Bruised ligament or fracture in root canal/crowned tooth?

[Soma]

I was eating some extremely tough to chew fried dough last night. It wasn't crunchy or anything, more like the consistency of gnawing through a thick bagel or steak. I could tell it was really working my jaw muscles, but at one point I realized I was getting this pinch-like focused twinge of pain on the underside of my jaw bone, almost directly below a molar I had root canal treatment on and crowned around 7 years ago. That molar and the molar next to it almost felt like they were enlarged. My initial thought was thinking the worst that I fractured the tooth. I figured I'd sleep on it and see how things were this morning, i still feel a sense of tension there, sometimes if I chomp my jaw extremely tight I can feel that pinching sensation in that spot. Sometimes it doesn't trigger the sensation. I tried biting a q-tip and eat a few handful of peanuts on the spot and it didn't hurt or cause any pain or anything at all. But I have been poking at the spot and rubbing my jaw line to see if I can feel anything weird going on I think I'm irririating lymph nodes by doing it so much because now my wisdom teeth and upper teeth near it are aching a bit too. Everything looks ok when I look in the mirror but the tooth is crowned so even if it was cracked I double I would see anything.

I always thought cracks would be caused by biting something hard, like a bone or a piece of hard candy or something, could aggressive chewing into something tough but not hard - like steak cause a tooth to fracture? Or is it more likely I'm looking at a bruised tooth? I can't really re-create any bite pain on demand, It doesn't hurt to push on the tooth in any direction either. But can this still be a crack? I can't stop fixating on it.

 

[Soma]

Re: bruise or fracture in root canal/crowned tooth?

Following up on my own post.

It's been a couple days now, there is now zero "pinching" pain when I chew on anything, granted the toughest thing I've eaten since is a peanut granola bar, but I didn't get the pinching feeling. I do still have a general pressure - enlarged feeling that goes along the bottom of my gums and jaw, sometimes it'll go from the bottom of my ear to my chin, along the gumline and under the jawline. A very light dull humming type ache. Nothing unusual that I can visually see in my mouth, nothing unusual as far as sensitivity towards temps, chewing, flossing etc.

Does anyone know how you can you tell the difference between a crack and a bruised ligament in the area of a tooth that has had root canal procedure done to it? How long does it usually take this sort of thing to clear up if it is a bruised ligament?

I'm imagining the worst at this point, I find myself in this dental hell every few months like clockwork, most of the time stuff resolves, but I know sooner or later one of these things is going to turn into something bad, and from what I've read RCT teeth are weak and fracture very easily.

Anyone with any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Gordon]

Re: bruise or fracture in root canal/crowned tooth?

The easy way to tell is if it's a bruised ligament, it'll get better, if it's a crack, it won't, it'll probably get worse.

RCT'ed teeth aren't necessarily that much weaker than vital teeth, but the tooth is a bit weaker because of the cavity which made it need the RCT in the first place as well as the amount of tooth tissue that has to be removed to get access to do the RCT.

 

[Soma]

Thank you for the reply Gordon, I really appreciate it.

It's been about a week and a half now, there is still alot of vague sensations and aches both along the bottom and top teeth/gums and jaw line on the same side. As usual I can't stop poking and pushing, flossing, swishing and checking in the mirror to see if anything has changed, so I'm not sure how much of it I'm causing and how much of it is from an actual issue. The first thing I notice in the morning isn't pain, but it's that feeling of fullness or slight pressure deep in the gum below the tooth and the molar next to the one that had the root canal treatment. It feels like I took a small cotton roll and pushed it down as deep as I could go between my gum and cheek. Time will tell I guess.

Thanks again.

 

[MountainMama]

I had a root canal done on a molar, where the ligament was inflamed and bruised, and never healed. It was 5 months of constant soreness, but I only really felt it when the tooth was pressed on. If I pushed it with ny tongue it would really hurt. I ended up getting the tooth extracted due to a suspected crack, but there was no crack.

I had another root canal done on my front top tooth 2 months ago that os having the same issue, but I also have that pressure feeling you are describing, especially first thing in the morning. My dentist keeps telling me she thinks it is just the ligament, as the x ray shows healing.

 

[Soma]

I had a root canal done on a molar, where the ligament was inflamed and bruised, and never healed. It was 5 months of constant soreness, but I only really felt it when the tooth was pressed on. If I pushed it with ny tongue it would really hurt. I ended up getting the tooth extracted due to a suspected crack, but there was no crack.

I had another root canal done on my front top tooth 2 months ago that os having the same issue, but I also have that pressure feeling you are describing, especially first thing in the morning. My dentist keeps telling me she thinks it is just the ligament, as the x ray shows healing.

That sounds very frustrating. I'm sorry you've had do deal with those situations. If you're anything like me these dental issues take over your life. A dark cloud of worry and questions over every moment you're awake. I never know when to see a dentist, or when to keep waiting it out. I don't know if I can truly trust what I'm feeling, I've been laughed out of dentist offices for more painful situations than this. No one ever seems to have a definitive answer. I honestky day dream about getting teeth extracted. I will be one step closer to peace with each tooth that is finally removed from my life.

I hope you find some relief soon. Thank you for sharing your situations here. It has helped.

 

[MountainMama]

That sounds very frustrating. I'm sorry you've had do deal with those situations. If you're anything like me these dental issues take over your life. A dark cloud of worry and questions over every moment you're awake. I never know when to see a dentist, or when to keep waiting it out. I don't know if I can truly trust what I'm feeling, I've been laughed out of dentist offices for more painful situations than this. No one ever seems to have a definitive answer. I honestky day dream about getting teeth extracted. I will be one step closer to peace with each tooth that is finally removed from my life.

I hope you find some relief soon. Thank you for sharing your situations here. It has helped.

