unexplained sensitivty 2 months after crown

I had my first crown ever done in December 2008. Since then I have noticed increased sensitivity ,which has got worse over the last month. It is so sensitive at the point where it meets my gum that i can feel a sensation throughout my  whole body when i touch it. i had it examined by my dentist and he suggested a specialised toothpaste and he put some gel on it for sensitivity. This hasnt helped as yet. He xrayed it and said it looked fine ,.. no infection etc,,,so he cannot explain the sensitivity.  he said it may settle down ,,I did not have a root canal done first and wonder is this the cause of the problem?? i would dread the pain involved were i to need one.I am due to have 2 more crowns done and am so reluctant to proceed  at the moment... is this likely to improve??  im so reluctant to chew on that side of my mind, i do not want to proceed with any other dental work until this is sorted out... any advice?? any idea what  might be causing the problem.... my dentist suggested anti-inflammatories , which i happen to be on anyway for another reason....help!!

[Sam Delfino]

Hi,
First of all, if you need a root canal, if caught early on, before it is infected, would rarely be painful, so just wanted to put your mind at ease. There are several things that could cause this. I would first go to a dentist who is trained in the functional aspect of dentistry, such as Full Mouth Rejuvenation (http://top3dentists.com/pages/prosthodontal)
or Neuromuscular Dentistry (http://top3dentists.com/pages/neuro_dentistry). They would be able to evaluate to see if the bite is causing this and as easy as it sounds, most dentist do not even know how to properly align and make the teeth hit one another in the proper position.
Now if you have had abfractions, if you have a bad bite, or recessions, this could happen. Also, if the margins of the crown are not fully closed and sealed, poor quality restorations or crowns, all could cause this. Lack of understanding of materials, and using them improperly could cause this and also if the nerve of your tooth is dying for one reason or another could cause this. If you see a dentist who is either trained in the Neuromuscular Dentistry or Full Mouth Rejuvenation and they could not help you, then see an endodontist (http://top3dentists.com/pages/endodontics) to have the tooth evaluated. This is too long of a time for this tooth to be sensitive and if it is getting worse, that is more of a reason to do something about it. You might still be able to have a chance of saving this tooth from needing a root canal or even extraction if you get the right treatment at the right time.