I apologize for the lengthy post but want the details included. I began to have tooth pain in the molar immediately in front of the wisdom tooth on the lower left side last Thursday morning. This tooth had a root canal one year earlier. I was on Augmentin for a stye for 6 days at this time and am also taking Humira ( immune suppressant) for an autoimmune disorder. By noon it was painful and by 3pm the pain was serve. No dentist could get me in but after telling a dentist the details (being on Augmentin and Humira) he said go to an urgent care and have it looked at. Dr said there was some swelling and prescribed prednisone and 60mg of codeine. That helped the pain slightly.
The dentist said there was a bad infection in the tooth and sent me to an endodontist that afternoon. She said the original crown was poor fitting and created a gap between the crown and gum. The endodontist recommended and performed a retreatment, which was the most painful procedure/accident I have ever had, more so than crushing my 5th metatarsal, tearing both peroneal tendons and breaking my heal bone or cutting the tip of my middle finger off.
They trouble numbing the tooth at all. Taking the old crown off required a lot of effort and force, the fact the area was inflamed and irritated didn’t not help. I took two Percocet’s and waiting 30 minutes before she proceeded. They could not get the ring for the dental dam to fit because the tooth had been ground low. After four or five attempts and a lot of forceful pushing on stuck only to pop off. She injected more lidocaine deeply into the area between the tooth and gum. After the procedure she replaced the old crown on the tooth, gave me a new antbiotic and said come back next week to fit for a new crown. The tooth and jaw was very sore until Saturday afternoon but Percocet made it bearable. Saturday after noon the Percocet became less effective and was not lasting as long. By Sunday it was not effective at all and the pain began to run from the jaw hinge to my chin both along the gum and inner jaw line, along the upper jaw the front tooth, down my throat, the roof of my mouth on that side bone badly, up my jaw near my eye and up my check bone.
I want to the ER to make sure the infection had not spread concerned with the pain and the fact I was on Humira. The Dr noted some white thick gunk was all around the tooth that had the retreatment and obviously I was in severe pain over the left side from my throat to eye area. He gave me a dilaudid injection that was semi effective and then a second that completely relieved the pain and ordered a CT scan. The result showed an infection but it had not spread. He discharged me with dilaudid for pain and Percocet to take in addition if the dilaudid did work on its own. It was fairly effective Sunday however Monday not as effective. Today the crown came off on its own. I called the dentist that I first saw who thought it was strange the endo removed the crown and replaced it rather than drill through it. He was also concerned with the level of pain and expanding area. He cannot get me in until Thursday at 9am, and gave me yet more Percocet incase I run out as I have enough dilaudid.
The ER doctor suggested an oral surgeon look at the area to see if he can find the source. It has been a nightmare, I haven’t eaten since Thursday morning as every time I try to eat even crewing soft food on the opposite side it guarantees a flare up, and even drinking will cause a minor flare up. Has anyone experience this after root canal or other dental work?