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Old 01-16-2013, 11:31 AM #1
montos montos is offline
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Default Burning in cheek after root canal

I had a root canal started dec 24th due to severe pain that would only let up when I drank cold water. The pain was everywhere on my right side, I couldn't tell if was upper or lower and it hurt my cheek and ear too.

The procedure was quite painful and the dentist said the tooth had been dead for some time since it all black inside. She cleaned it up and sealed a cotton pellet with some formocresol on it.

10 days later I went to my regular dentist to finish the job. I had just completed 10 days of clindamycin and the pain had resolved after about 5 days.

My regular dentist prepped the tooth which was quite painful since I had no anesthetic. I could feel the files go past the apex several times, of so it seemed. He then inserted warm gutta-percha into each canal which hurt like heck for a second or 2. The xray showed a small puff beyond the apex which is what he looks for.

After the procedure the tooth was incredibly sore for about 4 days, as was my cheek. Ibuprofen helped. I was getting pain in my cheek and ear as well.

About 9 days after the procedure the pain was mostly gone but I had a slight burning sensation in my cheek. This burning has not gone away and it has been nearly 2 weeks. The sensation is quite distracting but mild almost like severely dry skin. It also comes and goes. I still get the occasional twinge from the tooth, especially as a eat.

Of course I read about trigeminal neuropathy and freaked out.

Does this sound normal? Does it found like something that might still go away?
With the exception of this morning it has been gone in the am and gets worse throughout the day.
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Old 01-18-2013, 10:06 PM #2
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Can anyone shed some light on this? Bryanna maybe? I'm suffering here and very scared right now.

Thanks.
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Old 01-19-2013, 07:38 AM #3
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Try not to panic. I believe there are salivary glands in the cheeks and perhaps this was aggravated during your dental work. You can ask the dentist office if rinsing with salt water might be of help.

I have atypical trigeminal neuralgia occurring after some ........dental work.
With a new dentist I had a filing done and was scared. It hurt a little for about four days and then stopped

Consider getting a second opinion if the pain continues. If it lingers very long, then go to a neurologist and perhaps an ENT. I do hope it goes away soon. Some people take longer than others to heal.

I'm so sorry to read of your pain, sending healing thoughts.
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Old 01-19-2013, 01:09 PM #4
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Thanks so much for the reply. THe burning has gotten worse and it moves from my cheek to my forehead to my chin to my lip. My doctor says it may be an injury to the trigeminal nerve and that it will likely heal.

I go see an endodontist next tuesday for an evaluation.

I've never read of trigeminal neuralgia healing. Have you ever heard of this? The only thing is my pain is very mild, just a low grade burning that shifts around very quickly. Eyebrow for 3 minutes then ok for 2 minute then cheek for 5 minutes then in front of ear for 5 minutes. Never in 2 places at once and never more severe that a sunburn or a slap type pain.

My understanding of ATN is that it is real pain that is unrelenting. I've dealt with some people with TN and my heart goes out to them.

Does my symptoms sound like anything you've heard of?
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Old 01-19-2013, 03:42 PM #5
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I'm sorry. Mine started off something like this, after having a super duper bad pain at the dentist office...I had moderate to severe pain that moved. And after one procedure, I would have weird pains in my teeth that ping ponged from tooth to tooth as well. It worsened and worsened, and now the pain is outrageous and constant. I haven't heard of anyone getting better, but everyone is different. Perhaps if you get any infection treated with antibiotics and dont have any further physical work done, things will come down. Fingers crossed. But you have to have an experienced dental professional figure this out.

I got much worse and everyone I have communicated with has worsened when it comes to nerve damage and ATN. I understand that some people enjoy remissions from time to time, but with ATN they are uncommon. Also, with ATN, treatment is difficult. I hope that this is not ATN! Not sure an endodontist can help, but probably worth a try. I would consider seeing an oral surgeon not affiliated with this dentist and definitely see a neurologist, especially since the dentist himself mentioned the trigeminal nerve. I hope and pray this is not ATN!!!! Contact the Facial Pain Assoc in Fla. if it is confirmed and get the support of family and friends. Consider seeing a therapist if at any point depression sets in. Wishing you well.

