Scared About Bite Change?

[rockitorknockit]

Today I began having this deep painful throb come and go. It started by waking me up at 6 this morning. Pounded ibuprofen.

Spoke to my dentist at length, again. He seemed as confused as I am, but listened, asked questions, is trying to help me figure it out. Is it nerve pain or is it more a pain from the tooth? It's both. We settled on me taking a 6 day course of methylprednisolone and consulting with an endodontist. Earliest I could get in was 1 week from today.

I'm in pain. Tonight it is worse. Random small things seem to trigger it, like smiling or brushing my tongue on the tooth. A deep throbbing stab that passes in a moment. Starting the steroid in the morning. Honestly scared of what might be happening, and that I will continue to worsen before my appointment

 

[rockitorknockit]

Update...

After the round of steroids brought my inflammation down, I realized I couldn't chew on the side of the crown properly (left). The dentist made a minor adjustment to the tooth in front of it, as that tooth was blocking my chewing movements. This worked like a miracle. I finally felt like I was on the road to recovery. Lots of jaw pain and weirdness but I expected it as things finally began to settle into my new normal.

Then a huge roadblock again. I bit down really hard on a popcorn kernel on the opposite side by accident. I can't catch a break. It's been 8 days of being essentially unable to eat on my right side. I'm aching so much.

Went to the dentist again 2 days ago and he did a bunch of tooth tests on all the ride side teeth. Determined I had traumatized a couple of molars on top but nothing seemed severe (nothing chipped or cracked or broken, he didn't even see need for an xray). I felt good about this as I felt I was improving since this incident. He did make minor adjustments to two molars that he felt were also blocking my bite and making some things sore still.

I left relieved that the teeth aren't cracked but now I'm in a ton of pain again. All the testing he did probably disrupted the healing. Now I'm also worried allowing him to make an adjustment was somehow a mistake. He swore he was not changing my occlusion at all, more of just shaving off a tiny inner piece that was hitting when I chew. But now I have pain in the teeth he adjusted plus the one I injured. A different pain. More pain. And it's making that side of my jaw ache as well. I'm worried.

Am I just super sensitive? Is it crazy to be in this much pain after what little he did? Did I make a mistake? Am I freaking crazy? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if anything I ever took for pain worked, but nothing does. So I'm always tense and in pain and thinking about it because ibuprofen and tylenol never do anything.

 

[rockitorknockit]

So all of that being said, I guess my question really at this point is... why would teeth that only had tiny minor adjustments (to points that should not have impacted overall occlusion) be so painful after? It almost feels like a zingy and aching pain. Could this be normal and just need settling? @Gordon

 

[Gordon]

So all of that being said, I guess my question really at this point is... why would teeth that only had tiny minor adjustments (to points that should not have impacted overall occlusion) be so painful after? It almost feels like a zingy and aching pain. Could this be normal and just need settling?

I think we've established that you're one of these unlucky people who are super-sensitive to any changes in your occlusion at all. It sounds like you'll need some more time to let things calm down a bit more.

BTW, the best way to take the painkillers is to alternate between Ibuprofen and Paracetamol, as close to every 4 hrs as you can, this keeps a nice level of the drugs in your bloodstream and makes things a bit more comfortable.

 

[rockitorknockit]

Indeed we have :/

I will try rotating the meds more. Thank you for your reply. I always appreciate your insight.