tooth canal

[daysgo]

Hello. I had a root canal a few months ago and for some reason i kept having pain in my tooth for a long time. So i went back to my dentist to get x-rays and he said  that there was nothing wrong with my tooth. I got some prescriptions for my tooth but i still had pain. Two days ago, i went to my dentist again and told him that i was still having pain in the tooth. He told me that my pain was from the root canal and that it is a rare case. He finally told me that i can either keep the root canal or get my tooth bridged. I'm scared about actually having my tooth pulled out and replacing it with another one. Do you think that i should keep the root canal or get my tooth bridged? Will i have more pain in my tooth if i get it bridged?

Thank you,
Lily

[BrownieGirl]

I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND a 2nd opinion by an Endodontist BEFORE you decide ANYTHING!!! I went through this same exact thing. I had the tooth pulled after awhile of living with post-root canal pain, only to find out that the pain TRANSFERRED to the NEXT tooth beside it!!!!!!!! After MONTHS of consultations and unnecessary root canals, extractions I was diagnosed with a neurological disease that affects the teeth, soft tissues and facial area--called Trigeminal Neuralgia!!!! There is no cure and no I REPEAT NO DENTAL PROCEDURE TO RID THE PAIN!!! I LIVE WITH IT AND THE MORE DENTAL PROCEDURES U HAVE DONE, THE WORSE THE PAIN WILL BECOME!!! TRUST ME!!! IF THERE IS NOTHING SHOWING IN THE X-RAY AND A 2ND OPINION SAYS THE SAME THING--LEAVE IT ALONE. I REPEAT, LEAVE IT ALONE!!! Take care!!! Oh, and look up the symptoms of Trigeminal Neuralgia--may help u figure out the cause of your discomfort. Happy Holidays!!! and Good Luck!!!

[tmjpain25]

I agree, you should see a endodontic specialist right away. He will be able to tell you if you have a crack in the tooth that extends down the root. This would cause your root canal to fail because bacteria would continue to enter the sealed tooth and cause ongoing infection. This is one possibility. The endodontist may also let you know if the previous dentist who did the root canal did not seal the tooth properly or missed an additional canal in the root. I worked for a endodontist for over 4 years, as a dental assistant. We saw alot of cases where the general dentist would do the root canal, and since they do not have the additional training or the equipment that an endodontist does, they can miss things or not seal the canals properly. Cracks can not be seen on xrays, so the specialist can use his high powered microscope to look inside the tooth and see if there is a crack that extends too far down the root to save the tooth. Ask you dentist for a referral to see the endo. right away. They will give you a percentage on if they think it can be saved, or if it would be better to do an extraction. If it was severely infected prior to your root canal, it may take longer to feel normal again. Your bite could also be off. Did the dentist place a crown or a cap on your tooth after the root canal? Some only place large fillings, and after a root canal is done, the tooth is very brittle and can break very easily. If your bite is off, even a mm, it can cause pain due to the constant pressure on your tooth. See the specialist and then get some more information. You don't want to lose your tooth that you have most likely already put a lot of money into to save! I know how expensive dental procedures are! If you do end up losing the tooth in the long run, and replace the tooth with a bridge, the dentist will have to prep the tooth in front and behind the missing tooth. You will have crowns/caps on the teeth as well. You don't want to have work done on "virgin" teeth that do not already have large fillings/cracks/decay or need for a crown. And a bridge is very expensive as well, as you are paying for 3 crowns in one. Another option for replacing the tooth is an implant. Those are VERY expensive and most insurances do not even cover them. An implant is the best way to go, if you don't want to have work done on the teeth surounding the missing tooth. It is permanent and has great results. You will of course have to see a specialist to do that procedure as well, and it takes awhile for the entire procedure to get finished. There are a few steps to be done, and it takes time. Let us know what the dentist says about your request to see a specialist. It certainly will not hurt to get another opinion before you go and start pulling teeth that you can never get back. I like to tell patients that they should try to keep their natural teeth for life. At least as many as possible. Dentures are NOT comfortable, and patients always regret going that route, by not taking care of their teeth when they were younger. I hope this helps a little. Make sure you get a copy of your xrays and notes to see the endo. spec. that might help you to save a little money on your consult fee. Most offices make you pay up front and then file your insurance later. If you bring in your own xray they may not charge you for that at least. Good luck. Hope you start to feel better soon.

[scottma]

Consultation with an endodontist is advised.