Last edited by Vowel Lady; 01-19-2013 at 04:08 PM.
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Old 01-19-2013, 05:29 PM #6
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Hi montos.

I am going to reply in BOLD after each of your comments...

<<<I had a root canal started dec 24th due to severe pain that would only let up when I drank cold water. The pain was everywhere on my right side, I couldn't tell if was upper or lower and it hurt my cheek and ear too.>>

ALL OF THESE SYMPTOMS ARE INDICATIVE OF A LONG TERM INFECTED AND INFLAMED TOOTH. LONG TERM MEANS THE BACTERIA HAS GONE BEYOND THE TOOTH.


<<The procedure was quite painful and the dentist said the tooth had been dead for some time since it all black inside. She cleaned it up and sealed a cotton pellet with some formocresol on it.>>

IT WAS PAINFUL BECAUSE THE INFLAMMATION IS SEVERE AND IT IS NOT LIMITED TO JUST THE TOOTH. THE INFLAMMATION IS IN THE PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT THAT HOLDS THE TOOTH IN THE JAW... THE SURROUNDING NERVES IN THE JAW... THE LIGAMENTS AND MUSCULATURE AREA THAT ENCOMPASSES NOT ONLY THIS TOOTH BUT THE ENTIRE UPPER AND LOWER JAW ON THAT SIDE. THIS IS A BAD INFECTION.

******FORMOCRESOL IS A FORM OF FORMALDEHYDE. IT IS USED IN EMBALMING FLUID. IT IS A LETHAL TOXIN TO HUMAN BEINGS. GOOGLE FORMOCRESOL TOXICITY AND READ ABOUT IT. DENTISTS WHO STILL USE THIS STUFF SHOULD HAVE THEIR LICENSES TAKEN AWAY PERMANENTLY. THIS IS THE WORST THING SHE COULD HAVE PUT IN YOUR TOOTH. THE TOXINS LEACH OUT OF THE TOOTH INTO YOUR TISSUE, YOUR BLOODSTREAM, YOUR BRAIN..... ETC. THERE IS NO WAY TO REMOVE THE RESIDUE FROM THIS TOXIN FROM YOUR TOOTH. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU HAVE THE TOOTH REMOVED ASAP.

<<10 days later I went to my regular dentist to finish the job. I had just completed 10 days of clindamycin and the pain had resolved after about 5 days.>>

THIS TOOTH SHOULD BE REMOVED. IT IS NOT HEALTHY AND THE TOXINS FROM THE FORMOCRESOL ARE CONTINUOUSLY LEACHING OUT OF THE TOOTH.

<<My regular dentist prepped the tooth which was quite painful since I had no anesthetic. I could feel the files go past the apex several times, of so it seemed. He then inserted warm gutta-percha into each canal which hurt like heck for a second or 2. The xray showed a small puff beyond the apex which is what he looks for.>>

THIS IS A NIGHTMARE. NOT ONLY IS THIS TOOTH HIGHLY TOXIC BUT THAT "PUFF" OF FILLING MATERIAL THAT WAS PUSHED THROUGH THE DISEASED APEX OF THE TOOTH NOW HAS EMBEDDED ITSELF IN THE JAWBONE. NO THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING. THIS IS A DENTIST WHO DOES NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE SYSTEMIC AFTERMATH OF WHAT HE DOES.

<<After the procedure the tooth was incredibly sore for about 4 days, as was my cheek. Ibuprofen helped. I was getting pain in my cheek and ear as well.>>

OF COURSE YOU WERE. THE TOOTH IS SICK AND SO IS THE AREA AROUND IT.

<<About 9 days after the procedure the pain was mostly gone but I had a slight burning sensation in my cheek. This burning has not gone away and it has been nearly 2 weeks. The sensation is quite distracting but mild almost like severely dry skin. It also comes and goes. I still get the occasional twinge from the tooth, especially as a eat.>>

THIS COULD BE RELATED TO IRRITATED NERVES AND INFLAMMATION BUT IS MORE LIKELY PAIN FROM TOXICITY. THE TOOTH HURTS TO CHEW BECAUSE IT'S INFECTED AND THE AREA ABOVE IT IS TOO.

