10 year root canal eyetooth - Bryanna?? help
 

Hi,
I've just found this forum. Looks like a lot of great info here.

Here's by problem. I have had pain for over the past year (off & on) in an eye tooth (upper left side) that had a root canal done 10 years ago. There's no swelling. I've taken antibiotics twice now with no real change. My dentist has taken a panorex which shows a long root which feels like it's affecting my sinus. It's a shooting pain with also pinches (in the nerve?)

My history is that over the years I have had 12 root canals. Have no problems with any other tooth. I'm 61 years old. Just found out in 2009 that I have a wisdom tooth growing on the upper left side (impacted), near the sinus cavity. I grind my teeth & wear a nightguard every night.

Been making rounds of doctors - my dentist (says it's the wisdom tooth), one endo (saw nothing), one ent doctor (took x-ray, saw nothing) - wanted to send me to 2nd endo. Instead I found a 2nd ent doctor - he is sending me for cat scan. Says we can't start pulling teeth out without knowing what problem is.

Has anyone else experienced pain like this from an eyetooth? If so, what did can be done?
Thanks so much for any insight

no 1 if you have a impacted tooth it diffinatly needs to come out . do that first and then see how you feel ...

Hi NJOsborne,

May I ask, why do you have so many root canaled teeth? Decay, peridodontal disease, fracture, injury, cosmetic dentistry...? Have some of those teeth been root canaled more than once?

Bryanna

Hey Bryanna,
Thanks for the reply. Good question! I have had two dentists over the past 30 years - believe majority of the root canals were done by 1st dentist. Each tooth done was sensitive & causing pain. My parents both had dentures. Maybe it's just bad teeth? or from grinding? I really don't know - perhaps this was just what dentists did at the time when a patient complained of pain. I understand now that not all dentists rush into root canals now. I have not had a root canal done twice.

The eyetooth bothering me now has a very long root. I remember 10 years ago my dentist started the root canal but ended up sending me straight over to endodontist to complete it same day. It's been kinda "twinging" over the past four years. The shooting pain started October 2014 before we were heading out on a trip. My dentist sent me off with pain meds & antibiotics saying I should probably have the wisdom tooth removed (before I get too old). But it really doesn't feel like the wisdom tooth which is nicely encased & hasn't moved. Only eyetooth with pain just above it going into sinus is bothering me. Sometimes a burning going along check to end of jaw.
Again, thanks for taking time to answer this.
NJ

Hi Bryanna,
I've been reading through & following some of the other posts on this board as well as your replies. Wondering if my situation is similar in that maybe my pain is caused by bacteria/infection in the root canal which is now passing into bone and sinus.
I have a ct scan scheduled for Aug. 18 (& hopefully moving this up if any cancellations available). I am encouraged that my ENT doctor (the 2nd one I've been to) wants to investigate & do further tests in an attempt to find out what problem is. Altho after reading about what some of what my fellow forum posters are going thru I must admit I'm getting a little concerned about what may be found. But will just have to deal with whatever it is.
Thanks,
NJ

Hi NJ,

Thanks for sharing that information with us.

Regarding the impacted wisdom tooth.... at your age (anyone over 35) this tooth only needs to come out if it is posing a problem; causing an obstruction; or has formed a cyst around it. I am surprised that no one has mentioned this tooth to you before now especially given all of the dental work you have had done over the years. You have certainly had a lot of dental radio graphs for the work and cannot imagine that this tooth did not show up before now. What is the reason for removing it?

It is unfortunate that you had a dentist who root canaled teeth because they were sensitive and painful because of the sensitivity. I suppose you have read on this forum about the health risks of retaining root canaled teeth. If you are interested in reading up on that, I would recommend the book entitled "Toxic Teeth, How a root canal can be making you sick" by Dr Robert Kulacz and Dr. Tom Levy. The book is written in layman's terms and is very informative.

The root canaled eye tooth is obviously showing signs of the inflammation and infection that is harboring inside of the microscopic canals called dentin tubules. Yes, these teeth generally have long roots and can be in close proximity to the sinus. It is not uncommon for an infected tooth to infect the sinus. Your bruxism habit may also be exaggerating the inflammation causing further pain and referred symptoms.

