Recovering or still infected?

[Theodore711]

I just finished taking my antibiotics after a root canal. Due to complications I stopped just short of the last two pills. My MD, whom I went to because of the complications, also said that there is little reason to continue the medication since my gums looked fine. However he is an MD and not a dentist so I am a bit weary about going by his word.

I had the root canal about two weeks ago and for now was given a temporary plastic top over my tooth until I receive my crown next week. For now my gum still hurts when I put pressure on it. The pain on the tooth seems to be subsiding more and more; and there also does not seem to be a swelling.

My question(s) is: For how long should I expect this tenderness on my gum? Is the tenderness a sign that there could still be an infected there or could it be there due to the work? It does seem to be a little red at the top, however I am thinking that this could be due to the pressure from the temporary top on my tooth.

[Theodore711]

Actually, the pain on the tooth has not entirely subsided. Hard food tend to give some pain.

[Jack59]

I really hope the pain is a phantom pain, if not you really need to see your dentist again.

Dentist do their best in stripping out all of the sick or dead nerve tissue and hygienically irrigate everything, however a second infection is possible.

I had an upper molar that did the same thing but I held off in reporting it for a few days. My dentist went back in and resealed it for it to come right back. He then re-took some x-rays and discovered a cracked root and had to pull it. I saw the before and after x-rays it came out of the blue somehow.

[fromnowhere]

also you may want to avoid chewing on that side, The tempcrown will not fit like the real one and you are suppose to avoid chewing hard foods with it. Good luck! I have a temp right now and it is a bit of a pain.