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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

I'm wondering if anyone can help me.
I've been going to a dental school to get cheaper prices on my dental work. The first thing they did was to tell me I needed a root canal and so I let them do it.

That was six months ago and it hurt after they did it. They kept saying the pain would wear off. I think it's also making my sinus blocked up and I have a sinus headache all the time.

Finally they did xrays and the head of endodontry said that the root canal looked beautiful. He tapped on my teeth and I almost went through the ceiling when he tapped lightly on the root canal tooth.

The he tested my teeth for cold and he said that it was the NEXT tooth to the root canal tooth that the gum was sensitive to cold.

He says THAT tooth needs a root canal.

Meanwhile, the original root canal tooth that they did is killing me. I can't chew on that side and even if I put my finger on that tooth it hurts.

I always though that after the nerve had been removed from a tooth you couldn't have pain. This is horrible. Can anyone help? TIA
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

madhattert2u
Enthusiast
I'm sorry about the pain you're going thru. Years ago I had a similar problem. My tooth kept hurting no matter what my dentist did. Finally he did a root canal but the pain kept coming back.

The pain always came back, at first just a feeling of pressure. Finally another specialist was going to do a procedure,(I don't remember what it was called to clip the nerves where there would be no feeling,

During surgery he found it was a tumor. Every time someone worked on it, it had relieved the pressure just enough to stop it hurting. There had been a tiny spot on all my previous X-rays going back for years, so make sure you see a qualified dentist. You probably have a different problem, but worth checking out.
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

scott93788
Enthusiast
Err, why does eBay have forums?

Anyways, last night the tooth I had a root canal on about six months ago abruptly became very painful. There is a dull pain that persists regardless, and slight pain to the touch. I suppose it sounds like I have something different than you since my tooth felt fine for the past six months. I go to see the dentist in the morning, and I'll try to remember to post the diagnosis if I'm not too doped up.

Best of luck!
Message 17 of 230
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

crowe777
Enthusiast
SOUNDS LIKE YOU HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD WITH MY LAST ROOT CANAL, I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE DENTIST WHO AFTER 8 MONTHS OF PAIN WITH THIS TOOTH HAD TO GO BACK IN AND REMOVE BONE MATTER MORE ROOT ETC. IT WAS NOT FUN IF YOU ARE IN PAIN AND CAN NOT CHEW BE SURE TO GO BACK AND HAVE IT TAKEN CARE OF THE LONGER YOU WAIT THE MORE BONE LOSS ETC, YOU COULD HAVE A CRACKED TOOTH AS IS WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ME ANY WAY, THE AFTER FIX WAS MUCH WORSE THANE ORIGIONAL ROOT CANAL, I WOULD HAVE JUST PULLED THE TOOTH IN THE BEGINNING... IF I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN.... THANKS DAVE
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

rosalind724
Enthusiast
I got a root canal on a lower back tooth 3 1/2 years ago. It hurt for a whole year. My ear, jaw, and head hurt all of the time. My dentist kept trying to adjust the level while all of the time telling me what a wonderful job he did. Finally my boss could take no more and sent me to his dentist. After getting me to buy a tooth guard for TMJ and it causing me more pain, the dentist opened up the tooth, checked it out and closed it back up. Instantly the pain went away. For 2 years it was pain free. Then I decided it was time to get a crown. The temporary was fine, but immediately after getting the crown put on, I was in terrible pain. It has been 2 weeks and my ear, jaw, head and sinuses are killing me. I think I am going to have the temporary put back on and if that doesn't work, I am having the tooth pulled. Besides all of the pain, the worse part was that no one believed me. In fact the first dentist laughed at me.
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

frazzedmom
Trailblazer
Hey rosa = )
Quick question---did your DDS adjust your splint after inserting the permanent crown--? All splints always need some fine tuning on the inside (where the new crown would fit into) cuz the new crown more than likely will be a tad different shape & cusp height, etc. compared to the original tooth. And, did he do alot of fine tuning on the bite w/ this new crown--? Some pt's end up going back 1 or 2 times to do some occlusal adjustment. Just a thought...

Don't extract it if possible!!! Otherwise, all that moola you have invested is down the drain....and missing teeth can start an array of problems, and in the long run will end up costing you more $$$.....not fun = (

hang in there girl! (And NO professional should ever make their patient feel like they are imagining things--and esp laugh at them. Grrr!!) Glad you left that practice!!





If your gecko is broken, you have a reptile dysfunction.
Message 20 of 230
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

i am having the same problem... had a root canal almost a month ago and i still have pain in that tooth when i tap on it or chew on that side. just googled the problem and found this discussion. i am going to go back tomorrow morning to have it looked at it, i think it may be a possibility that he missed a root, other than that it makes no sense to me to have pain in a tooth that is supposed to be deadened. mine is not shooting pain, more like a sensitivity now. it took so long to heal (i couldn't chew at all on that side for over a week, then it tapered off and seems to have settled at it's current state) that there is still a possibility that is will go away on it's own.

please keep up posted everyone! good to hear other peoples' experiences.
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

vincent262
Enthusiast
Laura-- Thank you. You have been very informative in all of your posts. I currently have a similar situation. I had root canal done on lower rt. molar (#32 - I think) about 8 yrs ago. About 4 months ago my dentist saw a slight bone infection by that tooth in an x-ray and sent me to a specialist and I had a 2nd root canal done on the same tooth. Everything went well and I've been pain free ince then until this week-end. Starting Friday I had a sore throat and developed a sharp, then throbbing and persistent pain with this tooth.

