I had a root canal,post and new crown on the tooth between the eye tooth and the front tooth on May 15th.
Two days ago it began to get sore and I remembered the dentist telling me that it will take awhile to "settle in". I just completed the WORST night of my life as the pain was unbelievable so of course NO SLEEP.
Yesterday I made an appointment for 10:30 this morning and the first time in my life I CAN'T WAIT TO GO TO THE DENTIST!
No apparent swelling,no reaction to hot/cold.........just by touch.
I was online a good part of the evening looking at home remedies.
Warm salt water with a swab gently around the area. NOPE
2 aspirin every 2 hours instead of 4 hours NOPE
One Advil every two hours,then went to two every two hours NOPE
Finally....ONE Advil with a little bourbon ,keeping the bourbon against the roof of my mouth>>>>>>instant relief. Go figure.
I have already had 5 Advil in 12 hours, so that's it.
Does this sound as if it could be a fistula?

Hi Mylilelar,

An oral fistula from a tooth infection is visible on the gum above the tooth. It looks like a pimple. Do you have that? This is one of the tell tale signs that the infection has spread from the tooth into the jawbone. But it does not always occur even when the infection has spread.

It is not surprising that this tooth is hurting you. Most people are under the impression that once a tooth is root canaled it is healthy again. However, this could not be farther from the truth. Root canaled teeth will always harbor infected nerve material because it is not possible to remove all of it from the microscopic canals. Root canal therapy is done so a person can keep their tooth for an undetermined amount of time. But the procedure does not cure the infection and the tooth eventually needs to be removed. Placing a post inside of a tooth is done to give the tooth retention as in make it more of a solid piece. However, teeth are not meant to be so rigid so the post actually causes various fractures to occur leading to further inflammation and infection within the tooth. All of this bacteria and inflammation spreads from the tooth, into the periodontal ligament that holds the tooth in the bone and then eventually into the bone itself. Unfortunately, this is the eventual path of root canaled teeth.

The only way to cure the problem and the infection is to remove the tooth. A re treatment with another root canal or a surgical root canal called an apicoectomy will not alter the infection status inside of the tooth. The path of deterioration remains the same.

I'm sorry to inform you of this now that you have already gone through the procedures. If your dentists didn't inform you prior, then perhaps they should have as you have the right to be properly informed.

Please check back with us ok...
Bryanna

I experienced the same pain several years ago however mine was caused by a very deep filling. The dentist said the same "wait for a few days and it would go away". I remember eating 2-3 pieces of advil everyday for 2 week straight and pain disappeared. I thought the problem was gone but after 4-5 months but a fistula grew on my gum. It would come and go every 5 months. It's been 2-3 years so far.

All I know is that if a root canal procedure is successful, you should not experience any pain afterwards (from my experience as a patient).

I finally made up my decision and my oral maxillofacial suregon will extract/clean bone for me next month.

You should talk to your dentist, endodontist, or oral maxillofacial suregon.

Hi Bryanna, I am having the same problem. A Fistual on my gums right under my second molar that has gone through a rootcanal with a new crown on top.

The fistula did not develop until maybe 2 years after my the rootcanal. The dentist says it might be from microfractures from the tooth. I do grind my teeth at night. The fistula comes and goes but more recently it has caused tremendous pain. I have scheduled an appointment with a specialist this week. Does a fistula from tooth fractures also require extraction? What do i do with a missing molar? i am only 29. Thank you for all the information that you have posted.