Pain After Gutta Percha Points are Used

[Nemo1234]

I have completed the root canal treatment in my lower left molar (the last one in the back) in two appointments.  Each visit was about an hour.  I've taken the necessary antibotics (keflex 500) and pain medications (motrin 800).  

After about 10 days, I was pain free and ready for obturation.  After the gutta purcha points were inserted and temporarily cemented, I experienced discomfort and pain when chewing soft food (still on a soft diet to prevent damage).  

A few days later, he removed the gutta percha points and resealed the tooth.  I'm not sure what the problem was, but perhaps it was some sort of tissue irritation.  I took another supply of antibiotics and Over the Counter Motrin for roughly 5 days and I was pain-free and felt great for the first time, prior to the Root Canal Treatment.  I was able to eat meat for the first time, cereal, etc.

I went back and had the gutta percha points inserted and cemented with no problem and made an appointment for the crown preparation.  However, the pain from the insertion of the gutta percha points came back and my dentist seems quite miffed from this.  He has shown me the x-rays and according to the x-rays, there should be nothing wrong.  

I do not have pain when opening and closing mouth, nor is it sensitive to temperature.  The problem occurs when I am chewing or when there is something in between the two forces of the teeth.  This pain only occurs when the gutta percha points are used and sealed by a temporary cement.

Possible Problems out of the Question:
1.  I do not have a visible fracture on the x-ray.
2.  I am not allergic to the latex gutta percha.
3.  The gutta percha points were not inserted too deep.

Could you please share your input regarding this matter?  I know it will be very hard without any visuals or examination.  Please help, I am frustrated with constant visits to the dentist office (About 7 additional visits after the Root Canal Treatment in the past 3 weeks) and the inability of using the left side of the mouth.  

[Helenetoile]

The crater of pain would start every evening by about 8 or 9 pm; and continue until I went to sleep. If I could keep my teeth from touching each other at night, then I would be pain free by morning.

[Helenetoile]

I once had a root canal on a completely healthy tooth that had started to have extreme sensitivity to cold. I went to the homeliest dentist with the oldest facility in town as a sign for not wanting to be dependent on high tech (this was in 1997). I never took any pain medication (temporary relief anyway -- I don't need temporary relief). After a day or three, there was no pain at rest -- but every night, if ANYTHING AT ALL had touched my tooth -- be it cooked zucchini! -- I would have a deep crater of pain in the upper left quadrant of my skull. This pain continued until I had the tooth pulled in mid-2000. The dentist at the time had wanted to refill the root canal; but I did not want to deal with the cost; or the potential for recurrent costs.

By the way, I have no replacement for the tooth; and my other teeth HAVE NOT moved. Do not let them trick you into destroying adjacent teeth to create a bridge; or destroying your jaw to create an implant -- unless that is explicitly what you want.

Yours,
Helene

[superman2244]

I found your article online last night. I have a similar situation that I am going through. I was wondering if you could let us know how your problem was resolved. My email address is cool_fun_guy_001***@****. Thanks

[Angel6809]

I don't know why but these bottom molars seem to cause so much problem when root canals are performed on them.    I've had two root canals done on other teeth and never had a day's problem with either of them, and yet I had a root canal completed on a bottom molar back in March this year by my regular dentist and it's had to be retreated already by an endodontist just last month!  I'm only halfway through the re-treatment (which was started 3 weeks ago) and, like you, I still can't chew on the left side of my mouth at all.   You don't realize what you have until you can't do it anymore!  

I would be quite interested to know how you get on with your situation and if you find it becoming easier to chew on the affected tooth soon.

Thanks.

[scottma]

If the canals are optimally obturated, there is really not much we can do. If the root canaled tooth is crowned, the pain source might be from occlusal interference of restoration or adjacent teeth or opposing teeth. If finger pressure is applied to the root canaled tooth and the tooth feels sensitive, it's probably because of periapical inflammation,which is normal response after the procedure. As time goes by, the tissue will heal up in days or weeks. On the other hand, if sensitivity or pain is triggered by biting force, occlusal interference of restoration is probably present.

[Nemo1234]

Thank you very much for the response.  

If I am experiencing relief from pain from taking two Motrin 200mg every 4-6 hours, does that mean the pain is getting better?  Can I rule out any type of infection in the tissue or gums?

I understand that root canal treatment is a very sensitive and lengthy process.  I just want to make sure that I am getting better and the root canal treatment is healing.  I feel bad for my dentist because I keep returning every 2-3 days to complain about the pain, but he does not know where it's coming from according to the x-ray and diagnoses.  

Thank you very much!  

[scottma]

Firstly, gutta perch is extremely biocompatible,if it's placed within the bone, no imflammatory respose observed under light microscope. Secondly, using gutts percha alone, without root canal sealer, is inadequate to seal the canal. Thirdly, most failure of root canal treatment result from incomplete canal debridement and obturation. However, your root canal has not been determined failure. Finally, mild to moderate pain is generally experienced for a couple of days to weeks.