Is the removal of caries painful?
If the tooth is affected by caries, it is essential to have it removed by the dentist, otherwise the risk of the caries spreading increases enormously and in the worst case, the tooth is totally decayed. Usually the caries can only be removed with a drill. How deep and how much drilling is necessary depends on the caries and how far the caries has spread in the tooth.
The deeper the caries has already advanced, the more caries must eventually be removed. Every person has an individual pain sensation. Accordingly, it is not entirely clear whether the removal causes pain or not.
The possibility that the pain is increased and perceived as unpleasant by the patient increases with the depth of the caries, as one gets closer and closer to the pulp where the nerves that transmit the stimulus are located. If the caries is only present in the superficial enamel layer, drilling is usually not even necessary. However, if it is removed by drilling, the pain is very weak to almost non-existent.
However, the further one moves towards the dentine, where the dentinal tubules with the fibers are located, the greater the pain can become. To avoid pain, you should always talk to your dentist about a possible local anaesthetic. If you are one of the more pain-sensitive people, this is a good option to reduce or eliminate pain.
Whether the health insurance company will cover the costs should be clarified with the dentist in advance. A relationship of trust between dentist and patient is often very helpful. In the best case, the dentist clarifies in advance about the procedure and the associated pain and thus gives the patient a sense of security, which often has a positive effect on the patient’s perception of fear. All deeper caries treatments, which are usually already present when the dentine is affected, or root canal treatments, take place under anaesthesia, as they are often associated with pain. Despite the anaesthetic, some people find the treatment at the dentist extremely unpleasant due to the background noise and pressure in the jaw.
