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Brightside General dentistry

Sensitivity has
more than one cause.

Cold water, hot coffee, something sweet, or a sharp jolt when you bite. All of these are called sensitivity and they do not all mean the same thing.

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What it is

The cause decides the treatment.

Exposed root from gum recession, a worn-through enamel edge, a cracked cusp, a leaking filling and a dying nerve all present as sensitivity and are treated completely differently. Reaching for sensitive toothpaste first is reasonable, but if it has not helped in a few weeks the answer is to find out which one it is.

  • Cold drinks produce a sharp, short jolt
  • Heat produces a dull ache that lingers
  • Sweet things set off one specific tooth
  • It hurts when you bite down, then stops
  • Sensitivity started after recent dental work
  • Sensitive toothpaste has not helped in a month

What the visit is like

How we track it down.

  1. You show us which tooth, and what sets it offCold versus heat versus biting narrows it a long way before anything else happens.
  2. Exam and targeted x-rayLooking for recession, wear, cracks, leaking margins and anything at the root tip.
  3. The smallest thing that fixes itSometimes fluoride varnish and a change of toothpaste. Sometimes a filling replaced. Occasionally root canal therapy, if the nerve is the problem.
  4. We check it actually workedSensitivity is subjective, so the follow-up matters more here than in most treatment.

Cost and coverage

You should never be surprised by a bill.

Every plan arrives with the fee beside each line and the insurance estimate beside that, before you agree to anything. We submit to your plan directly where it allows it, and we are set up for the Canadian Dental Care Plan.

Fees for this are quoted in writing after an exam, per tooth and per surface. Nobody can price it accurately from a website or over the phone.

Common questions

Asked on the phone most weeks.

Does sensitive toothpaste actually work?
For exposed root surfaces it genuinely helps a lot of people, used consistently over weeks rather than days. It does nothing for a cracked tooth or a dying nerve, which is why persistent sensitivity is worth looking at rather than managing indefinitely.
My tooth hurts with heat and it lingers. Is that different?
It often is. A lingering ache to heat is more likely to involve the nerve than a short jolt to cold. Worth booking sooner rather than waiting to see.
I had a filling and now it is sensitive. Is that normal?
Mild sensitivity for a few weeks after a deeper filling is common. If it is getting worse rather than better, or it lingers, call us and we will look at it rather than have you wait it out.

Booking

Say what it is when you call.

If it is pain, say that -- it changes how the day gets arranged. If it is a checkup for three people, say that too and we will try to put you in one morning.

Also at Brightside

Call (778) 754-4488 Hours and location