tooth decay | Chaffin Dental Care

Root Canals: Why You Shouldn’t Fear Saving Your Natural Tooth

Posted November 21, 2025

The phrase “root canal” can cause anxiety for many people, but it doesn’t have to. At Chaffin Dental Care, we want to clear up the misconceptions surrounding this valuable procedure. Led by Drs. Chris and Topher Chaffin, our Spokane, WA, team uses modern techniques to make root canal therapy a smooth and comfortable experience. More importantly, it’s often the best way to save your natural tooth and restore your oral health.

Signs You Might Need a Root Canal

Your body often gives clear signals when a tooth’s nerve is in trouble. An infection of the nerve, also called the pulp, can be caused by various issues, including deep decay, trauma to the tooth, cracks, chips, or even repeated dental procedures.

Watch for these common signs:

Persistent or severe tooth pain, especially when chewing or applying pressure.
Prolonged sensitivity to hot or cold temperatures that lingers after the source is removed.
Swelling and tenderness in the nearby gums.
A small, pimple-like bump on the gums near the affected tooth.
Discoloration or darkening of the tooth.

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s crucial to schedule a visit. Ignoring them can lead to a more serious infection or the loss of the tooth.

Modern Technology Makes a World of Difference

The biggest myth about root canals is that they are intensely painful. In reality, the procedure is designed to relieve the pain caused by the infection, not create more. Thanks to advancements in dental technology and anesthetics, a root canal is often no more uncomfortable than getting a standard filling.

At Chaffin Dental Care, we use precise tools and techniques to efficiently access the inside of the tooth. Root canal therapy involves carefully removing the infected pulp, cleaning and disinfecting the inner chambers, and then sealing the tooth to prevent future infection. Our goal is to eliminate the source of your pain and save your tooth from extraction.

Saving Your Natural Tooth, One Canal at a Time

Preserving your natural tooth is always the best option. It helps maintain proper chewing function, normal biting force, and a natural appearance. A root canal allows you to keep your tooth, avoiding the need for more complex procedures like bridges or dental implants.

Some teeth, particularly molars, have multiple canals that require treatment. Drs. Chris and Topher Chaffin take the time to meticulously clean and treat each one with the utmost precision and care. This thorough approach ensures the infection is completely removed, giving your tooth the best possible chance for a healthy future.

If you’re experiencing tooth pain, don’t let fear stop you from seeking help. Contact Chaffin Dental Care in Spokane, WA, today to learn how we can restore your comfort and save your smile.

Chaffin Dental Care

605 E Holland Ave #214 Spokane, WA 99218

509-467-6128

Signs You Might Need a Tooth Pulled in Spokane

Posted September 19, 2025

closeup of a young man having a tooth pulled

Losing an adult tooth is something we all hope to avoid. However, sometimes a tooth extraction is the best step to protect your overall oral health. At Chaffin Dental Care in Spokane, WA, Dr. Chris Chaffin and Dr. Topher Chaffin provide compassionate care, helping you understand when removing a tooth is necessary. Recognizing the warning signs can help you seek timely treatment and prevent further complications.

Here are some major indicators that you might need a tooth extraction.

Severe, Lingering Tooth Pain

A persistent, throbbing toothache that doesn’t go away is a significant red flag. While many things can cause tooth pain, intense discomfort can signal a deep infection or severe decay that has reached the tooth’s nerve. If a root canal isn’t enough to save the tooth, extraction may be the only way to find relief and stop the infection from spreading.

Signs of a Serious Infection

An abscess, or a pocket of pus, can form at the root of a tooth or in the gums beside it. This is a serious infection that can cause fever, facial swelling, a foul taste in your mouth, and swollen glands. An infected tooth that cannot be saved with treatment must be removed to prevent the infection from spreading to your jawbone and other parts of your body.

Overcrowding in Your Mouth

Sometimes, there simply isn’t enough room in your jaw for all your teeth to fit properly. This is known as overcrowding. It can prevent teeth from erupting correctly or push them out of alignment. An extraction might be recommended to create the space needed for orthodontic treatment, allowing your other teeth to move into their proper positions.

A Severely Damaged Tooth

A tooth that has suffered extensive damage from an injury or has a large crack that extends below the gum line often cannot be repaired. While crowns and fillings can fix minor to moderate damage, a severely compromised tooth may be too weak to save. In these cases, extracting the tooth and replacing it with a bridge or dental implant is often the most stable, long-term solution.

The Deal with Wisdom Teeth

Wisdom teeth, or third molars, are the most commonly extracted teeth. They are the last to erupt, usually in the late teens or early twenties, and many people’s jaws are too small to accommodate them. This can lead to them becoming impacted—trapped beneath the gums—or growing in at an awkward angle. This can cause pain, damage to adjacent teeth, and infections.

At Chaffin Dental Care, Drs. Chris and Topher Chaffin are your trusted resource for gentle wisdom teeth removal in Spokane, WA. They carefully evaluate your situation and use modern techniques to ensure your comfort throughout the procedure.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, don’t wait for the problem to get worse. Contact Chaffin Dental Care today to schedule a consultation with our experienced and caring team.