I know what you mean. It does take over your life. I cringe when I call the dentist because I am afraid they are going to get frustrated with me.

I actually went back in today because the tooth next to the front tooth hurts now. Apparently when I hit my front tooth as a child, I must have hit that one as well, because the nerve canal is also wide, indicating trauma. Ugh. It is not abscessed, but could become so in the future.

I am so sick of my teeth but I do not want to lose any more!

 

[Soma]

I know what you mean. It does take over your life. I cringe when I call the dentist because I am afraid they are going to get frustrated with me.

I actually went back in today because the tooth next to the front tooth hurts now. Apparently when I hit my front tooth as a child, I must have hit that one as well, because the nerve canal is also wide, indicating trauma. Ugh. It is not abscessed, but could become so in the future.

I am so sick of my teeth but I do not want to lose any more!

It seems there's a million ways that teeth and gums can stick it to you. Just when you think you have one angle covered, they go wrong coming from a different one. Hopefully your situation doesn't lead to an abscess down the line.

I'm still driving myself nuts over here. I mixed a little hyro peroxide with my tooth paste, it's a little trick I do to see where sources of issues may be coming from because (at least in my mind) the more bubbles or activity coming from the peroxide - the more likely something is brewing in that spot of activity. And sure enough, I could see peroxide bubble/streaky stuff coming from the gum of where my possibly problematic root canalled/crowned tooth is. It's still achey off and on, I can chew on it but if I poke at it a bit, push it from one particular side I get some sensation. Not exactly painful but it feels different than if i push on any other tooth.

I have no dental insurance but I'm going to try calling the endo tomorrow who did the root canal originally and see if he will take a look. I'm terrified of the process but deep down I just want this tooth out of my life at this point. I have so much else I need to be focused on, mentally and financially with the holiday season here. But nope. Teeth. This stupid little block of white. I'm so over it.

 

[MountainMama]

It seems there's a million ways that teeth and gums can stick it to you. Just when you think you have one angle covered, they go wrong coming from a different one. Hopefully your situation doesn't lead to an abscess down the line.

I'm still driving myself nuts over here. I mixed a little hyro peroxide with my tooth paste, it's a little trick I do to see where sources of issues may be coming from because (at least in my mind) the more bubbles or activity coming from the peroxide - the more likely something is brewing in that spot of activity. And sure enough, I could see peroxide bubble/streaky stuff coming from the gum of where my possibly problematic root canalled/crowned tooth is. It's still achey off and on, I can chew on it but if I poke at it a bit, push it from one particular side I get some sensation. Not exactly painful but it feels different than if i push on any other tooth.

I have no dental insurance but I'm going to try calling the endo tomorrow who did the root canal originally and see if he will take a look. I'm terrified of the process but deep down I just want this tooth out of my life at this point. I have so much else I need to be focused on, mentally and financially with the holiday season here. But nope. Teeth. This stupid little block of white. I'm so over it.

Yes, I felt much better after getting my failed root canal molar extracted. I hope the endo can fix it for you, or at least tell you what is wrong. I am so over all the mouth pain. I can't even close my teeth together without pain anymore. My lips touching the front tooth and one next to it hurts.

My dental insurance hit its limit back in June, and it adds up quickly. I wish it wasn't so expensive but what can you do?

 

[Soma]

I called the endo place that did my root canal on the tooth and they said they won't see me without my regular dentist's referral. I've been to my regular dentist 3 times in the past 6 months, he's to the point where he shines a light in my mouth and tells me he doesn't see anything that could be causing problems. Granted I go to him every time I think I feel any discomfort, so he's knows I'm a hypochondriac. So I called another dental place to try to be seen, (to give my trusted dentist a break from me) but they can't get me in until mid january. In the meantime they are calling my regular dentist asking for xrays and stuff, so I feel like I just cheated on him by going to someone else, when really I did it because I don't want to be a burden.

I'm considering calling my ENT, he's been wanting to do a ct scan of my sinuses, but I've had so many ct scans in the past few years that I'm trying to avoid them if at all possible. But in my deseperate state of mind I'm thinking maybe a ct scan can see a dental infection that normal x-rays didn't pick up. That will probably take a couple weeks to get done as well.

I'm truly lost as to what to do at this point.

 

[MountainMama]

I called the endo place that did my root canal on the tooth and they said they won't see me without my regular dentist's referral. I've been to my regular dentist 3 times in the past 6 months, he's to the point where he shines a light in my mouth and tells me he doesn't see anything that could be causing problems. Granted I go to him every time I think I feel any discomfort, so he's knows I'm a hypochondriac. So I called another dental place to try to be seen, (to give my trusted dentist a break from me) but they can't get me in until mid january. In the meantime they are calling my regular dentist asking for xrays and stuff, so I feel like I just cheated on him by going to someone else, when really I did it because I don't want to be a burden.

I'm considering calling my ENT, he's been wanting to do a ct scan of my sinuses, but I've had so many ct scans in the past few years that I'm trying to avoid them if at all possible. But in my deseperate state of mind I'm thinking maybe a ct scan can see a dental infection that normal x-rays didn't pick up. That will probably take a couple weeks to get done as well.

I'm truly lost as to what to do at this point.

Oh that stinks. Could you just call and ask your dentist's office for the referral? In a way, that is giving them a break as well, right?
I think I have been to the dentist at least once every other week since June. Seriously. Granted, I have had a lot going on, but quite a few of those visits have been panic attacks over thinking something is wrong, and my dentist telling me to just wait longer and see what happens (which I am not good at).

If nothing else, I would probably get the CT scan. I saw an ENT this summer, after the apicoectomy perforated my sinus. He was very knowledgeable about how the teeth amd sinus are connected and how an infection could impact the sinuses and vice versa.