I am having some trouble with my 1st molar on my lower left jaw, (#19 I believe) and am hoping someone here may be able to clarify a few things or share their experience if they have been in a similar situation. People on here are fantastic and I thank anyone in advance for reading or replying.

I have had pain in that tooth for about 10 days now, last week I went into the dentist with the pain and she performed a bite adjustment on that tooth after not visually seeing any decay and testing sensitivity to cold. I should mention that the morning I went into the dentist, I had some slight sensitivity to my coffee. The tooth does have a filling that was done about 8 years ago, and I thought I saw a small hole on the side of it, but the dentist said it was a stain. I had a tooth extraction on the other side of my mouth in October 2014 and am wondering if that would have thrown off my bite so much I had to have an adjustment done on the other side?

It's now been 6 days since I have had the bite adjustment and am still in quite a bit of pain. It isn't noticeably sensitive to hot or cold, just when there is contact or I bite down - however I don't associate this with the same pain as needing a bite adjustment - it is sore all the time now. It is similar to the pain I felt in the infected tooth before I had a root canal then after that failed, extraction. It's hard to describe, but most of the time it feels very tight around the tooth.

I made an appointment to see the same dentist tomorrow and will request to have x-rays done. At the end of my last appointment, the dentist told me that if the tooth is bothering me, she will likely have to end up performing a root canal since there doesn't seem to be any decay or other reason for it to be bothering me. So a couple questions here.. From my experience with my first tooth that became infected, I went with the dentist's advice about saving the tooth and tried the root canal. That failed and ended up having to extract. So from that, if this tooth ends up really having infection which I suspect it might, should I forget the root canal and extract? At what time is a root canal helpful?

I really don't want to waste my time or money but I don't want to lose another tooth again either. I will if I have to though and I'd rather just get it out than hang on to it after the hell I went through and am still going through with the previous extraction. It is just downright embarrassing and sad that I am in such poor oral health. I take care of my teeth, I always have since my parents have had many oral issues as well and I'm not sure why in the past year it has all the sudden gone so downhill. I'm young, 25, in good fit health according to the doctor and this is just defeating.

And since I am already asking a couple questions, here's one more. If I end up having to have this tooth extracted, I will have to put a bridge in on at least one side of my mouth since there would be the same molar missing on both sides. The reason I haven't had one put in on the extraction from October 2014 is because I'm still experiencing pain on that side too and the dentist said there is still quite a big hole/bone missing and to let it grow in. I've tried to ask a different dentist before on clarity on what exactly a bridge does, as in, is it damaging to the teeth on either side of the extraction? I suppose I am just trying to weigh the benefits and cons.

Thanks in advance.