Root canal failure

I had a root canal on the no. 32 tooth in 2002. In 2006 the tooth bagan to ache (especially after heavy flossing and pocket brushing with a proxabrush). My dentist referred me to a specialist who did a repair. What he found was that some gauze packing had been left from the earlier procedure and bacteria had formed as a result. Apparently my dentist didn't remove it during the follow-up visit and filling. Now again, 3 years later it is aching again. Just as before (after heavy flossing and pocket brushing with a proxabrush).  So, is it worth trying to repair it again (I'm 59 years old with no dental insurance) or might it be better to extract it as it is the back tooth? Also, does the fact that the pain subsides or goes away altogether when I don't floss or pocket brush in that area give us any clues as to the nature of the failure? Thanks.   Aaron A.  

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

That's interesting how flossing and brushing make it worse.  It may be due to the irritation of the brushing and flossing that's causing some movement of the tooth.  If there is an infection, it may travel down to the jawbone and when the tooth moves, it moves in the jawbone and causes irritation.  Do you have problems with eating?

I would recommend removing the tooth if its a problem.  It is a wisdom tooth (no. 32) so it doesn't have much of a function, especially if there's no wisdom tooth opposite it.  Consult your dentist to see if thats the best solution.

[aaron1950]

My dentist said it was the no. 32. But it's actually  in front of the  wisdom tooth. There is no pain associated with the tooth as far as eating is concerned as long as I avoid flossing and pocket brushing the area. And it's not at all sensitive to heat or cold.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

That's odd.  #32 is the wisdom tooth unless you have two wisdom teeth in that area.  It definitely is a possibility.

You should probably discuss it with your dentist.  Is there a crown on the tooth?  You may want to perform a cleaning in the area to see if that'll help.