Chaffin Dental Care

605 E Holland Ave #214 Spokane, WA 99218

509-467-6128

A Fluoride Treatment Can Improve the Health and Strength of Your Tooth Enamel

Posted March 20, 2017

Tooth enamel is the very hard biological substance that gives your teeth the strength to chew and profess the foods you eat. Its mineral density prevents bacterial decay from developing within the tooth enamel, thus preserving your oral health and function.

If you routinely struggle to maintain good oral hygiene habits, or if you consume acidic products on a regular basis, it could deplete the mineral strength of your teeth. This will significantly increase your chances of developing cavities and tooth sensitivity complications.

One easy and effective way to strengthen tooth enamel and maintain healthy teeth is to have Dr. Chaffin administer a basic fluoride treatment. This will help bolster the mineral density of your teeth to help restore their overall strength.

To do this, Dr. Chaffin will pour a concentrated fluoride gel into a tray that is inserted in your mouth and held there for a few minutes. You should avoid eating or drinking for at least a half an hour to allow the fluoride to deeply penetrate the enamel of your teeth.

Going forward, you might want to consider cutting back on acidic foods and beverages. Brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste will also be helpful.

If you live in the Spokane, WA, area and you have concerns about the health and strength of your teeth, you should call 509-467-6128 to schedule a checkup with fluoride treatment at Chaffin Dental Care.

Dental Implants and What They Can Do for You

Posted November 21, 2016

If you have suffered a lost or severely cracked tooth, a dental implant may be what you need. Leaving behind an empty pit where the tooth used to be can cause many health issues, including housing harmful bacteria. Thanks to upgrades in technology and the fine-tuned precision of our dentists at Chaffin Dental Care, we can fix it with implants. Some of the many benefits of dental implants include:

– Customization: Each implant is fully customizable for color, shape, size, and fit.

– Osseointegration: The bones around the implant can strengthen to hold the implant tighter via a process known as osseointegration.

– Natural-looking: Dental implants mimic natural teeth.

– Facial reconstruction: Dental implants can return a face to its original shape prior the lost tooth.

– Strengthen jawbone: Dental implants can strengthen the jawbone, which becomes weak and can deteriorate when teeth are not held in place for support.

– Normal eating habits: You can return to your normal eating habits with dental implants.

– Bone loss prevention: Dental implants can prevent bone loss.

– Durability: Dental implants can last a lifetime.

– Stability: Dental implants can prevent shifting caused by bone loss.

– Aesthetics: Dental implants can give you a better smile.

Restore your missing teeth today with dental implants. If you would like to know more about dental implants, please make an appointment with Dr. Chaffin or Dr. Topher by contacting our wonderful staff at Chaffin Dental Care via phone at 509-467-6128. You can also stop by our office in Spokane, WA. Let us get you started on the road to a brighter, whiter smile.

Enamel Erosion Can Often Be Countered by Increased Exposure to Fluoride

Posted September 15, 2016

Your tooth enamel is actually a biologically formed mineral structure that, when healthy, is harder than your strongest bones. Unfortunately, the natural bacteria in your mouth and the acidic foods and drinks you consume can erode the microscopic density of tooth enamel minerals, promoting the formation of tooth decay.

Prolonged enamel erosion can create microscopic channels through the enamel, exposing the sensitive dentin layer of the tooth. When this happens, you might experience symptoms such as a sharp or stinging pain when you eat or drink something that is hot, cold, sweet or acidic. Over time, unchecked enamel erosion also promotes tooth decay.

Increased exposure to fluoride restores the mineral content of your tooth enamel. This process is known as remineralization and it strengthens tooth enamel and effectively reduces the effects of enamel erosion.

If your Chaffin Dental Care dentist, Dr. Chris Chaffin or Dr. Topher Chaffin, notices signs of enamel erosion, he might recommend a series of different treatment options to increase your fluoride exposure. This often includes receiving a basic fluoride treatment, taking fluoride supplements and using fluoride toothpaste.

If you are concerned that you might have issues with enamel erosion, you should call Chaffin Dental Care at 509-467-6128 to know more about fluoride in Spokane, Washington.

Essential First Aid Considerations for Taking Care of Toothache Pain

Posted May 31, 2016

A toothache can be caused by several different things. While it is most often a result of advanced tooth decay compromising the sensitive internal structure of a tooth, there are also less obvious things that could be the source. Regardless of the underlying cause, a toothache should always be seen as a warning sign of something that demands immediate attention.

There are a few key considerations and tips offered by Chaffin Dental Care to help you deal with toothache pain while you are waiting to see us.

If you’ve experienced direct trauma such as a blow to the face or a hard fall that is associated with the pain, it could be that the dentin, pulp, or root of the tooth was damaged. If you have blood and debris in your mouth, you can rinse it away with lukewarm salt water. This can also soothe injured gum tissues.

You can try to rub the surrounding gums with a topical oral analgesic to help soothe the pain. If the toothache was caused by trauma and there is swelling in your lip or cheek, you can hold a cold compress to your face for 15 minutes at a time.

Toothache pain is commonly related to issues with unaddressed tooth decay. To stop the problem and prevent future complications, you will need Dr. Chaffin or Dr. Topher to repair or restore the decayed tooth as soon as possible. Left unaddressed, it could potentially lead to a serious infection in the gums.

If you have a toothache in Spokane, WA, you should call Chaffin Dental Care as soon as possible, at 509-467-6128 to schedule an appointment with our dentist.

Tag: tooth decay