Hi nowwhat,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some help here.

All root canaled teeth remain infected as there is no access to the tiny canals which harbor infected nerve tissue. So to answer your question....
<<<<even if the penicillin stops the pain (very mild at this point) can I be sure that the infection is totally cleared up & won't just spread around. What's the best thing to do??>>>

No, the infection will still be present in the tiny canals and also inside of the large canals to some degree as all of the tissue cannot be removed from there either. The infection will spread beyond the tooth, in to the periodontal ligament and then in to the bone. It may already be there! The only way to remove the infection is to remove the source which is the tooth.

It is irrelevant as to whether the nerve was dead or alive in the tooth prior to the root canal. The anatomy of the tooth remains the same.

Since the tooth was already non vital indicates that the bacteria inside of the tooth has been brewing for awhile so chances are this is a very sick tooth. Not only that... tooth #10 is the upper left lateral which only has one canal. So if your dentists is saying it needs more than one visit to complete the rc procedure, then that indicates it is very infected.

Go with your instinct on this.... the tooth cannot be cured of infection irrelevant of what procedure is done to it. If you don't want to live with a chronically infected tooth and chance systemic infection, then have it removed. Discuss replacement options with your general dentist.

Bryanna