Toothaches in Chicago, IL

Certain warning signs mean a toothache needs same-day attention rather than a wait-and-see approach. Get in touch right away if you have severe or worsening pain that over-the-counter medication won't touch, visible swelling in your face or gums, a fever, a tooth that has broken or been knocked out, or pus draining near the tooth.

These symptoms usually point to an infection or an injury that only worsens without treatment. When you are not sure whether your situation counts, call us anyway. We would much rather check your toothache and put your mind at ease than have you gamble on it settling down.

Sometimes the pain eases up, but that does not mean the trouble is over. A toothache that fades can lull you into thinking the tooth healed, when in reality the underlying cause is often still there and quietly progressing.

In fact, a badly aching tooth that suddenly goes quiet can be a warning rather than a relief. It may mean the nerve has died, which hides the infection instead of clearing it. Any tooth pain that lingers or keeps returning deserves an evaluation rather than a wait.

Act quickly, because the first hour offers the best odds of saving the tooth. Keep these steps in mind:

• Pick the tooth up by the crown, never the root
• Rinse it gently with water if it is dirty, without scrubbing
• Try to slip it back into its socket and hold it there by biting on a cloth
• If it won't go back in, tuck it in a cup of milk or hold it in your saliva

Then get to our office or an emergency room within 30 to 60 minutes. Our traumatic injuries page walks through these steps in more detail if you want to be ready ahead of time.

Lying down changes the way blood moves through your head, sending a little more of it toward your face and jaw. That added pressure around an already irritated tooth can make a toothache throb harder the moment you settle into bed.

Being flat also removes the help that gravity gives you during the day, when fluids drain away from the area naturally. Propping your head up on an extra pillow and timing your pain medication for right before bed can take some of the edge off until you are seen.

They can. The roots of your upper back teeth sit remarkably close to the floor of your sinuses, so when the sinuses are congested or infected, that pressure can radiate downward and feel exactly like a toothache in those teeth.

The clue is usually the company it keeps. If your upper tooth pain arrives alongside a stuffy head or sinus congestion, Dr. Raffi can help sort out whether the source is truly the tooth or the sinus, so you get the right treatment instead of chasing the wrong problem.

The cost of treating a toothache tracks with whatever is causing it. A simple filling for early decay sits at the low end, while a root canal or an extraction costs more because more is involved. Until we identify the source of the pain, there is no single price to quote.

What we can promise is clarity. We go over a clear estimate with you before any treatment begins, and our Chicago and Bourbonnais, IL offices work with most insurance plans. Our financing options are there if you would like to break the cost into manageable payments.