Tooth sensitivity is more than just a nuisance. Not only does it prevent you from enjoying your favorite food and drinks; it could indicate a serious problem within the offending tooth.
Sensitive teeth are tricky, though. Sometimes, it suggests a serious complication, and other times it’s a mere annoyance and nothing more. So how can you tell? Unfortunately, it’s not always easy without the help of a dental specialist.
What is an Endodontist?
An endodontist is a dentist who undergoes additional training after receiving a doctorate degree in dentistry. This additional training equips them to diagnose and treat disorders and diseases of the pulp tissue and roots of the teeth. The pulp is the soft tissue, containing nerves and blood vessels, that resides inside the hollow interior chamber of each tooth.
Many people call endodontists root canal specialists. While that is a true statement, it is not a great term because it implies that root canals are all that they do. Endodontists are excellent diagnosticians when it comes to determining the state of health of each tooth. They also perform surgical procedures on the roots of teeth or the tissue surrounding the roots.
What Causes Temperature Sensitivity in the Teeth?
When exposing a tooth to hot or cold temperatures causes a painful sensation, that sensation is coming from the nerve inside the tooth, which happens to be the endodontist’s specialty. Feeling temperature sensitivity is never “normal,” but there are cases in which the sensitivity is not a dangerous disease process.
Dental Infections
The dangerous cause of tooth sensitivity is a dental infection. These infections can originate inside the tooth from a large cavity or outside the tooth from a deep pocket of gum disease. When bacteria reach the nerve inside the tooth, the body responds with inflammation. This causes the nerves to be hypersensitive, where a normal stimulus will cause a painful sensation. These are dangerous because infections can spread into the surrounding tissues and other areas of the body. The sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures could be alerting you that an infection has begun in the nerve.
A “Dying” Tooth
When the pulp tissue inside a tooth is dying—usually as the result of a traumatic injury or blunt force—the nerve often goes through phases of extreme sensitivity. Often, it begins with sharp sensitivity to cold that progresses to heat sensitivity. This may be accompanied by a visible color change in the tooth.
Exposed Roots
A very common cause of temperature sensitivity is exposed roots caused by gum recession. The roots of our teeth do not have a protective coating of enamel to insulate them from the sensations of hot and cold. The exposure allows the hot or cold stimuli to reach the nerve more quickly and often causes sensitivity. This is an uncomfortable, but not dangerous situation.
Cracked Teeth
When a tooth cracks, the crack allows temperature sensations to quickly reach the nerve. The injury of the crack also may cause the nerve within to overreact to what was a normal stimulus before the crack occurred. Cracked teeth are usually difficult to diagnose because they can produce inconsistent symptoms.
Acid Erosion
Acid erosion is a thinning of the outer coating of enamel due to constant exposure to the low pH of strong acids. We see this in patients who suffer from medical conditions like bulimia, GERD, or severe acid reflux. As the enamel becomes thinner, it provides less insulation to the nerve, so the nerve can feel the temperature sensations more strongly.
Bite Problems
Another problem that can affect the nerve inside a tooth is improper bite forces. When a tooth receives too much force or forces at an unusual angle, the nerve within overreacts. This is very common after the dentist places a new filling in a tooth. If the bite is off, even just slightly, the tooth can be quite sensitive to temperatures until he or she adjusts it back to normal.
How Will an Endodontist Diagnose My Problem?
The endodontist uses a variety of tests and diagnostic tools to determine the state of the nerve inside your tooth. A close-up dental x-ray will reveal any large tooth decay or gum disease that could be affecting the tooth. An “ice test” allows your endodontist to determine how your teeth respond to cold stimuli. We often test for cracked teeth using a small bite stick. Endodontists also employ a tool known as an electric pulp tester, which uses electrical impulses to determine the health of the nerve.
More Questions About Sensitive Teeth? Contact Rockland Dental Specialists Today
Get in touch with Rockland Dental Specialists to schedule a consultation with our endodontic experts. We can answer any questions you have about temperature sensitivity in your teeth and perform root canal treatments on any teeth requiring them. Call us at (845) 259-2500 or complete our online contact form today!
