Thank you for answering my questions. I really appreciate it. The pain is definitely coming from the newly re-crowned tooth, not the root canal tooth which is in front of the crowned tooth. There was no decay in the tooth so I think it's the nerve. I've been back to the dentist and he said x-rays show nothing so I should go to the endodontist. I'm not sure what my options are but I really don't want another root canal. Is it possible that the nerve can heal over time if it is the nerve? I'm really upset over the whole thing because if I had known there was a chance that by replacing a cracked crown I would have to have a root canal, I wouldn't have replaced the crown at this time. Shouldn't patients be told this is a possibility beforehand by the dentist? I really never knew it was possible. Thanks again.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bryanna
Hi Nell,
I am in the dental profession and can try to help you. Without an xray I can only go by what you have described here.
I will answer your questions in bold type to make it easier to follow.
<<So, I'm wondering if I'm feeling this pain because my bite is still not correct?>>>
IT IT POSSIBLE THAT YOUR PAIN HAS MANY REASONS.
1) THE BITE MAY STILL BE OFF
2) THE NERVE IN THE TOOTH MAY BE DYING
3) YOUR GRINDING HABIT CAN BE IRRITATING THIS TOOTH.
4) THE RC TOOTH BEHIND IT MAY BE FINALLY SHOWING SYMPTOMS OF AN INFECTION.
<<<From what I understand root canals are often infected but not sure this pain is because of infection since I didn't have pain before this new crown.">>>
ROOT CANALED TEETH ARE ALWAYS INFECTED BECAUSE THERE IS NO ACCESS TO THE TINY CANALS THAT CONTAIN NECROTIC NERVE TISSUE. SO IRRELEVANT OF HOW MANY TIMES THE TOOTH IS ROOT CANALED, THESE TINY CANALS REMAIN INFECTED. EVENTUALLY THE INFECTION SPREADS FURTHER INTO THE TOOTH, THEN INTO THE PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT, AND THEN THE JAW BONE.
PREPARING THE TOOTH FOR A CROWN DID NOT CAUSE THE RC TOOTH TO BECOME INFECTED. IT WAS ALREADY INFECTED FOR THE REASONS THAT I STATED ABOVE. HOWEVER, YOU MAY BE HITTING THE RC TOOTH DIFFERENTLY NOW SINCE GETTING THIS OTHER TOOTH CROWNED WHICH WOULD CAUSE SYMPTOMS OF THE INFECTION IN THE RC TOOTH TO SURFACE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT MOST DENTAL PROBLEMS HAVE NO SYMPTOMS UNTIL THE AREA HAS BEEN IRRITATED OR THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED. PAIN IS OFTEN A LATE STAGE SYMPTOM.
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<<<I called the dentist to tell him I was still having pain in the tooth with the new crown and he told me I should see an endodontist because "when you have work done on the tooth, the nerve gets inflamed and usually the inflammation goes down but sometimes it does not and because I'm still feeling pain, maybe the nerve in my tooth has not settled down and I'll need a root canal". Does this sound possible?>>>
ANYTIME A TOOTH IS DRILLED INTO, THE NERVE IS TRAUMATIZED AND INFLAMED. IF THE PREPARATION OF THE TOOTH WAS NOT SEVERE AND IF THE TOOTH WAS HEALTHY TO BEGIN WITH, THEN IN MOST CASES THE NERVE WILL CALM DOWN. DENTISTS TYPICALLY TELL THEIR PATIENTS TO SEE THE ENDODONTIST WHEN THE PATIENT COMPLAINS ABOUT PAIN WITH A NEW CROWN AND/OR WHEN THEY SUSPECT THE NEWLY CROWNED TOOTH WAS NOT HEALTHY TO BEGIN WITH.
KEEP IN MIND THAT RC TEETH ARE NEVER HEALTHY AND THERE ARE SYSTEMIC RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH CHRONICALLY INFECTED TEETH. SO YOU MAY WANT TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON THOSE HEALTH RISKS AND RECONSIDER GETTING ANOTHER ROOT CANAL DONE FOR THAT REASON.
<<I do remember when I went in to have my permanent crown put on and I told him I was having sensitivity, when I was leaving he told me something similar about the nerve getting inflamed because of being worked on and to come and see him if it didn't get better. How does one go from having a crown put on to possibly needing a root canal? Btw, the tooth was not infected in any way.>>>
PLEASE READ ABOVE ABOUT THE TOOTH BEING DRILLED INTO.
Bryanna
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