Yea, mine too. :o

Bryanna, update time, after a couple of pain free weeks we think we have the problem pinned down. Now her mouth(gum) is swollen by the root canal tooth, go figure? She had an mri prior to the swelling, no answer on that yet, but back to the dentist, LOL he now thinks it`s the tooth, and back to the endontist today maybe.

It just figures I would get better info off the internet than from office visits, the way it worked for me too with my MS.

Thanks!

tooth infection
 

Hey there!

Based on the information that you have been posting and on my professional experience........ I have no doubt that your wife's root canaled tooth is showing signs of infection. Keep in mind that ALL root canaled teeth will have some degree of <chronic> infection because there is no way to remove all of the infectious <microscopic> bacteria from the inside of the tooth. This bacteria proliferates over time and because the mouth is so vascular the infection/inflammation can spread elsewhere. It is NOT unusual for people to have <remote> pain, inflammation or irritation in other parts of the face, head, body and even major organs caused by the infected tooth.

Please do your research on root canals before you have the endodontist retreat this tooth. The majority of what you will read says root canals "cure" an infected tooth. Keep in mind that the word "cure" simply means "retain", NOT heal or make well. The other option she may be offered is called an Apicoectomy. This is a surgical procedure where they go into the bone above the tooth and amputate the end of the root called the Apex. Bascially it is the same <cleaning out> procedure as a conventional root canal accept they enter the tooth from the end of the root instead of the biting surface. The surgical opening is then filled up with a MERCURY filling. This procedure is very painful and expensive and it does nothing more than the typical root canal because the bacteria that is causing the infection is that microscopic material that is in the dentin tubules which are not accessible. No doubt there will be pus and other visible infection, but removing that stuff is only the tip of the iceberg!

I am SO glad that you came here to this site and asked for help for your wife! If nothing else, I feel you are armed with some information to pursue the path that is in your wife's best interest. Please don't be hesitant to question the endodontist about what you have learned here. If you are seeking a CURE for her problem, then make sure that he understands that very clearly.

Please keep us posted on how she's doing!

Bryanna

Update:

I had 2 teeth removed last week. Two, left front and one next to it. Now, I stll do have that "THING" on the rear left side of my neck, a cyst, which I mentioned before. The two teeth I had removed WERE infected and they were capped. The pain I got from them shot up my cheek and into my eye and forehead like a jolt of electricity. NOW, that IS all gone BUT when I clean out this "THING" on my neck. I mean press on it to get out the accumulated blood and fluid, which I have to do everyday or the Pain is unbearable, THEN I get referred pain along both upper and lower jaws just like a toothache. But there are either NO teeth there or no cavities. So my theory was correct. ;)

Root Canal Infection?
 

Hi~ I googled root canal infection and came across this site. Obviously I'm having some pain from my root canal-ed tooth. I wasn't too sure what happened, it isn't too painful, but it just feels kinda uncomfortable (spasms, tremors), so I was thinking if it gets infected again... I never really knew root canaled tooth could get infected again until I saw this page. I'm not sure what to do, cuz frm what I've just read, I don't think there's a solution to it. It happened last week, and but it got better and stopped. Then it came again yesteday! Is is something that would stop when ur immune system gets better? Would the infection go away itself? Is keeping your mouth extra clean help eliminate the infection? What should I do now? Any help would be appreciated!!!! Thanks a lot!!

It's been over a month now since I had the 2 front teeth OUT. All the pain on that side of my face and head is gone. It took a while for things to settle down though. :o I have also been feeling a whole lot better physically. Infected roots CAN make you sick all over.

infected teeth
 

Hi mich,

Root canal therapy is done when a tooth becomes infected as a means of trying to "retain" the tooth in the mouth. The only other option is extraction and replacement. What becomes misleading is when the word "cure" is used instead of "retain". There is no current procedure or medicament that can "cure" an infected tooth because the infectious bacteria multiply before the tooth shows any signs or symptoms as it enters the tiny microscopic canals. These millions (literally!!) of canals are not accessible so they cannot be cleaned out. The bacteria proliferates and tries to find a way out as if to let off some of the pressure inside the tooth. This is when the tooth starts to hurt or a swelling develops. To retreat the tooth with another root canal does nothing to "cure" the infection inside of these tiny canals. The bacteria remains trapped inside and the tooth remains infected.

Keeping your mouth extra clean will have no positive affect on an infected tooth because the infection is inside of the tooth.

The choice is yours as to retreat it with another root canal or have it extracted. The retreatment may temporarily reduce some of the inflammation, but it could aggravate it too. Either way, the tooth will remain infected and it will flare up again sooner or later.

I know this is not good news..... I really wish there was a better answer!!

Please let us know how you are doing.

Bryanna

OOOOHHH to go back to the days when Everything was brand new. :o