Severe dental pain

About 7 weeks ago I broke a tooth and went to the dentist to be fitted for a crown.  There was no pain involved when the tooth broke.    My dentist put a temporary crown in while the real crown was being made.  When I went to have to permanent crown put in, about two weeks later, the denist did something (touch a nerve?) and the pain shot thru me and reverberated.  When he sprayed the area with cold air, and when I rinsed with water I screamed in pain!  He commented that it was "a live one" and said the pain would go away in little while.  It never did.  The tooth has been sensitive to touch, chewing, and hot/cold temperature. I called the dentist office and the receptionist said it was normal to be sore after a procedure. Last Wednesday I had a cleaning and xrays taken.  The dentist had to do a root canal on the tooth thru the new crown, saving it.  I have been in agony ever since.  I called the office last Friday, before the long weekend and they said it was normal and I should continue taking 4 ibuprofin every 4 hours, which I had been doing since Wednesday.  I was up all night with the pain, even after taking a perocet and trazadone.  I've been using anbesol and sensodine, which do nothing.  I am still takikng the ibuprofin, even though it is affecting my stomach.  This morning I couldn't take it and called the emergency number.  The dentist called in Cipro for me and will see me tomorrow morning.  To be honest, I can't take this throbbing pain anymore.  It goes from my ear to under my chin.  My tooth cannot be touched at all.  I've been eating on the other side for a several weeks now, but even that scares me because if the tooth touches the top tooth it hurts more and reverberates.  Is there anything I can do today to get me thru until tomorrow morning?  I am dreading tonight.  I wouldn't even know what kind of over the counter pain reliever to take, besides the ibuprofin.  I'm at my wits end!  Please help!!

Lori

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

You should inform your dentist.  A referral to an endodontist (root canal specialist) may be needed.  Its possible there may be a fracture or cracked tooth that is causing the pain.  If the root canal was done, the symptoms should subside and improve gradually.  Taking the ibuprofen should help calm the tooth down as well.  

[Loribop]

The pain is getting worse.  Is anyone out there on Memorial Day?  I need some help here!!!

[Loribop]

Thank you for answering.  I saw the dentist on Tuesday and he redid the root canal thru the crown.  Unfortunately, the crown (which is three weeks old) had to be filed down so the teeth on top don't touch it, so I will need a new crown.  I am on Cipro and Ibuprofen and it now feels much better.  Still a bit sore to the touch, but not bad at all.  In three weeks the dentist is going to fill the canals again and close everything up!  

Thanks again.

Lori

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Glad to hear everything has turned out for the better.  Yep, a new root canal and crown sounds good.