pain after root canal

[Mlc41]

I am nine months pregnant and went to the dentist with extreme pain in my gums and my back bottom tooth.  The dentist took x-rays and found nothing.  He thought I may have been grinding my teeth and adjusted the bite, but I got no relief.  I went back two days later and he started on a root canal and said the tooth was totally dead inside and must have had a small crack.  He did not prescribe antibiotics because he thought my doctor would not want me to take them.  After days of excruciating pain, I called my doctor and he said I could have Penicillin, and he also gave me Percocet.  I called my dentist back and have been on Penicillin for about 6 days.  The pain has gone from extreme to mild but I still can't chew or drink anything without getting pain all along my jaw and up towards my ear. I can control it pretty well with Tylenol every 4 hours. I went back again to the dentist and he said if he opened it back up, the pain would start all over again and I should try and wait until after the baby is born to finish the work. He also said it takes a while for the antibiotics to reach the bone where the infection still lies.  I'm scheduled for a c-section in two weeks.  On one hand, I want to get rid of this pain before I have more pain from the c-section, then on the other hand, I don't want to have more pain right now and have to be on pain pills close to my delivery which will affect my baby.  I guess my real question is: why am I still feeling pain after 10 after the root canal?  Should it take this long?  What could be wrong?

[Matthew Baron, D.M.D.]

If the pain is from a small crack, the tooth may be in jeopardy with a poor prognosis and may need to be extracted.  If the pain is from an infection from the tooth, the antibiotic should have helped in conjunction with the starting of the root canal.  Does it hurt when you bite or is it all the time?  The occlusion or bite may need to be cleared so you're not touching that tooth when your teeth come together.  You should be able to get out of pain for your cesarian.

[mike1105]

It could be many things causing pain----ie a fracture, infection, a diffeent tooth being the culprit---- it is odd to have pain upon drinking-- this usually occurs with teeth whose nerves have not yet been removed--- if the nerve was removed (and it should have been if the dentist opened the tooth and accessed the canals) this should not happen. pain upon chewing is understandable and would be due to inflammation from the infection (dead nerve) either in the tooth or in the bone around the tooth, the bite being off, or a fracture, which my still give you trouble even after the root canal is done and the tooth is crowned. (at that point it may needto be removed) If you were my patient, I'd consider opening and irrigating the tooth with hopes of relieving any pressure from gases (from the infection) in the tooth. Molars (I'm assuming it is a molar) are difficult to treat....although I felt I was pretty good treating root canals, as technology advanced and root canal microscopes entered the field, I began to refer most molar root canals to an endodontist who had one. I simply felt that because they had the technology (which is expensive and requires specific training) they were able to do the procedure better than I could. YOu may want to consider seeing an endodontist who treats root canals under the microscope especially considering your pregnancy-- the last thing you want is an abcessed or problematic tooth to deal with at this time.

[Mlc41]

Thank you for your advice.  I'm not sure where to go from here.  It does feel somewhat better today.  Hopefully, that won't change tomorrow.

[mike1105]

i'd see an endodontist who has a microscope. the forum doc is right. If there is a crack that's causing pain, the tooth may need to be extracted and all the current treatment you are having is a waste of time. The endodontist is best equipped to diagnose your problem and best equipped to treat it. If nothing else, you'll get a 2nd opinion.

[mike1105]

i'd see an endodontist who has a microscope. the forum doc is right. If there is a crack that's causing pain, the tooth may need to be extracted and all the current treatment you are having is a waste of time. The endodontist is best equipped to diagnose your problem and best equipped to treat it. If nothing else, you'll get a 2nd opinion.

[OUCH7777]

I AM IN AGONY!  And this should not be happening!  I am 15-months post root canal in a back upper molar.  I started having sinus/allergy symptoms, and my physician ordered Nasonex.  (I am also on Cipro antibiotics now, too, from my IM doctor.)  One day after I used the Nasonex, I developed an EXCRUCIATING toothache in the post-root-canal tooth.  (This was yesterday.)  Today it is unbearable, and of course, being Saturday, I am stuck.  My dentist is unavailable.  I tried cleaning the area surrounding the tooth, and it is bloody (gums also seem a bit swollen around the culprit.)  I rinsed with full-strength peroxide and am taking Motrin, but am in AGONY.  It is THROBBING without touching it at all.  Eating is out of the question.  Even drinking hurts from the movement of my mouth around the tooth.  any suggestions?  Why is this happening to a supposedly "dead" tooth????  HELP!!!! (and thanks for any quick suggestions).

[listolub]

A related discussion, Pain after a root canal was started.