Treating an Infected Tooth to Save Your Smile
A persistent toothache is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong inside the tooth. When bacteria reach the soft pulp at the center of a tooth, an infection takes hold, and the discomfort tends to grow rather than fade. When your general dentist refers you to our practice, our specialists work to find the source of the infection and create a personalized plan to clear it. In most cases that plan includes tooth infection treatment that saves the natural tooth instead of removing it.
What is a Tooth Infection?
What is a Tooth Infection?
A tooth infection happens when bacteria get past the hard outer layers of the tooth and reach the living pulp inside, where the nerves and blood vessels live. That usually starts with deep decay, a crack in the tooth, or a filling or crown that has worn out or come loose. Once bacteria reach the pulp, the tissue becomes inflamed and then infected, and the body cannot flush it out on its own.
Clearing the infection while keeping your own tooth in place is almost always the better outcome. No matter how effective modern artificial tooth replacements are, and they can be effective, nothing works as well as your own natural tooth. Infected tooth treatment is one of the most reliable ways we help patients keep a tooth that might otherwise need to be removed.
Signs You May Need Tooth Infection Treatment
An infection inside a tooth tends to make itself known. The most common sign is a persistent or throbbing toothache, sometimes bad enough to wake you at night. Many patients also notice sensitivity to hot and cold that lingers long after the food or drink is gone, along with pain when biting or chewing.
Other warning signs include swelling or tenderness in the gums near the tooth, a small bump on the gum that may come and go, darkening of the tooth, or a bad taste in the mouth. An untreated infection does not clear up on its own. Left alone it can progress to a tooth abscess and spread into the surrounding bone and tissue, so the sooner you are seen the better the outcome for your tooth.
How Root Canal Therapy Treats an Infected Tooth
Your visit starts with a friendly endodontic evaluation. We review your dental history, talk through your symptoms, and take advanced 3D cone beam (CBCT) images of the tooth. Those images, viewed through endodontic microscopes, let us see the full shape of the canals and confirm where the infection is before we begin.
For most infected teeth the answer is a tooth infection root canal. We numb the area with modern local anesthetic and isolate the tooth with a dental dam to keep it clean and protected. We then open the tooth, remove the infected and inflamed pulp, and clean and reshape every canal on a microscopic level with NASA-approved tools. After the space is thoroughly disinfected, we fill and seal it so bacteria cannot return, and your endodontist or general dentist restores the tooth with a permanent filling or crown.
If an infection lingers in a tooth that has already had a root canal, we may recommend endodontic retreatment to clean the canals again, or a small microsurgical procedure called an apicoectomy to treat the very tip of the root. Antibiotics can help control swelling and spread, but they cannot cure an infection sealed inside the tooth. Only removing the infected pulp through root canal therapy truly resolves the problem.
Comfort During Your Treatment
We know a painful, infected tooth is stressful, and we are here to help you feel at ease. Endodontists are experts in pain management, and most patients are surprised by how comfortable treatment feels once the tooth is numb. We keep you relaxed with amenities such as blankets, in-ceiling TVs, headphones, and music. For patients who would like more help relaxing, we offer sedation options including nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, oral sedation by taking a pill, or even IV sedation following a consultation. Our team checks in after treatment and is available by phone after hours to answer any questions.
Saving Your Natural Tooth
Treating the infection at its source stops it from spreading and keeps your natural tooth right where it belongs, which protects your bite and the bone around it, so you can eat, speak, and smile with confidence. Saving your own tooth is almost always preferable to removing it and replacing it with a dental implant or bridge. Our goal is to clear the infection, relieve your pain, and let you get back to enjoying the foods you love.
Have any additional questions?
Give us a call.
Do Not Wait to Treat an Infected Tooth
An infected tooth will not heal on its own, and the sooner it is treated the better the chances of saving it. Contact us today to schedule your endodontic evaluation at our location in Colorado Springs or Pueblo by calling 719-599-7665.
Tooth Infection Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
What causes a tooth infection?
A tooth infection happens when bacteria reach the soft pulp inside the tooth. That usually starts with deep decay, a crack in the tooth, or a filling or crown that has worn out or come loose. Once bacteria reach the pulp, the tissue becomes infected and needs treatment to heal.
Can a tooth infection go away on its own?
No. An infection sealed inside a tooth cannot clear up on its own, even if the pain comes and goes for a while. Left untreated it tends to worsen and can form an abscess and spread to nearby tissue, so it is best to be seen promptly.
How does a root canal treat an infected tooth?
During a root canal we remove the infected pulp from inside the tooth, then clean, disinfect, and seal the canals so bacteria cannot return. The tooth is then restored with a filling or crown. This clears the infection while keeping your natural tooth in place.
Do I need antibiotics for a tooth infection?
Antibiotics can help control swelling and keep an infection from spreading, and your endodontist may prescribe them in certain situations. However, they cannot cure an infection sealed inside the tooth. The infected pulp still has to be removed through treatment for the tooth to truly heal.
Is a tooth infection serious?
A tooth infection should always be taken seriously because it does not resolve on its own. Over time it can progress to an abscess and spread into the surrounding bone and tissue. Treating it early protects your health and gives your natural tooth the best chance of being saved.