tooth. But if the dentist or endodontist, who had performed the cleaning of the canals, failed to cleanout the canals fully or missed a canal by accident, the infection or bacteria within the canals remains, and within few days, it’ll again spread to the jaw bone or nearby tooth, resulting in uncontrollable pain. If someone who has recently undergone a root canal treatment feels persisting pain in the operated tooth that increases in intensity with time, it can be a budding root canal headache, and hence must consider consulting a specialist immediately.

The treatment for root canal headache includes antibiotics to kill the inflammation and pain, and a second root canal treatment to cleanout the newly set in infection.

Tail Piece: Root canal headache is more of a common man’s slang than a technical term. Medical science often refer it as the headache due to a miscarried out root canal treatment.

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Many people have gone through the unfortunate experience of a wisdom tooth infection or at least know of someone, a relative or a friend, who has experienced such pain. Wisdom teeth infections are synonymous with excruciating pain, unpleasant visits to the dentist, operations and severe pain after such operations. Let us discuss why wisdom teeth get infected and how such a problem is usually treated.

To start off with, wisdom teeth are the molars which start to erupt at the very back of the dental arch, usually at the age of about twenty one. Not everybody has wisdom teeth; in fact a large portion of the population are born with congenitally missing wisdom teeth. In an even greater portion of people the wisdom teeth are present but never erupt, they remain in a so called ‘dormant’ state hidden beneath the level of the gums at the very back of the mouth. Lack of space for eruption is the reason for these teeth remaining unerrupted. As long as these unerupted wisdom teeth are completely embedded underneath the gums, they never give any problems because they are in a sterile environment where bacteria cannot penetrate.

Problems start to arise when wisdom start to erupt into space which is not big enough to accommodate the whole crown of the tooth; in many cases the wisdom tooth will be angulated and will become impacted or stuck behind the second molar. Since part of the tooth would have broken through the gums it then becomes susceptible to infections. This is because part of the tooth would become covered with flaps of gums which are difficult to clean and therefore serve as reservoirs for debris and bacteria. Long standing inflammation of the gums surrounding these partially erupted wisdom teeth may sometimes progress to an infection of the wisdom tooth, or as it is technically called, pericoronitis.

Patients suffering from such a condition experience severe pain of the associated side of the face, sometimes spreading to the ear and temporal region of the head. Swelling of the face due to accumulation of pus is also common, as is difficulty in opening the mouth and difficulty in eating. Ulceration of the gums overlying the affected wisdom tooth may also occur due to constant friction between these inflamed and swollen gums and the teeth in opposing dental arch.

Visiting a dentist is imperative when experiencing such symptoms; infections of lower wisdom teeth can sometimes be life threatening if left untreated since the swelling may spread to the airways and impede breathing. Treatment of these types of infections is split into two: the acute treatment phase (basically treating the infection which is causing pain), and the long term treatment phase (dealing with the wisdom tooth which caused the infection in the first place).

To treat the acute infection the patient is usually prescribed a broadspectrum antibiotic; this is sometimes given intravenously in a hospital setting in very severe cases. An antiseptic mouthrinse or gel is also recommended to help reduce the bacterial load around the infected wisdom tooth. And last but not least, good oral hygiene instructions should be provided to the patient so that he or she may clean the area of the infected wisdom tooth with a toothbrush and toothpaste to speed up the healing process.

Once the acute infection has healed, a process which usually takes five to six days, a decision is taken to either remove the wisdom tooth or to leave it in place. The dentist will ask questions during the first visit such as: Is this the first time that the patient has experienced such an infection of this particular tooth? Is the tooth erupting or is it impacted? Has this tooth got infected due to very bad oral hygiene? Can oral hygiene be improved thus preventing a future infection? Will removal of the tooth require surgery? These questions together with radiographic examination will help the dentist decide on which line of action to take.

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As digital technology advances, laser application has become the trend in modern dental practices. The Laser is a modern and innovative tool in the hands of a qualified dentist. The term LASER stands for “Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation”. Lasers deliver energy in the form of light which allows for specificity in the treatment. Use of the laser in dentistry increases the efficiency, ease and comfort of the treatment.

Laser application is of two types, namely, hard tissue application and soft tissue application. A laser can be used in hard tissue application for the prevention of dental caries, bleaching, removal and curing, preparation of cavities, addressing dentine or bone hypersensitivity, growth modulation and for the purpose of diagnostics. The soft tissue applications include wound healing, removal of damaged tissue, uncovering of partially erupted teeth or impacted teeth treating oral cancers, re-conturing of crowns and frenectomies.

Lasers used in dental treatment or surgeries act as a cutting instrument. The intensely focussed light energy interacts with some of the biologic tissues to cut or open the surface of the tooth. It also acts as vaporiser of tissues making removal of dead or damaged tissue much easier. As compared to the practice of dental drilling, the use of lasers in dental treatments cause less pain, thus reducing the need for an anaesthetic. It reduces the anxiety in patients who have a fear of dental drills making the experience much more comfortable. Laser use minimises the bleeding and swelling of the treated area, thus causing less discomfort to the patient.

