Hi Scott,
The surgical procedure that is done on a root canaled tooth (although it can be done on a non root canaled tooth also) is called an Apicoectomy. It is considered a surgical root canal. This procedure is done when the infection within the tooth has spread to the jawbone, which by the way commonly occurs in root canaled teeth. Because there is no access to the millions of microscopic canals within the tooth, this procedure does not solve the infection so it will continue to thrive and proliferate beyond the tooth. Another downside to this procedure that your dentist should have informed you of is that the continuation of infection will cause further deterioration of the bone complicating the replacement of this tooth in the future.
Your tooth feels "longer" because it is inflamed and the ligament that holds the tooth in the bone is overwhelmed with bacteria and inflammation. Your immune system is trying to deal with this bacteria and the pain is inevitable until the inflammation subsides. I know what you have been told by your dentist, but the truth of the matter is that this tooth will continue to be infected and unfortunately the only way to solve the problem would be to remove the source of the infection which is the tooth.
I'm sorry to bring you this unfortunate news... I'm sure you would have liked to have been informed of it prior to any of these procedures.
Please feel free to ask more questions....
Bryanna
Quote:
Originally Posted by scottrill20
I have read a couple posts on here and I am hoping that you can let me know what is going on. I just had that surgery that starts with an "a". All in one month, I have had a root canal, put a crown on and surgical procedure on the gums. They said that this will fix the problem and that I will be healed 100% by 4/23. I had this done on 4/17 and had the sutures taken out on 4/20. I am still in pain on that tooth. I think it is #26. On the lower left side, in front. Like somebody said it just the way I do in an earlier post, I feel like my tooth is larger than others, I cant bite down on it without serious pain. I feel like its in the way. But it doesnt look like its in the way. The dentist did a vertical incision on me and they said that hurts more, but still I am back to the same pain that I went in there with before my surgery. Can you tell me what is going on and if its way more than my tooth? Thanks
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