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1 month after filling, adjustment and re-filling, still having pain

F

FlowersAndBirds

Junior member
Joined
Nov 8, 2019
Messages
6
Location
Canada
I am having some issues since 1 month now.
I got a recommendation from my dentist to change the grey filling I had on my bottom last molar on my left side since it was damaged or something like that. So, I got it fix with a white filling but for the two first weeks, it was hurting like crazy when I was eating on it. I then got an other appointment with them to check it and fix it. They took some x-ray and said that there was nothing wrong but maybe there was some occlusion going on where my teeth don't close well enough together causing more pressure on one point on my tooth. They fixed the occlusion a little. I was hoping it would fix the whole pain but in fact, it got worst. Instead of having a pain only when I was eating, I was having a constant discomfort. Within a week, I got a second appointment to adjust it again. Same, they took x-ray and they saw nothing. Again, they modified the occlusion to be sure it was not the same problem as last time. Sadly, it became worse after. I was having a constant pain but a stronger one. A kind of feeling like something was pulsing inside my gum or in my tooth/teeth. I have difficulty to tell where the pain comes from exactly. At this point, I started taking ibuprofen. I called them back after some days and asked for an other appointment. This Tuesday, they re-did the filling in grey this time since they were thinking that the white filling I got before might have been contaminated by saliva or something when they made it. Since then, I still feel the same pain. I am still taking ibuprofen since I feel like the discomfort is affecting me to the point of not wanting to work or anything else but staying in bed.
I am loosing a bit of faith on getting better like before this whole intervention. I fear it might be a bigger problem necessitating more work and time. I get really nervous every time I go to the dentist to the point that last time, they were recommending me to get some ativan for the next time I come around.
They really have no idea of what is going on and neither do I. I just know I'm having this constant pain and that I am taking ibuprofen everyday since 10 days. I keep on flossing and washing my mouth with mouth wash hoping that if it would be a gum problem, it would go away or a bacteria.
Some people told me I should crosscheck with other dentist but I am doubting that they will see something wrong since apparently everything seems fine.
Is it just possible that my tooth is taking a big amount of time to get better and that the pain will go away eventually? I am afraid of having to take ibuprofen for one month since it is not recommended due to potential side effect.
Thank you!
 
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Sorry, can't really help without seeing you, it does sound like the initial composite filling wasn't properly bonded, however it does surprise me that the replacement hasn't fixed it. Some further investigation that might be helpful would be to ask for a pulp test, preferably an electronic one.
Can you absolutely tell it's the same tooth that's causing the pain?
 
Thank you for your anwser!
It does surprise me too. It feels at the moment, and it seems that last night I might have flossed too hard because instead of taking a pill every 12 hours like I used to in the last couple of day I have to take one every 5 hours, the pain is difficult to spot. It feels like my whole side hurts but mostly around the tooth right next to the one that got fixed. There is also a filling on the one next to the one I got fixed. Flossing in between those two seems to hurt more even if both have a filling on the top of the teeth.
I am really unsure of what is happening there but since my pain got worse since last night, I feel like I have no choice but to call them again for an appointment... they might have some place around Tuesday so I will keep an eye on the evolution of that.
So, I should ask for a pulp test? Is there something else I should ask for them to investigate? Since the pain seems difficult to spot, I was thinking of asking for a complete x-ray on that side and maybe some kind of test to see if the problem is not with my gum if it’s even possible?
 
I can't see how flossing can have any effect on the pain if it's resulting from the tooth that was filled. Generally if it's a tooth that is hurting, then you can fairly easily localise where the pain is coming from, if it's a bit more difficult to identify the source, then it's less likely to be the tooth.

You should certainly ask for a pulp test, although TBH I wouldn't need the patient to ask me for it, I'd be doing one automatically!
More x-rays wouldn't necessarily tell you anything useful, somebody needs to get "hands on" and have a good poke about to see what's going on.
 
Thank you so much again for replying to me!
I feel better reading your message. I will call them as soon as they open this week and I will ask them for this test.
Last night, I took an Advil and I woke up in the morning with what seems to be “the full pain” without any analgesic. The pain felt like when they remove a tooth. The kind of same weird feeling. It really felt like a discomfort in my mouth when the pain is at it’s maximum but it seems more anoying than painful, which feels to me like a good new. The whole thing still feel strange and uncomfortable and I really hope that we find a solution better than Advil everyday to ease the pain! :p
 
Let us know how you get on, I'm curious as to what's going on here :thumbsup:
 
I finally got a conversation with my dentist.
According to their plan, we are to the point that they need to check with a "root canal professional" if anything is needed. I might see on in December from the same clinic. I asked although for my dentist to really check if there is anything at the moment that can be spotted and fixed like a broken filling from an adjacent tooth on my left side. I will also ask for the pulp test if they can do one. I will see them next Monday. I'll just have to wait after that for at least one month.
I'm worried since the pain is waking me up at night. I take an Advil before bed and 4 hours after, I wake up in pain and take a second one to be able to sleep again. I think it has been the first week that I wake up every nights. When it's in "full pain", it hurts also in my ear at some moment. It's a feeling that comes and go every 1-2 minutes. I wonder if the pain is only in my jaw at this point. Although, that would not explain why I get pain with hot-cold liquid on the bottom back teeth on my left.
This whole pain is just driving me down slowly. I wish I could get back to before they fixed that filling. :(
 
Oh, I just tried to put some cream (Voltaren) that is used for muscle pain on my left side of my jaw and around the ear and it seems to be relieving the pain as close as an Advil. I am quite surprise. Does that mean it could be just a problem with my jaw joint/muscle/nerves?!
 
Yes, but it wouldn't explain the hot/cold sensitivity, if that's still going on?
 
I went to see the dentist today and he took some x-rays, looked around to see if there was anything else broken, touched here and there in my mouth and all of those test seems to point toward the fact that there is nothing wrong with my teeth! I saw the x-rays with the dentist and I could see it too even thought I am not a dentist. I still have some minor sensibility with hot/cold and knocking on the teeth at one point but nothing that makes me jump out of the chair, just a little disconfort. The dentist said it was probably because the filling is a grey one and they conduct more. I will just give it some time to rest since the last time they re-did the filling was around 2 weeks ago.
They conclued with me that since Voltaren is helping me to relieve the pain and that since my mouth was wide open all the time, that I was stressing out and that I had a little block in my mouth to keep it open as they were working, it is probably just a muscles pain. He told me that you have two muscles around there and you could felt the pain toward your ear and neck. I think that makes a lot of sense according to my last test with Voltaren!
Yeah! :) Now I just have to relax my jaw and continue to use Voltaren as long as I need it! I’ll also take care to not sleep on that side since I was doing it lately... ?
 
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