Root canal pain with hot foods
 

I went for a routine dental checkup.The dentist said i had a chip in an old filling.
I had the tooth re- filled.Then i had bad pains in my face and toothache all the time.I went back to the dentist and he gave me antibiotics.A week later it had not calmed down.He said it looked like the nerve had got agitated and the tooth now needed to be extracted or a root canal treatment.
With the tooth being a big one(number 29 i think looking at charts)i chose the root canal as i did not want a big gap where i chew a lot.
I had the root canal which was finished at the end of October.
I had no problems with it until about 10 days ago.It started hurting if hot drinks or food hit it.
I knew straight away it was the root canal tooth.I did some tapping on the teeth and only that one feels different a bit of pain on tapping it.
I went back to the dentist yesterday and he said it could not be that tooth as the roots are now filled.
He did a cold test which did nothing.I told him it was only hot suff that affects it.
He re x-rayed it and said all 3 canals were filled and there were no dark patches at the roots so all was fine.What do i do now is my question.I left the dentists feeling stupid.
Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

I have a picture of my x-Ray.It is not the best as I took it with my phone.The pain is searing and lasts for about 6 or 7 seconds dependent upon how much hot stuff touches it.

Were there any complications with the root canal when you had the treatment done? I'd get that tooth looked at by an endodontist if you can. There might be an issue at the roots that the dentist who's been treating you hasn't caught.

None that i know of.I cannot understand why it is just hot stuff that bothers it.If it were a root would it not hurt with cold also?
The dentist said even if he had missed a canal the root would just die off.
I am still having this searing pain with anything hot landing on it.
I have to get hot food off it pretty quick if it lands on it.
It seemed ok when it was first done but then for the past month i have had this awful pain.
When tapped on the top or the side of the tooth it does not feel right.It feels strange like as if you were biting down on something that goes through you.
Metallic like
Hard to describe it really.I thought if the roots were all dead i would not feel that tooth at all ?.
Thanks for taking the time out to reply.

Hi gettingonmynerves,

The x-ray is upside down (this is your lower molar) and very light but it looks like you have a broken file in the distal (back) root. Files are used to remove nerve tissue from the inside of the large canals. This broken piece may also have perforated the apex (root tip). That could explain (in part) the searing pain, heat sensitivity and metallic taste. There is really no easy or predictable way to remove a broken file.

The only option to make the pain stop would be to remove the tooth.

Your dentist should take another look at this xray to determine for certain if the file is broken off in there and he should without a doubt inform you if this is the case.

Bryanna

Nerves, I'm going through my own root canal nightmare. I have the exact same experience as you developing, namely heat causing brief, significant discomfort, and percussion on the tooth transmitting an irritating sensation to the gums. I got my root canal checked by a specialist who pointed out some major issues, including a broken instrument in the root. I can't say that's what you're feeling, but if you have the stomach to get to the bottom of this issue, the first step is getting an initial consultation with another endodontist. He or she will likely have better diagnostic tools, and the experience to read a radiograph that lesser dentists might not have. If you feel something you need to find out what's going on. This is what I've found out in my own horror scenario: whether or not your dentist believes it (and some dentists will have the incentive to believe it [especially if the dentist who's doing the diagnosis did the root canal]), whether or not there's an actual issue, these feelings are by definition "all in your head," it's literally in your head. Get it checked out.

I'm wishing you well. Keep updating. I'd like to know how you're handling your issue as I'm handling mine.

The x-ray was not the best to see even on the lightboard thing which was situated below waist height.The x-ray was the size of a postage stamp (maybe a tad bigger!)
He kept looking at the xray and saying everything was fine nothing untoward.
He said taking the tooth out might not stop the pain.
I am assuming that he thinks i must have some kind of phantom pain.
It would surely be there constantly if that were the case.
I will get to the bottom of this as i cannot go on eating and drinking on one side and shifting food about in my mouth.

tombedlam , I feel for you.It is a horrible situation.Let me know how you go on.I will keep updated on your posts.I have just seen that you are also a newbie like me.
I will have to find an endontist to maybe look at it.My dentist dismissed me looking perplexed saying it all looked good and he was willing to do no more...
I know it is that tooth that is bothering me with anything hot and the tapping test etc
Good luck to all that are not believed just because the dentist says the xray looks fine.
Thank you for taking the time to post a reply

I have been searching the internet since it started happening.
I have seen only 2 answers to do with just heat.One was that bacteria is in there and heat makes the bacteria swell causing the pain
The other was that there was room for the gutta percha to swell with the heat.
I do not know wether any of these answers i found are true but it shows that others are also having the same problems.

Hello gettingonmynerves,

I have the same symptom as you mentioned on my upper front teeth which were root canal treated almost 7 months ago now.
No doctors can help me with the pain when taking hot food.

Can you share if your condition has improved??

Thanks,

jyshrek,

Your root canaled tooth has pain to heat because it is infected and the surrounding area is inflamed and also possibly infected. Not all root canaled teeth will be sensitive to heat but many of them are.

Dental xrays will not show the infection inside of the tooth until the bacteria has spread beyond the tooth and is large enough to be picked up on the 2 dimensional radio graph.

Dentists know that root canaled teeth are not healthy and that the tooth is on borrowed time. The only option to eradicate the infection is to remove the source, which is the tooth. The longer the tooth is present, the more progressive the infection will become. Because your root canal was done within the last year, the infection may not have spread far enough yet to deteriorate the jaw bone. Perhaps you can consult with an oral surgeon about removing this tooth and replacing it with a dental implant.

Bryanna