San Antonio Toothache

If you’re experiencing a painful toothache, we’ll be happy to see you today during our regular hours. At Oak Hills Endodontics, we reserve time in our schedule for emergency toothache patients. While many of our patients come by referral from their general dentist, a referral isn’t necessary.

Sensitive Teeth

Teeth can become sensitive to certain stimuli, such as:

• Heat
• Cold
• Sweets
• Biting
• Air
• Recent dental work

When a tooth becomes extra sensitive, it usually means that there is some irritation of the pulp tissue inside the tooth. If the cause of the irritation isn’t addressed, it can cause the pulp to become so inflamed that it progresses to a full-blown toothache and the tooth then will need a root canal treatment.

If your tooth is just sensitive, we recommend addressing that with your family dentist. However, if you have a toothache, we will be able to help you. A way to tell if the sensitivity has progressed to the point where you need a root canal is how long the pain lasts after the stimulus. Simple sensitivity should go away as soon as the stimulus is removed. With a toothache, the pain will last more than a couple of seconds. Also, if the pain begins to come on spontaneously, it is a full-blown toothache and will need root canal therapy.

Treating a Toothache

If your tooth is infected, treating it promptly is important. An infection inside the pulp of your tooth can spread to your jawbone. In extreme cases, it can cause serious swelling, spread to other parts of your head, and affect your entire body. Take it seriously. There are about five to ten deaths a year from tooth infections in the United States.

If you have a toothache, just call. We save time every day for emergencies and will get you in right away. At your appointment, one of our endodontists will quickly relieve your pain. This is usually a fairly simple procedure. We will then discuss completing the treatment so the pain doesn’t return. To save your tooth, the treatment you’ll most likely need is a root canal. While this is usually an easy appointment, in case you’re nervous about it, we do offer sedation. We offer light sedation with nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation with Halcion. For more information about sedation, please see our dental sedation page.

Preventing Toothaches

Tooth decay is the cause of most tooth infections. To prevent decay, you probably know you need to brush and floss daily, limit your frequency of snacking, and come in for regular checkups. But it’s easy to get behind in your oral care. Sometimes people become embarrassed about their oral health and worry the dentist will scold them. We never scold, and we want you to feel good when you’re here. We enjoy helping anxious patients get on the road to good oral health.

Saving Your Tooth

When some people hear “root canal,” they get nervous. Root canals have a reputation for being painful, but modern technology makes them much easier. The most traumatic dental treatment is actually the alternative, extracting a tooth. During a root canal, Dr. Janse and his associates carefully preserve the tooth’s structure, using tiny precision instruments to remove the infected inner pulp gently and painlessly.

Once the root canal is completed, we will usually place a temporary filling and return you to your general dentist for a final restoration—usually a crown. A tooth with decay extensive enough to need a root canal will usually be weakened to the point where it needs a crown to prevent fracturing the tooth.

If you have a toothache, we can see you today at our San Antonio office during our regular business hours. Please call us at 210-342-2444. We are open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. A referral isn’t necessary.