Pain after root canal

[p1937]

I was having occasional pain in a lower molar, starting in January.  Dentist found a crack in this tooth.  Went to endodontist who did root canal in Feb., pain continued, endodontist went back into tooth deeper.  Still had pain, was sent to another endontist, for second opinion, who could not be conclusive, but thought pain was coming from molar behind the tooth with root canal which has the crown seated temporarily.  Endodontist did root canal on the second tooth, behind root canal done first.  That tooth was sensitive to cold but that has stopped since root canal a week ago. I am still having pain in the molar that had the first root canal.  I am on a 4th round of antiboitics.  I have a heart murmer and a mitral valve prolapse.  I am ready to have this tooth extracted due to all the pain it is causing. I have quite a bit of $$ invested in these two teeth. I take Advil and Vicoden as needed for the pain. What can be causing this pain which is intolerable and what should I do to have it corrected?

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

Firstly, the fact that you have the heart murmur and the mvp should have no consequence in the treatment of these teeth. The new protocol from the Heart Association and the ADA is that people with MVP do not any longer have to be premedicated before dental treatment. As far as your pain it sounds like you have had proper treatment and it is possible that that tooth can not be saved. I would consider going to a dental school that has an Endo department and getting an opinion from them.

[countrygirl1980]

I haven't had a crown placed.  I just had a root canal 6 weeks ago.  And after reading some of the comments posted on the internet, I can't believe what I've learned, and what I've been going through.

I KNOW for a fact my pain is caused by the root canal.  I have the exact same symptoms as many people on various forums around the internet.  I have an infection at the tip of the root, and it's worse than before the root canal.  I shouldn't have had it done.  I took antibiotics, and after about 3 weeks, my tooth and gum started to get infected.  My eye started to turn red, as did my eyelid.  I had pain radiating back to my jaw, and a headache.  This all came about AFTER the root canal, because I had been feeling pretty good.  

I'm on my second round of antibiotics, and my dentist tried to tell me my pain was coming from the adjacent tooth, which also had a filling that had fallen out.  I went to an endodontist for a second opinion.  He said the abcess (abscess) was very small, and looked at my "before root canal xray", and said it looked a little worse, but felt the gum redness was viral, even though only the root canal tooth had redness over the gum, and I've NEVER had gum redness like that in my life.  He then recommended retreating it to see if it would get better.

I didn't have it retreated, and asked them to pull it the next day.  I have loads of pain radiating into the tooth, and my lip and jaw, and side of my face.  They gave me the number of an oral surgeon.  The oral surgeon refused to pull it without a referral from the dentist.  He said it was like cutting off a finger.  What?  

I continuted to do research. My upper left lip felt a little weak and with a numb heavy feeling.  I found that during a root canal most dentists use actual BLEACH to clean out the tooth, and it can extrude into the tissues above the root, or below if it's a bottom tooth.  Mine was a top left tooth, fourth tooth back.  When BLEACH extrusion happens, it destroys surrounding tissues, including nerve tissue, and you get nevre damage.

I found only one extreme case on the internet where the dentist actually noticed the BLEACH was extruded during the procedure, and stopped, cleaned it out and sent the patient home.  She had bruising, bleeding and swelling, a day or so later, and nerve damage where she couldn't move her lip very well.

But what about all other cases, where maybe only a small amount extrudes, and no one ever knows, and of course the dental community isn't about to tell you.  In addition, there are articles about root canal cover up, and the dangers of the the bacteria they harbor.  Most of the dental community acts oblivious to this.  

I also found that you can be ALLERGIC to the GUTTA PERCHA, which is used in you tooth nerve root, to seal it.  Basically it's in contact with your nerves that run to your brain, not before running through your face.  No one will tell you this.  You are likely to be allergic to GUTTA PERCHA if you have allergies to pollen, grass, or bananas, or other fruits.  Guess what, I have allergies to fruits, bananas, and grass pollen.  HELLO?  I've been going through all this pain, and not one of these dental professionals have mentioned the BLEACH the potential ALLERGY, or the BACTERIAL problems than can possibly be affecting your nerves.  In addditon, the local anesthsia used can get poked into your nerves and also cause problems.

I know the problems have to be from the root canal, because, the exact same symptoms are mentioned from several posts on the internet, and they're  from root canals.  I'm still not sure what to do about mine.  The options for replacing the tooth aren't that great, and very expensive. And friends and family act like it's the end of the world if I have the tooth pulled.  Everyone seems to prefer vanity over well being!  I'm so stressed, but I'm considering a dental bridge.  I don't want anything as invasive as an implant. I don't think I can keep my tooth.

[mike1105]

p 1937. if your tooth was cracked, and the crack extends into the flooor of the tooth, the tooth may need to be extracted. It is possible that the root canal ws done perfectly well, but did not work in eliminating pain due to a fracture. ask the endodntist about this possibility. I doubt your case has anything o o w allergies.