Eliminate severe tooth pain, stop infection, and save your natural smile on the Bricks of Downtown Hays.
When you are suffering from a severe, throbbing toothache or intense dental sensitivity, getting out of pain is your primary focus. Deep tooth decay, repeated dental procedures, or a cracked tooth from an accident can allow harmful bacteria to reach the inner pulp and nerves of your tooth. Once this inner chamber becomes infected or inflamed, it creates a painful condition that will not heal on its own.
At eyeSMILE Dental, located at 1300 Main Street, our experienced dental team provides gentle, modern Root Canal Therapy to safely remove infection, alleviate your pain immediately, and preserve your natural tooth. Dr. Jarrod E. Jones, DDS, and Dr. Christine M. Thomas, DMD, combine advanced digital diagnostics with compassionate, anxiety-free care to get you smiling comfortably again.
In severe pain right now? Call our Hays office directly for prompt emergency care at 785.621.4242
The most common myth in dentistry is that root canal treatments are painful. The reality is exactly the opposite: the deep tooth infection is what causes your excruciating pain; the root canal is the gentle procedure that relieves it!
With modern dental technology, specialized instruments, and highly effective local anesthesia, undergoing root canal therapy at eyeSMILE feels very similar to receiving a routine dental filling. Our doctors prioritize your comfort above all else, ensuring your tooth and surrounding gum tissues are completely numb before treatment begins. For patients experiencing severe dental anxiety, we take our time, provide a calming environment, and walk you through every step so you feel safe and in control.
5 Common Signs You May Need a Root Canal
How do you know if your toothache requires endodontic (root canal) care? If you are experiencing any of the following warning signs, the internal pulp of your tooth may be infected or dying. Do not ignore these symptoms—contact our office immediately:
1. Persistent, Severe Tooth Pain: A continuous, throbbing ache that disrupts your sleep or radiates into your jawline, ear, or temple.
2. Lingering Sensitivity to Hot and Cold: Sharp discomfort when consuming hot coffee, ice water, or hot food that lingers long after the temperature source is gone.
3. Pain When Chewing or Biting: A sharp jolt of pain or deep pressure whenever you bite down or put chewing stress on the tooth.
4. Swollen, Tender Gums: A visible bump, pimple-like swelling (an abscess), or localized gum tenderness near the painful tooth.
5. Darkening or Discoloration: A single tooth that begins to take on a grayish, dark, or dull appearance compared to surrounding teeth, signaling internal nerve damage.
Step-by-Step: How We Save Your Natural Tooth
We believe in complete clinical transparency. Here is exactly what happens during your gentle root canal appointment at our Downtown Hays office:
Step 1: Digital Diagnostics & Comfort Setup
We begin by taking low-radiation digital X-rays to map out the exact shape of your root canals and determine the extent of the infection in the surrounding jawbone. Once diagnosed, we apply a topical numbing gel followed by gentle local anesthesia to completely numb the area. We also place a small protective shield (a dental dam) around the tooth to keep it clean, dry, and free of saliva during the procedure.
Step 2: Gentle Infection Removal
Dr. Jones or Dr. Thomas creates a small opening in the top of the crown of the tooth. Using precision endodontic (root canal) instruments, we carefully clean out the diseased pulp, bacteria, and nerve tissue from inside the root canals.
Step 3: Sterilization & Sealing
Once the hollow canals are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized, we fill the space with a biocompatible, rubber-like material called gutta-percha. The tooth is then securely sealed with an adhesive filling to prevent bacteria from re-entering the canals.
Step 4: Restoring Your Tooth with a Custom Crown
Because a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy loses its internal blood supply, it can become brittle over time. To ensure your tooth remains structurally strong for years to come, we typically recommend capping it with a custom-fitted, lifelike porcelain dental crown. This restores your full biting power and blends invisibly with your natural smile.
At eyeSMILE, we believe that saving your tooth should never involve financial guesswork. The cost of root canal therapy depends primarily on which tooth is being treated—front teeth have a single root canal and are simpler to treat, while back molars have up to three or four complex root canals and require more clinical time.
Typical Cost Estimates & Insurance Guidance
You can return to work, school, or your normal daily routine immediately following your appointment!
Because the nerves inside the tooth have been removed, you will no longer feel the sharp, throbbing infection pain. However, as the local anesthesia wears off, the surrounding gum tissue and jaw ligament may feel slightly tender or sore for 2 to 3 days. This normal healing response is easily managed with standard over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Helpful Recovery Tips:
Saving your natural tooth is almost always the superior choice for your oral health, jawbone preservation, and wallet. When a tooth is pulled and a space is left, adjacent teeth eventually drift into the empty space, causing severe bite misalignment, jaw joint (TMJ) pain, and bone loss. While an extraction has a lower upfront cost, replacing a missing tooth with a custom dental implant or fixed bridge ultimately costs significantly more time and money than saving your natural tooth with a root canal.
Most root canal treatments at our Hays office are completed in a single appointment lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. If you have a severe, active infection or swelling, our doctors may place a soothing medical dressing inside the tooth and complete the final sealing at a brief follow-up visit once the infection has cleared.
With proper daily brushing, flossing, and regular bi-annual dental cleanings at eyeSMILE, a tooth that has undergone root canal therapy and been properly restored with a crown can last a lifetime.
If you develop sudden, unbearable tooth pain, facial swelling, or a dental injury outside of our normal office hours, call our main line at 785.621.4242 and follow the prompt to reach our emergency on-call team. We are committed to serving our Hays community whenever urgent care is needed.
You do not have to suffer through unbearable tooth pain. Experience gentle, transparent, and patient-centered endodontic care with the trusted dental team on Main Street.