<<Of course I read about trigeminal neuropathy and freaked out.>>

GET THE TOOTH OUT BEFORE THE TOXINS SPREAD ANY FURTHER. MANY PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF NEURALGIA DUE TO INFECTED ROOT CANALED TEETH. THE LONGER THE TOOTH IS PRESENT THE MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO HAVE PERMANENT PAIN.

<<Does this sound normal? Does it found like something that might still go away?>>

IT SOUNDS VERY "TYPICAL" FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD YOUR DENTAL PROBLEM. THE ISSUE IS...IN SPITE OF THE DIRECT CORRELATION, MANY DENTISTS DO NOT WANT TO ADMIT THIS IS RELATED TO THE TOOTH.

<<With the exception of this morning it has been gone in the am and gets worse throughout the day.>>

IT'S NOT REALLY GONE. THE SYMPTOMS SUBSIDE BECAUSE YOUR BODY IS AT REST. THAT IS MOST LIKELY SHORT LIVED. IT FEELS WORSE AS THE DAY GOES ON BECAUSE THE INFLAMMATION IS IRRITATED BY YOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BY EATING, BY TEMPERATURE CHANGES... ETC.

Montos, I know what I have told you is scary. It is the truth and you are doing yourself an injustice if you keep this tooth. It is only a matter of time before the area swells up. In the meantime, your immune system is fighting the toxicities associated with the formocresol, the tooth is infected, the bone is infected and your experiencing systemic neurological pain from all of this. I have seen this thousands of times in my dental career.... before the neurological issues become permanent seriously consider removing this tooth. Go to an oral surgeon only to have it removed. Not your GP.

Be Well,
Bryanna
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Old 01-19-2013, 05:39 PM #7
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Default Hi Montos

I just want you to know that what Bryanna said is very true. Please go see the specialist. Let NT know how you are doing. Sorry this happened to you, but truely the dentist didn't do right by you on many fronts. Don't wait if you can help it. ginnie
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Old 01-19-2013, 11:15 PM #8
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Bryanna,

Thanks for the response. Yeah, if I had known she was going to use formocresol I would have bolted. My understanding is that they dip cotton in it and wring it out so it's just the vapours and not actually liquid like they still use on kid's teeth (which I can't believe!).

My regular dentist, who is a pretty decent guy, said he took extra care to irrigate the tooth before filing. (he personally does not use formocresol or amalgam and I never considered asking the first emergency dentist since she was quite young and I just assumed)

My question is that at this point if the formocresol or the calcium hydroxide or the gutta percha has injured the nerve would extraction make the situation worse?

I now have burning sensations that move from my cheek to my forehead to my jaw (the entire trigeminal distribution) and this scares the crap out of me. If I never see a dentist again it will be too soon. I just don't want to make things worse.

I go to an endodontist on tuesday. What do you suggest I ask them?

You have seen this before? Have you seen it go away?
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Old 01-19-2013, 11:50 PM #9
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In my case, I had the offending tooth removed and the area cleaned and biopsied. This made my pain worse. I thought i was doing the right thing, but the very next day my pain worsened and stayed that way. it sealed my fate. One of my neuros summizes it was nerve damage from the beginning (likely caused by the initial dental work) so this particular effort only made matters worse in my case.

Long story short: Sometimes I wonder if it was the graft that was put in after the tooth removal that was the final straw....but that period of time definitely heightened my pain and caused it to be 24/7.

Sadly, there are two schools of thought when it comes to root canals, but I know I personally would hesitate to get one again. One of my doctors puts it this way... He would hesitate to take any out, but absolutely would never put one in since we now know that they might be problematic.

I live in a large city and to the best of my knowledge only one or two dentists public ally adhere to the idea that root canals should be avoided, but then again, change is slow. It is still controversial. Just be careful and I think you probably would be best off in the hands of a highly respected oral surgeon...triple check his or her fpreferences with doctors and patients first. Definitely get a second or even third opinion Proceede with caution

Best wishes...this is a tough call.
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Old 01-20-2013, 08:31 AM #10
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Default Hi montos

It wouldn't hurt to bring all these posts to your doctor. At least he will know you are researching the whole situation, and that you are very concerned about all your options. Doctors can assume you know nothing. go armed with information for the best outcome. Write down all your questions, and get the answers before you go ahead with any therapy to correct it. I wish you all the best and I will think of you on tuesday. ginnie
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