Suddenly have pain one month after crown

[MC_Rider]

Upper left furthest rear molar.  The tooth cracked with a filling done by Dentist #1.  Moved and had Dentist #2 look at it.  I figured it needed a crown. Dentist #2 said no.  He filled and "rebuilt" the tooth.  About 8 months after the rebuild, it started "crumbling."  I figured it was time for a crown at that point. Dentist #2 said no and rebuilt the tooth again.

Several months later, I had intense pain in the tooth, and it was time to go to Dentist #3, who suggested a crown initially, but would consider a root canal after getting in there and seeing what she could see.  It ended up being just a crown.  Silver crown fit snuggly.  No pain. No issues, except for some mild "fever" in the area for a couple of days after the permanent crown was in place.

Since then, not a problem.  Eating, drinking, no sensitivity to anything hot or cold. No chewing or "bite" issues.

A month later, I start getting some pain similar to what I felt before going to Dentist #3. The tooth became sensitive to hot liquid all of a sudden at lunch one day.  Not sensitive to cold. Later the same afternoon, flared up again after drinking hot coffee. Still no sensitivity to cold.

Within 5 or 6 hours of the coffee, there is full-blown throbbing and pain there without any hot liquid being consumed, and the area is hot to the touch. Pain meds aren't helping much.

I am thinking that I may be a prime candidate for a root canal.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Hard to say.  If I'm not 100% positive it needs a root canal, I'll usually have the discussion with the patient but tell them that it could need a root canal and I can't predict when.  I usually say "it could be next week, it could be 10 years down the road"

[MC_Rider]

Thanks for the feedback, Dr. Tsang.

I was afraid of that.

I don't think Dentist #2 did me any favors in his attempt to rebuild.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Based upon your story, I would agree that a root canal is highly possible