3 week toothache, root canal and 5 dentist visits later...

[paying for the past!]

Hello everyone

Just wondering if anyone else has been through anything like this?

I'm a tooth grinder with lots of fillings (hence username) although I have managed to be cavity free for 8 years.

I woke up 3 weeks ago with a toothache in one of my front teeth. I booked into to see my dentist and she tapped all the teeth in the area hard with the metal stick (i hate that!) and said pain was probably just from the grinding, but I requested an xray and no infection could be seen on the most problematic tooth (only the 20 year old large filling). The pain didn't settle, but increased and two days later i went back and saw another dentist. He did a cold test and determined the nerve was dying and said I need a root canal and prescribed amoxycilan. Two days later I went back to start the root canal but the next few days the tooth was still hurting with a constant ache (about 4/10 on pain scale) so 5 days later i went back again, he cleaned out the root canal again and prescribed flagyl. The dull ache continued for another week, and when I went back again he decided not to finish the root canal and to send me to an endodontist, who I can't see until later in the week.

Painkillers are not having any effect, I can't understand why it hurts when there's no nerve, and I am terrified I will lose this front tooth . Infamous Dr Google thinks it could be a fractured root, although my dentist didn't think so. Has anyone ever had constant dull aches 3 weeks after a root canal? I had a root canal about 12 years ago and that tooth was in agonizing pain before the root canal but fine afterwards. The pain is getting difficult to deal with so any advice would be really appreciated.

 

[rob wain]

It really doesnt sound much like a root canal problem does it?
I suggest you get another assessment and perhaps you might consider having an emergency splint made (an NTi type) to control the grinding forces - if that solves the pain then you know it wasnt a dying nerve.

 

[paying for the past!]

Thanks Dr Wain

The endodontist agreed with you - thinks the pain is related to grinding and wants me to see an oral specialist about TMD.

Its upsetting that I started the Root Canal Treatment that seems unnecessary although it did appear nerve was on the way out. Will be much more diligent in the future.