Most conventional dentists will encourage you to retain this tooth because they believe in root canals but also because it can be difficult to replace. The replacement depends on the health of the jaw bone and the adjacent teeth.

Bryanna

Hi NJ,

I feel bad telling you this because you have so many rc teeth. But the fact is that there is no question that the rc tooth is harboring infectious bacteria. Unfortunately, all rc teeth harbor this because the dentin tubules cannot be cleaned out during the rc procedure. Therefore they contain necrotic nerve tissue which becomes inflamed and bacteria sets in. Not all rc teeth show symptoms of an infection at the onset.... but more often after the bacteria has moved beyond the tooth. Which is what many posters on this forum talk about.

It is important to have a dental 3D scan done not just a routine cat scan.

ENT drs are usually familiar with the correlation between rc teeth and the sinus. Just be sure it is the proper CT scan going to be done.

Please keep in touch and let us know how things are going or if you have more questions.

Bryanna

Hi,
Thanks for getting back to me - it's a comfort knowing you are so familiar with this issue. As I sit here, the pain seems to be getting worse - more burning & throbbing along the upper jawline & there seems to be some swelling of the left cheek. I have an appt for a ct scan for Aug. 18th but am trying to move that date up. I could get a cone ct scan done sooner. I'm confused about which is better. My ENT doctor is saying the ct scan done at hospital is better???
Anyway, just talked to his secretary - going in at 3:30 today to see him (as he said to call if the pain gets worse). I'm concerned about the swelling too. Maybe he'll give me some pain meds or something for inflammation??

I realize it's not going to help to play the "blame game" for my dental health but think it's important to understand how I got to this point. My 1st dentist, (whom I started to see in my 20's) did not take a panorex & apparently doesn't even have a panorex machine now. Have no idea why he never saw the wisdom tooth with x-rays. Started seeing 2nd dentist in 2003 - he did a panorex in 2009 which showed the wisdom tooth. Did I mention it is completely impacted, positioned sideways over my back left molar growing towards my nose. Wish I could post a copy of the panorex but can't figure it out. My ENT suggested that removing it now could open up a whole new set of issues so best to wait & see.

So I'm thinking forward about how to deal with this - will I have the eyetooth pulled, the bone cleaned out of infection & then an implant done? Guess it depends on how many teeth have been affected?

My next goal is obviously to find a new dentist! Any suggestions as how to find a dentist that understands about root canal issue? Will ask my ENT for a referral to an oral surgeon.

Sorry if I appear to be rambling but the pain & anxiety of all this is obviously overwhelming me at the moment. Again, thank you Bryanna - this is so wonderful that you are able to generously give your time.
NJ

Hi NJ,

Don't apologize..... ramble on all you want, you have every reason to do so and that is why we are here :)

By now you have seen the ENT... what did he say?

The wisdom tooth is a catch 22 situation. Depending on the location and health of the tooth and the bone/sinus/tissue around it determines if it needs to be removed or not. Sometimes these oddly placed wisdom teeth are very small and resting comfortably. Let's home that is your case as you have other stuff to deal with.

Regarding the implant to replace this rc tooth.... anytime a dental implant is replacing a root canaled tooth there is an increase risk of infection and failure because the health of the bone surrounding the rc tooth is questionable even after the tooth is removed. So it would be remove the tooth, perio ligament and diseased tissue and bone. Let it heal for a few months and monitor the site with xrays to see how it's healing.

By any chance are you in NJ?

Bryanna

Hey Bryanna,
My appt. for ct scan was Aug. 18th but just called & they have cancellation for tomorrow at 5 pm. So happy to move forward & get some info. I'm in Toronto, Ontario so navigating the Canadian health care system & learning more & more that you just have to keep on top of things yourself. Just the way it is now.
From what I'm reading, really don't want to mess around with this wisdom tooth if I don't have to. Could open up a big mess & at my age, happy to leave it alone if it's not bothering me.
My current ENT doctor seems good - willing to talk/explain things, young, wants to find out what's going on. Completely different than the 1st ENT I saw, thank goodness.
Thanks for touching base - will let you know what's going on when I find out more. You are doing such a great service by giving people on this forum an unbiased view. It is so difficult to know sometimes whether you're getting good information or direction from your dentist/doctor.
Be well.
NJ