Pain in recently crowned tooth

[jenni816]

I went to the dentist because I was experiencing some sensitivity to heat/cold in my upper right teeth.  He determined I needed a crown replaced.  I got a temporary crown put on and afterwards the heat/cold sensitivity got MUCH worse.  My dentist said it was irreversible pulpitis and said I needed a root canal.  I got a second opinion and that dentist said the temporary crown was a very poor fit, no contact was being made between the crown and neihboring tooth, and my cross-bite was making it difficult to get the crown to meet right, food was probably getting under it, and the pain I was experiencing could likely be caused by the bad fit of the temporary crown.  Neither dentist saw an abcess or obvious deterioration of the root on my XRay.  I got the permanent crown put on yesterday using temporary cement to see if a better fitting crown would make the pain/sensitivity go away.  After one day, the pain is still the same.  How/when will I know if the pain is indeed being caused by the need for a root canal?

[jenni816]

Thank you so much for your response!

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

I would give it a little while longer to subside--like a week or two. If the discomfort persist or gets worse so that you are avoiding that area then I think you would have to consider doing the rct.