Crown infection or need a root canal?

[hurtingtooth]

Hi.  Two and half weeks ago I had my two right back teeth excavated because the dentist said the fillings were old and I had a crack in the back tooth.  While drilling I was told there was a small cavity in the back side of the back tooth;  no root canal was done,  just excavating most of the fillings and placing two temp crowns over the teeth. I say most of the filling because one that was "well seated" was left in.  Anyway, I have been in pain ever since!  I have been taking up to 6 Aleve tablets per day and this can't be good.  I have gone back to the dentist twice.  The first visit he ground down the crown so I wouldn't hit it when I bite down.  That helped but did not aleviate the pain that only the Aleve's would take away.  Yesterday he said his guess would be a root canal might be necessary but let's wait to see when the permanent crowns go on next week to see if the pain is gone.  He said he had to drill deeply to get the filling out and the tooth might still be in trauma.  He never mentioned an infection but I did and managed to get a script for Amoxacillian.  I just want to know if this is a common experience and that it might be possible that I won't have to endure a root canal and the amox will do the trick.  Thanks!

[scottma]

Seeing an endodontist is advised.