I can touch the tooth w/ mild/medium pain, but when I bite down hard... ooooouuuch! The pain consistently raidiates from my rt. ear canal through the lower jaw down to the rt. side of my throat and hit huts a bit swallow. Went to ED this evening and Dr. could not see any throat or ear swelling or redness. I got clynda for possible infection and Oxycodone for pain. Took first doses. Pain is milder, but still there and now getting more painful 3 hrs post dose. This tooth has been gold crowned after both rt canals.

Any thoughts on this and is there anything in my description here that might present a clue to what I've got going on?

Thnx....
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

oddlyvain
Enthusiast
the funny thing is, i am experiencing the same type of pain but i didn't have a root canal - had crowns put on one of my front teeth and another on one of my molars. prior to the placing of the crowns these teeth were perfectly ok (no pain, healthy)except that another dentist did a bad bridge (these two were the abutment teeth) and I had to have the bridge taken out. after the new crowns were put in, my teeth became extremely sensitive to pressure. putting my finger down on the teeth creates a mild pain while chewing any food on them is unbearable. my dentist said that i may need a root canal and that this procedure has a 95% success rate but judging from the complaints i am reading on the net, i doubt it if that's true. root canal treatment should render the teeth dead (no nerves = no pain) yet why are your root canaled teeth still hurting like mine? something is amiss...
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

wtawhite30
Enthusiast
I had a crown put on a molar several yrs back after cracking it. I told the dentist over and over again it felt a "tad high." He just looked at me funny and ignored me. Years later, severe pain. Root canal performed. Intense pain was gone, but replaced by dull, constant soreness if I close teeth together. RC Specialist adjusted bite on tooth, took some material off crown. It got a little better, but remained constantly sore.

Got some dental insurance and need to see another specialist (got new dentist), but I'm tired of spend mega $$$ on these @#$*!@ dentists on one freakin tooth. I don't have the money to spend, even on co-pay right now. I think it's a big con game.
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

This is the OP, back after a long absence. OK. IN that time I've had the allergy tested that my doc recommended. it's not allergies but I knew that anyway. The allergist sent me for a catscan, but nothing. The allergist put me on Bactrim (antibiotic) and I felt wonderful but seemed to be allergic to it so I stopped.

The allergist put me on another antibiotic which helped although I had EXTREME fatique.

Meanwhile I had called the dental school's enododontist and told her that the tooth pain had stopped. She said she had put an antibiotic up inside the tooth.

Sounds like I have an infection and need antibiotics?

The allergist told me to go back to my doc and get tested for Lyme Disease (fatigue, now aching all over, feeling generally lousy, headaches) and the doc won't call me back but her secretary said I tested neg for Lyme Disease and everything else looked ok.

NOW WHAT? I am sleeping 16 hours a day, waking up for about an hour or two and then I'm so weak and tired I have to go back to bed, sleep about 4 more hours, up for an hour or two. This is no life. I almost feel like taking some antibiotics on my own (I have some unopened) or finish the Bactrim (I only took 5). I almost feel like I could die of this and I am really scared.

I know my regular doc isn't going to do anything -- she even started to say it was all in my head! (and I used to think she was such a wonderful doctor!!) Instead, she separated all my symptoms and suggested a specialist for each one! I am way too weak and tired for that and what good will it do?

Should I take antibiotics on my own? What can I do? BTW, the TOOTH is now starting to ache again.
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

misspuppydog
Enthusiast
I'm a little confused here--do you think your extreme fatige is from your root canal?

also to clarify--
after a root canal you should NOT have extreme pain. Period. A little sensitivity maybe but NOT extreme pain.

Extreme pain would indicate that the tooth was fractured -probably in the root & or there is still infection present

It is not possible to diagnose a fracture of this nature by an xray---it won't show.

The only treatment for a fractured root is extraction.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."



Be Careful
What You Wish For
One Day They'll Be Callin' You a RockStar
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

misspuppydog
Enthusiast
gosh I hate mis-spelling

fatigue

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."



Be Careful
What You Wish For
One Day They'll Be Callin' You a RockStar
Message 27 of 230
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

misspuppydog
Enthusiast
vincent:

The pain consistently raidiates from my rt. ear canal through the lower jaw down to the rt. side of my throat and hit huts a bit swallow


this is not normal pain for post procedural retreat root canal.

I am guessing same thing-fractured root and it sounds like you have infection

I am suprised the clynda is not helping--don't waste too much time with this you could develop a dangerous infection--see the endodontist that did the retreat asap.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."



Be Careful
What You Wish For
One Day They'll Be Callin' You a RockStar
Message 28 of 230
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

misspuppydog
Enthusiast
I had root canal done on lower rt. molar (#32 - I think)


I must add that I hope it was not #32--that is a wisdom tooth and does not merit RCT--of course there are always extenuating circumstances but in most (95%) of cases it is better to ext. a wisdom tooth.

Next question?
Dentistry is my expertise.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."



Be Careful
What You Wish For
One Day They'll Be Callin' You a RockStar
Message 29 of 230
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PAIN IN TOOTH LONG AFTER ROOT CANAL

Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--


I'd much rather talk about those things ^

I'm wondering if the extreme fatigue (like my body is fighting something off) is connected to whatever is going on in that tooth. Now the tooth is hurting a little bit and my sinuses are getting blocked up again.

IT ALL went away when the allergist put me on Bactrim but I couldn't tolerate the Bactrim and now it's come back full force. I felt fabulous while I was on the Bactrim and all symptoms went away. I felt almost ok on the next antibiotic they tried but I'm really not better and no way as good as I was on the Bactrim.

Since the doc seems to have given up on me, I've put myself on three days of Avelox, which the doc had given me last fall when this all started. At that time I guess I didn't think it was an infection and I don't like taking antibiotics anyway. I'm taking the three day dose of Avelox while I try to get in touch with the dental school again.

My reasoning is: if antibiotics make me all better, then doesn't that mean there's an infection somewhere? Does that make sense?
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