Me again...in pain after visiting the dentist (and it was a nightmare) Help

[RustyRebecca]

I had to go to the dentist today because one of my front incisors (UL1) has been causing me discomfort and then eventually pain. It felt tender (along with the one beside it) and I just thought it might be due to seeing the hygienist. But then UL1 got worse, couldn't eat without pain and then it started throbbing. It really got worse after I hit it hard with a piece of hard pizza (obviously didn't mean to do that).
As I am due to have composite fillings on 6 of my front teeth next week, I knew it was best to sort out this pain. I thought: root canal.
But the dentist did an xray. She couldn't see an infection/abscess and said that she didn't want to do a root canal if it wasn't needed. She thought maybe the pockets had become infected or that maybe I had bruised the ligament of the tooth. She cleaned the area of the tooth after numbing it, but it was still painful but then she put something antibiotic into the pockets around the tooth and I cried out in pain. And the pain afterwards was tremendous. She did know about this.
I went through extreme anxiety in the dentist and then extreme pain. It was a horrible experience. And after paying for my suffering, I have been home and I am in pain. A lot. I have been using painkillers and a numbing gel and the pain is mostly under my lip right near my nose. So that is mostly likely the root.
She said to come back tomorrow if I am still in pain.
I can sadly see that happening.
But do I trust her now after this and all I went through today? I am in more pain now than before I went due to what she did.
She said the first part of a root filling is just opening it up and irrigation, does that take long? Does anyone know the procedure please? (I know I will somehow have to cope with it to get rid of this horrible pain)
And she said that next week she could still do a composite filling on this tooth that will most likely be undergoing a root canal (first part). She said because composite fillings are at the front of the tooth and the root canal is the back, but I can't help but feel that it doesn't seem okay to do work on a tooth that it has a root canal work being done on it. Am I wrong?
Thank you.

 

[blackhound]

I recently had a root canal. On the first visit the tooth was opened, the pulp was cleaned out and the tooth was sealed back up with a temporary filling. Second visit finished the job with shaping the canals, inserting the gutta percha and sealing the tooth with a temp filling.

A good description of what happens during a root canal can be found here:
https://www.aae.org/patients/root-canal-treatment/what-is-a-root-canal/root-canal-explained/

I found the root canal procedure much easier to tolerate than getting a filling. It was a fairly quiet procedure and completely painless. And when it was done the affected tooth was no longer painful.

I really can't understand why the dentist would want to place a composite filling on a tooth that is undergoing root canal treatment. Is the tooth not being crowned after the root canal?

My understanding is that teeth that have been root treated become more brittle than untreated teeth and generally need a crown to protect them. Maybe one of the dentists can answer why someone would want to do a composite filling on a tooth in the middle of the root canal process. Are you sure she meant the painful tooth? Maybe she was referring to the other teeth that need filling?

 

[RustyRebecca]

I recently had a root canal. On the first visit the tooth was opened, the pulp was cleaned out and the tooth was sealed back up with a temporary filling. Second visit finished the job with shaping the canals, inserting the gutta percha and sealing the tooth with a temp filling.

A good description of what happens during a root canal can be found here:
https://www.aae.org/patients/root-canal-treatment/what-is-a-root-canal/root-canal-explained/

I found the root canal procedure much easier to tolerate than getting a filling. It was a fairly quiet procedure and completely painless. And when it was done the affected tooth was no longer painful.

I really can't understand why the dentist would want to place a composite filling on a tooth that is undergoing root canal treatment. Is the tooth not being crowned after the root canal?

My understanding is that teeth that have been root treated become more brittle than untreated teeth and generally need a crown to protect them. Maybe one of the dentists can answer why someone would want to do a composite filling on a tooth in the middle of the root canal process. Are you sure she meant the painful tooth? Maybe she was referring to the other teeth that need filling?

Thank you Blackhound. Very much appreciate your response. I will more than likely have to undergo the root canal despite my anxiety.
Yes, she did mean the painful tooth. She said I could go in tomorrow and do the initial root canal appointment if needed and it wouldn't affect the tooth having a composite filling next week because the root canal is the back of the tooth and the composite the front.
And I think like you do. I have lost faith in her after today and would feel wary for her to do the root canal.
You'd think and pray these dentist experiences would become more positive to ease anxiety, not get worse!

 

[Judythecat]

Not a dentist, but to me it sounds like yours wanted to explore all the other options before crashing in with a root canal, particularly if there was no sign of infection.

In terms of the tooth needing crowned, my understanding is that the “opening” the dentist will make to do it will be very small, so it’s a bit different to a big molar tooth, and won’t automatically need one. Where a crown is more likely to be needed is if the tooth discolours because it is “dead”, but that would be down the line time-wise.

In the UK root canal teeth don’t always tend not to be immediately crowned, whereas I think in America it is done pretty much straight away. I had an upper molar RC by an endodontust last year and he waited six weeks, checked everything was okay, then my own dentist did the crown.

(I had a really painful upper front tooth last year, so asked a lot of questions in case it needed a root canal. Mine actually was “bruised” because I was clenching so hard into my night guard. Switching to a lower guard helped.)

 

[drhirst]

Hi Rustyrebecca,
There is nothing more likely to induce dental anxiety than sudden and unexpected pain during dental treatment. Poor you. However, my impression from reading your tale of woe is that your dentist is doing her best to help you without over treating you.
Root canal treatment is best avoided unless absolutely necessary. However, it sounds to me like you may need it. Once it is done you should feel much happier.
Front teeth often do not require crowns after root canal treatment. Mind you if I had had as much pain as you have had I would probably defer any other treatment until my mouth was fully comfortable again.
Hope you feel better soon


Lincoln