Hey all,

I received two root canals a little over a month ago. During one procedure, there was no pain at all, but the other procedure involved a great deal of pain (I was given two shots of Novocain or what-have-you for each). The second root canal, the one that hurt during, gave me pain for about a week and a half following, but it subsided gradually.

More than a month and a half removed from any pain, I woke up the other day to throbbing in my lower right jaw. The tooth that I had the root canal on not only throbs, but is painfully sensitive to touch. I also have some swelling in my jaw right under the gums. This is some of the most intense pain I've ever felt; I've woken up the past two nights feeling as if someone took a sledgehammer to the right side of my face.

I'm not sure if this is relevant or not, but I have not gotten a crown on either root canal-ed tooth yet; I was told I could wait until Thanksgiving time, as that was when I would be home from college. Is it possible that the temporary crown-like filling has diminished a bit and that's what is causing the pain? Or could it be an infection? Either way, how do I go about treating this? The worst part is that I don't have time to drive the 4 hours home to see my dentist for another month or so. Is there any way I can subside the pain until any procedures can be done?

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated. I am usually very good with pain, but this is unbearable. The pain gives me these headaches which force me to pace around with two hands on my head like a maniac. This is all just so awful.

Thank you in advance guys,

Tim R.

Hi TimR,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here.

Your pain and other symptoms have nothing to do with not having crowns put on those teeth. Don't believe any dentist that gives you that line of BS.

Unfortunately, the teeth are infected and the bacteria has likely spread into the bone. This is very typical of root canaled teeth because teeth can not be "cured" of an infection to begin with. There is no access to the many hundreds of tiny canals inside of each tooth. So these spaces will always contain dead infected nerve tissue. Irrelevant of how many times you re treat the tooth with root canal therapy these tiny canals will not be touched and the tooth will remain infected. Surgical root canal called apicoectomy will not alter the problem either so don't let anyone talk you into having that procedure done.

The only way to cure the infection is to remove the source of the infection which is those teeth. It is not advisable to wait because the inflammation and infection will continue to spread. Not to alarm you but swelling could extend to the point where is closes off your airway. So not a good idea to wait.

You are in a predicament with being at school and being so far from home. However, this would be considered a priority above all else and if at all possible needs to be taken care of very soon. Perhaps you could see an oral surgeon near your school rather than shlepping all the way home?? You would need a couple of days to just chill out afterwards... and be able to take good care of yourself.. food, etc. Would that be possible?

Bryanna