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Need a root canal treatment, but antibiotics didn't work

K

Kokiri_Salia

Junior member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Messages
3
Hi,
I just stumbled upon this forum because I need a root canal treatment and things are not going according to plan.
First of all, I am really frightened of dental treatments in genral, as I had lots of unpleasant things done already. Second, I am a German girl doing work&travel in Australia, so this is my first overseas dental treament, which doens't help diminishing my fears.

This is the story:

About 6 months ago, one of my lower molar teeth had a pretty large filling done back home. They told me it could either be ok then or - if the pain persisted - I'd need a root canal treatment. Nothing happened and I was happy to get away with just a filling.

Now, 3 weeks ago, my tooth got temperature and pressure sensitive, so I went to the dentist. He gave me anesthetics and x-rayed my tooth. Everything got numb, but I could still feel the cold sensitivity (he blew cold air aainst the tooth).
He gave me more and more shots - those were the most unpleasant I ever had - and he must have hit a nerve, because all of a sudden, I had a strong burning or shock sensation and the feeling that part of my face was on fire - he brushed it off by saying that he didn't know what I meant and maybe I just tasted the anesthetics. That wasn't reassuring at all. And with all my dentists before, the injections didn't hurt (remember, the same tooth had been treated before). But he poked around a lot and the spots where I got the needles were sore for days after!
Anyway, even after the maximum dosage, I could still feel temperatures, so he prescribed me antibiotics. His explanation was, that sometimes, the inflammation can block out the anesthetics, so we had to settle down the tooth first. He then proceeded to write down some stuff for me "to research on the internet". Several terms like root canal treatment, but also some kind of fracture that can occur when the rct is done??! I didn't even know that could happen and it doesn't sound confident if he gives me possible compications to research?

I got the antibiotics and took them for about a week, the last one on the 26th. They got rid of most of the pain, but about a day and a half after taking the last one, everythin was back to normal and now it is even worse.
My next appointment is on the 3rd of january. Won't it be as pointless as before if the pain is even worse now? I can't imagine the anesthtetics to work now. Plus, I got a bad impression of that dentist (I'll get another one who specialises in rct, but still). The painful shots, hitting a nerve and not admitting it and letting me research complications (which I didn't).

Do I still have any possibilities to get the treatment done without the pain? Because it looks like I'll have to go through it while I can still feel the tooth. Should I look for another dentist? I can't think about anything else, please help me!
 
Kokiri, I'm not a dentist but if it were me I would find another dentist. Don't like the sound of that at all. Hope someone else can give some input here.
 
I'm not getting a good impression of this particular dentist from what you are writing. However I am reassured by the fact that this dentist will not be doing the root treatment - I assume it will be an endodontist (specialist in root canal treatment) as you said "I'll get another one who specialises in rct".
The rct dentist will be used to treating people who have teeth which are hard to get numb and he or she will have lots of different techniques to get your tooth numb.
Is this the person who you will see on the 3rd?
Coolin
 
RCT's do not hurt if done by someone that knows what they are doing. Do not let this dentist touch your tooth, find another one. The injections should be painless as well if given correctly as you know.

I don't know any dentist that would tell you to look on the internet about treatments, there is a lot of show boating and it would frighten you silly.

A rct is not to be feared, they are not as bad as some people think they are. I would rather have a rct than a filing any day if it is done by a good dentist. I wouldn't let the man you saw touch my teeth.

Let us know how you get on. :)
 
I'm not getting a good impression of this particular dentist from what you are writing. However I am reassured by the fact that this dentist will not be doing the root treatment - I assume it will be an endodontist (specialist in root canal treatment) as you said "I'll get another one who specialises in rct".
The rct dentist will be used to treating people who have teeth which are hard to get numb and he or she will have lots of different techniques to get your tooth numb.
Is this the person who you will see on the 3rd?
Coolin

Well, the dentist will be from the same practice, they got several. I hope that doesn't mean he'll be as weird as the other one. If they can't numb me up, I'll leave. Thanks a ot for the advice and support!

Any ideas why the antibiotics didn't help (but instead gave me another condition that needed medication :()
 
Another dentist at the practice is totally independent from the one you saw. I don't know what condition the antibiotic caused you to have but could you have been allergic to the antibiotic he gave you.
 
Another dentist at the practice is totally independent from the one you saw. I don't know what condition the antibiotic caused you to have but could you have been allergic to the antibiotic he gave you.

I got thrush, which can apparently happen when on antibiotics. Just a bit frustrating to have that kind of problem from antibiotics that didn't even do the trick in the end...

Then I guess I give that dentist tomorrow a try. Hopefully, he's better than the other one. I called them just now to ask questions.

They said if the normal numbing up doens't work, the dentist "will go directly into the tooth" to put anesthetics. What does that mean? It doesn't sound peasant.
 
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