In laser assisted root canal treatment, the doctor can access the root canal of the tooth, remove the damaged or infected pulp, clean the internal area, fill and seal it. The tooth is restored by fitting a cap or crown so that the patient goes back to use the tooth in the normal manner.

The advantage of laser technology in dentistry is that it targets bacteria or infected tissue with better accuracy. As a result, it preserves a larger portion of the healthy tooth structure which is good for the patient. There is no discomfort associated with the jarring sounds of the drill and there is much less bleeding during the procedure. All this reduces the chance of infection, adds to the patient comfort and makes for an easier surgery.

Professional Laser Dentistry makes for an innovative dental practice although some precautions must be taken. Protective eyewear is crucial for the doctor, the chair side assistants as well as the patient during a laser dental procedure.

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Dental emergencies are common and sometimes unavoidable. Emergency dental care is an important part of the daily schedule of any dentist. While periodontal problem is the most widespread reason for seeking emergency intervention, dental emergencies also arise due to dental trauma following an accident. When a sudden dental problem occurs, do not panic. Maintain your calm and rush to your dentist’s clinic. And in case, a sharp toothache strikes in an unearthly hour or when you are on a vacation, try some time tested home remedies that can provide temporary relief from the dental problem.

Emergency dental care at home for toothache

If you ignored your oral health for a prolonged period, then you have a higher risk of developing periodontal problems that may lead to toothache, gum inflammation, bleeding gum and other dental problems that would force you to seek an emergency appointment with a dentist. In the meantime, you can curb the pain with an over-the-counter pain relief medication. The anti-inflammatory analgesics offer additional benefit of reducing the inflammation of the gum. Rinsing the mouth with warm saline solution may help to ease the toothache. Salt water is a natural disinfectant that kills bacteria responsible for your oral problems. Rinsing also helps to flush out food particles or debris trapped in between the teeth.

Oil of clove is a time tested home remedy for toothache. It contains eugenol, a chemical that numbs the nerve endings, thereby reducing the dental pain.

To reduce further dental problems before you visit your trusted dentist, avoid the affected area while eating.

However, none of the aforementioned emergency dental care solutions can provide permanent relief from the dental problem that triggers pain. Your dentist is the only person who can provide a permanent solution to your dental problem.

Emergency dental care for broken tooth

The excruciating pain that a person experiences after breaking a tooth is due to the exposed area or the dentin. If you are seeking for a temporary relief before visiting your trusted dentist, consider covering the exposed area with a sugar free gum. You might even find kits in your neighborhood drug store that covers exposed dentin. But this sealant can provide relief only for a day or two.

If you failed to preserve the broken pieces of the tooth, there is no need to worry. Your dentist can easily repair it with a crown. Root canal treatment is another popular option for covering the exposed area.

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The pain sensation of a root canal is generally the pain brought on by the infection which the procedure is designed to eliminate. Root canal treatments tend to be an extremely effective method of preserving your tooth from an infection and in the long run removal. Together with today’s technology and resources there isn’t any cause to worry about a root canal. However, permanent root canal care is a debatable topic inside the alternative dental care community. It is understood that it’s extremely hard to completely sterilize the canals inside the teeth knowing that a number of microorganisms will continue to be within the very small tubules within the system.

Root canal treatments are generally costly, and really should only be taken modestly upon teeth which only need the procedure. Ahead of when any kind of treatment is to occur, the dental practitioner will initially request you to have an x-ray from the impacted row of teeth prior to when the treatment commences. Root canal methods are highly effective in over 95 % of treatments but in rare circumstances, an unseen impaired canal offshoot can go undetected, resulting in the problem having to be addressed on more than one occasion. Typically, root canal methods are carried out employing a microscopic lens. Research has revealed that surgical effect shows improvements with increased strength of magnification.

The teeth which endure root canal procedures typically demand a crown. This particular treatment course will assist in alleviating discomforts. It will also act as a preventative measure given your teeth on both sides of a removed tooth will quickly fail in to the vacant areas, as well as the teeth below or above your tooth having been removed will start to over-erupt. It is recommended to consult with your own dental professional the particular ramifications associated with teeth removal, along with the longer term implications involving extractions, and also alternatives like the best way to populate such a space by making use of bridges, detachable prosthesis, or even dental implants if suggested by your dentist.

Teeth utilize their neighbors to help reinforce their strength, plus, with a particular tooth absent, they will begin to “collapse”. Over time this will worsen the bite resulting from changes in reaction to pressure applied. This could certainly bring about issues with your entire jaw, for example. Teeth which have experienced a root canal procedure frequently need a crown to shield them against further damage.

Infections inside of the teeth tend not to react to prescription antibiotic medication. The soreness brought on by the problem limits the tooth’s blood flow, therefore medications within the circulatory system cannot get to the problem effectively. An infection of the pulp is often attributable to injury towards the teeth, strong corrosion, splits and chips, as well as repetitive dental care treatments. Warning signs of the problem is often recognized as noticeable damage or inflammation in the teeth, level of responsiveness to hot and cold temperature, or discomfort within the teeth coupled with gums. In the event that you are experiencing some of these tooth discomforts, it is quite possible that you may benefit from a root canal procedure.

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