Dental and Oral Health (Adults)

Root canal

05/17/2008 10:48AM

Question:

3.5 weeks since root canal, carbocaine numbed area,only symptom was chronic pain-over a year after invisalign braces completedn considered ligamet,bone pain but after a year, drilling inside molar w/crown caused heat sensitivity. Completed amoxicillin, advil, tylenol and still painful daily, jaw pain lasted 3 days. Endodontist said it was bloody & inflammed, nothing on x-rays. Dentist won`t porcelain cap until pain subsides and said it can take months. chewing on one side for over 6 months. 1,300.00 to have no relief, not another tooth. What are we missing and what test is efficient? Exercise causes throbbing pain. Medol was mentioned which works on bone pain, but endodontist will not re-evaluate.

Answer:

There is no particular test to determine exactly what is going on. If you are being evaluated by both a dentist and endodontist, it would be very hard for me to find anything insightful just from your explanation of your situation. You can have pain following certain dental procedures. Continued pain does need to be reevaluated.

I am somewhat confused by some of your statements. Has the endodontist already reevaluated you? If he/she determined that there is nothing wrong with that tooth and that it is not another tooth, then you may need to be evaluated for other types of pain. There are other clinicians such as an orofacial pain specialist or neurologist that may be able to evaluate your situation.

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Response by:

Melissa McCartney Drum, DDS, MS
Assistant Professor
Section of Endodontics
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University