Hi gretchen,

I am going to re post some of your post and answer in bold.

<<<I got prepped for a crown on the molar next to the extraction on the upper left side. This was 8 days ago, and ever since then I've had off and on pain in the area and teeth on the bottom as well. Plus my jaw hurts in a spot as well as my left ear. Cold sensitivity also. >>>

WAS THIS MOLAR SENSITIVE TO COLD AFTER THE TOOTH NEXT TO IT WAS EXTRACTED AND/OR ANYTIME PRIOR TO THE PREPARATION FOR THE CROWN?

YOUR DESCRIPTION OF SYMPTOMS MAY INDICATE THAT THE TEMP CROWN IS NOT COVERING YOUR TOOTH COMPLETELY (CREATING COLD SENS) AND THAT IT MAY ALSO NOT BE FITTING PROPERLY INTO YOUR BITE. THIS ILL FIT WOULD CAUSE ALL OF THE SYMPTOMS THAT YOU HAVE DESCRIBED.

<<<I went to the dentist yesterday and told him all of this. His assistant did adjust my bite, which seemed to help.>>>

SOME ASSISTANTS ARE TRAINED AND PRETTY GOOD AT WHAT THEY DO... BUT THEY ARE NOT DENTISTS AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE ADJUSTING THE BITE ON A PATIENT WHO COMPLAINS ABOUT PAIN AS YOU HAVE. I AM A WELL TRAINED AND VERY EXPERIENCED CHAIR SIDE ASSISTANT AND I WOULD NOT ADJUST YOUR TEMP CROWN WITH YOUR SYMPTOMS. HE ALSO NEEDS TO DETERMINE IF THERE IS AN OPENING ALONG THE GINGIVAL MARGIN OF THE CROWN THAT COULD BE CAUSING YOUR COLD SENSITIVITY. FYI... COLD SENS USUALLY INDICATES EXPOSED DENTIN OR DECAY. HOT SENSITIVITY USUALLY INDICATES A PROBLEM WITH THE NERVES.

<<< The dentist told me not to chew on the side for four days and then see how it felt. He told me if it was not any better by then, I'd need a root canal most likely.>>>

THIS DENTIST NEEDS TO PERSONALLY CHECK YOUR BITE AND ADJUST IT PROPERLY. "THEN" YOU WOULD NOT CHEW ON IT FOR A FEW DAYS TO ALLOW THE NERVE TO CALM DOWN AS IT IS PRETTY IRRITATED FROM NOT FITTING PROPERLY IN YOUR BITE. TELLING YOU TO HAVE THIS TOOTH ROOT CANALED WITHOUT THE PROPER ADJUSTMENT IS COMPLETELY IRRATIONAL AND IRRESPONSIBLE ON HIS PART. MANY DENTISTS WILL TELL THEIR PATIENTS TO HAVE A ROOT CANAL JUST TO MAKE THEM STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PAIN FROM AN ILL FITTING TEMP OR PERM CROWN. CRAZY!

<<< He wants to have that done before the perm. crown is put on.>>>

OF COURSE HE DOES! HE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO BLAME THE ENDODONTIST FOR YOUR FUTURE PROBLEMS ON THIS TOOTH WHEN ALL THE TOOTH MIGHT NEED IS A PROPER ADJUSTMENT. THIS WAY HE CAN GET PAID IN FULL FOR THE PERMANENT CROWN WHILE YOU DUKE IT OUT WITH THE ENDODONTIST WHEN YOUR TOOTH BECOMES INFECTED.

<<<Now my dilemma. First, my teeth were feeling pretty good yesterday, but today they are all hurting again. >>>

CHANCES ARE THE TOOTH NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED PROPERLY. THAT SHOULD BE THE FIRST STEP AND YOUR DENTIST SHOULD BE THE ONE TO DO THAT.

<<<The real question is: Do I get the root canal and hope for the best?>>>

IF THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT YOU HAVE AN INFECTED OR FRACTURED TOOTH... IF THE TOOTH WAS RADIOGRAPHICALLY HEALTHY AND HAD NO CLINICAL SIGNS OF DISEASE PRIOR TO THE PREP FOR THE CROWN THEN THERE IS NO REASON TO JUST GO AHEAD AND GET IT ROOT CANALED. WHAT HE IS NOT TELLING YOU IS THAT ALL ROOT CANALED TEETH ARE UNHEALTHY IRRELEVANT OF WHETHER THEY HAVE SYMPTOMS OR NOT. WHY RUIN A HEALTHY TOOTH BECAUSE YOUR DENTIST WAS LAX IN YOUR POST OP CARE?

<<< Or, get it extracted and have to look into getting partial dentures. If it's removed, I will have three missing upper molars and one on the bottom. I will have none that meet, so chewing in the back on either side will be pretty much impossible. >>>

IF THE TOOTH IS INFECTED OR FRACTURED... THEN THE HEALTHIEST OPTION WOULD BE TO HAVE IT REMOVED. IF NOT, THEN YOU CAN REST ASSURE THAT YOU WILL BE ADDRESSING THIS TOOTH AGAIN AT ANOTHER TIME. AT WHICH POINT YOU MAY NOT BE A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR REPLACEMENT DUE TO BONE LOSS. YOU CAN ONLY DECIDE WHAT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST REGARDING YOUR OVERALL HEALTH. LOSING TEETH AND WEARING PARTIAL DENTURES IS TRULY SECONDARY TO YOUR HEALTH... AT LEAST IT IS IN MY OPINION. BUT OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO DECIDE THAT FOR YOURSELF.

<<<I hope I will hear from Bryanna and anyone else who has had this experience with suggestions. Thank you so much, in advance. Oh, I am taking ibuprofen for swelling and pain.>>>

WELL YOU'VE HEARD FROM ME.... :/ NO SURPRISE TO MY ANSWER I'M SURE.
GRETCHEN... WHAT IS SWOLLEN??

Bryanna