Severe toothaches can cause loss of time at work or school, according to the American Association of Public Health Dentistry. Toothaches may occur suddenly without warning or gradually over a long period of time. A painful tooth requires prompt dental treatment to bring relief.
Filling
A tooth is composed of an outer layer of enamel and an inner layer of dentin. Dentin contains microscopic tubules extending to the nerve of the tooth. Dental decay causes tooth sensitivity to hot, cold, and sweets after it breaks through the enamel and exposes the dentin, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Removing the decay and placing a filling in the cavity brings instant relief in most cases. Deeper decay results in a mild toothache for several days due to inflammation of the dental pulp. Persistent or worsening symptoms means the tooth will require further treatment, such as root canal therapy.
Crown
A tooth with a large filling or extensive decay is susceptible to cracking, according to the American Dental Association. A crack causes pain during chewing. The treatment for a cracked tooth is a crown that protects it from further cracking. Persistent pain on biting after a crown procedure usually indicates an inflamed or infected pulp requiring root canal treatment.
Endodontics
In most cases of a severe toothache, the dental pulp has become severely inflamed or infected and will not resolve until removed from inside the tooth. Endodontic or root canal therapy is the procedure for accomplishing this. The dentist makes a small opening in the top of the tooth. Small endodontic instruments pass through this opening to clean the diseased pulp from inside the tooth. A root canal filling material placed in the space created during this process seals the root from future infection. This dental therapy successfully treats most teeth, according to the American Association of Endodontists.
Extraction
A filling, crown or root canal treatment cannot save all painful teeth from extraction. Extensive decay destroys too much solid tooth structure, leaving too little remaining tooth to retain. Extracting the tooth is the only available option to relieve the pain in these cases. Tooth with fractured roots or inadequate supporting bone also require removal.
Cleaning
An abscess in the gum surrounding a tooth can cause a toothache according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. This occurs when a periodontal pocket forms outside the tooth. Bacteria in this pocket are not accessible to brushing and flossing and result in the formation of an infection. This can cause a mild to moderate toothache. A dental cleaning alone or in conjunction with antibiotics will usually alleviate this toothache.
