I had a root canal in December 2012 on a back lower molar, and have had non-stop pain since then. I've had a full re-treatment, and some additional treatments (that I don't fully understand) since then, and nothing alleviates the pain, which manifests as gum and jaw pain, sometimes radiating to the ear. Recently, a new dentist thought pain might be caused by an adjacent tooth, and so last week I had a root canal on that tooth as well. I am already worried that this tooth is about to go down the same path as the first one.

I have read some posts here which advocated extractions of root-canaled teeth. I have reached the point of pain and frustration where I am willing to consider this, but my question is why do none of the dentists I have been working with (2 dentists and 2 endodontists) not recommend this? They seem to oppose it on the grounds that they cannot see anything wrong with the tooth, or the root canal work; they say I could possibly be extracting a tooth without solving the underlying cause of the pain. But what else could this pain be? They have mentioned neuralgia (I guess TN) but have not given me a way to rule this out? Is there some definitive way to rule out TN before extracting the tooth?

I was more inclined toward extraction before the second root canal. Now I am worried that I will have to lose both teeth and get implants that I don't want and can hardly afford. But, more than anything, I want this pain to go away before it gets even worse. I'm worried that there's an infection underneath or in this tooth, but I don't understand why no one can see it. Can it really be the case that there is no empirical way to prove the tooth is bad (except by removing it and starting to feel better), and there is ALSO no way to prove that it is TN or something else. I'm at the end of my rope and cannot find an endo or dentist who can tell me anything definitive.

Is there a specialist in this sort of thing, and if so, how can I find them?

Please help!