Pain after Root Canal

[Jamco]

I know this posting is LONNNNNNG but I want to tell all the facts so I can get an accurate response

I broke a top left side molar while eating a bagel (which I guess indicates a pretty weak tooth). It did not hurt when it broke nor did it hurt to chew on nor was it sensitive to hot or cold at any time before or after it broke.

I went to the dentist hoping to get it filled in for some kind of a patch. He said the xray showed that the filling there was too large and that there was not enough tooth left to hold on to a cap or crown without doing root canal to strenghthen the tooth enough to hold a crown. So... I had root canal.

First appointment he drilled to kill the nerve. I could not chew on that side for 1 week and even after that it was extrememly sensitive to any kind of touch. Hot or cold did not bother me at all.

Second appointment (1 week later) he did the canals.

It has been three days now since the second appointment and I still cannot chew on that side. Even soft food sends shooting pain through the tooth and into my jaw that last a few minutes then slowly dies down to a dull throb. It even hurts when I touch the tooth near the front gum with my tounge.

I had a root canal done three years ago on a back lower molar that was fractured and gave me pain to cold BEFORE I had a root canal on it, however I did not have ANY discomfort after the root canal like I am having now.

I have never been to this dentist before and I need to know that this is NORMAL. Or that I even need a root canal at all.

Thanks

[ruchi555]

Hi Jordy,

I am also going through the root canal treatment for my lower right second molar. i had 3 sittings with my dentist. I already had temporary filling done in that tooth around 1 year back but had pain after every 3-4 months so i went to dentist, she did check up, X-ray and said to go for root canal.

After first root canal sitting, my pain was much relieved and still it is relieved but sometimes i feel pain, not very severe as earlier in the morning time around 3:00AM till 6:00 AM and after morning brushing, it goes off.

i am having appointments with my doc on every tuesday and saturdays. when i say its paining she just fill cotton inside the tooth cavity and when there is no pain she puts some ceramic temporary filling and cotton below it.

i am just concerned about my pain, when it'll totally go off? i hope that there is no any infection remaining in teh canal. Though my doc ensured me about that, there is no pus formation infact she said nerve tissues are also dead.

can you give some details?

[Jamco]

thanks for your reply it made me feel better and actually the tooth is starting to feel a little better too.

I cautiously try to chew some soft foods on that side and it is still pretty sensitive but the pain is momentary and does not throb for 10 minutes afterward like it did before.

The tooth just has a temporary fill. Next week I am going back to have the post thing built up for the crown to fit onto. It will be nine days between visits and I am hoping that by then the tooth will have settled down a bit.

Again, thanks for responding. I think I was just getting worried because this root canal WAS so different than the last one I had.

[Jordy]

Every tooth is different and therefore responds differently to root canal therapy.  I've had six, five of which had no pain afterward and the sixth was HORRENDOUS pain for TWO WEEKS afterward.  It got to the point that I was really, really worried and I called my regular dentist (the root canal was done by a specialist) and they assured me that they would fully inspect the tooth before he filled it and crowned it (the root canal was done through a crown and a temporary fill was placed in it before my dentist was to replace the crown entirely.)

Sure enough though, after two weeks it started to subside more and more, and by the time I went for my checkup, a full inspection of my tooth and x-rays showed that everything was fine; all the nerve was gone and there were no cracks or infections.  He crowned it and it felt even better (before it's permanently filled and crowned the tooth remains a bit weak and sensitive because all the nerves AROUND it are inflamed.)

It's been a year now and that tooth is fabulous.  It healed beautifully and now never so much as a twinge.  And to think, I could barely bite on it for weeks afterward!

I recommend that you do NOT try to chew on it for at least a few more days.  You didn't mention your filling/restoration status, but I'm guessing that may not have been done yet.  Go to your dentist for a full follow up, but I really feel that you need to give it more time.