please respond. ultram/root canal?
 

I had a root canal (after several extractions) 3 weeks ago. The treated tooth continually throbs. It has been x-rayed and thoroughly evaluated with no signs of infection, etc. The dentist thinks the pain might be referred from an extraction site that is painful to the touch with a bit of bone pushing it's way out. (Other extraction sites healed/painless.) We're going to try ultram for the pain. I've never taken ultram and have no idea what to expect. I'm also deeply concerned about the treated tooth. I'd hate to pull it after spending all the money to have it treated but it feels like there is a closed fist inside the tooth trying to open and I'm losing my mind. I could really use any kind of feedback whatsoever!

Thanks!

Hi Helena,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here.

You may have some residual bacteria in the extraction site that was not removed during the extraction and that could cause pain. However, no one can rule out an infection inside of a root canaled tooth because all root canaled teeth are chronically infected. The description of your pain in this rc tooth indicates pressure from the inflammation and bacteria that still remains in the tooth. There is no access to the tiny canals that contain the bacteria, therefore there is no procedure or medication that would cure the infection inside of the tooth. The only way to eliminate the infection is to remove the source of the infection which is the tooth.

Ultram is a narcotic like pain killer that is meant for moderate to severe pain. It has side effects that can be quite difficult to deal with. The problem with taking this medication for this dental problem is that it will not cure the problem. It may reduce your pain temporarily but it cannot prevent the spread of the infection. So you will still be left with the dental problem. The risk of taking this medication needs to be weighed against the temporary benefit regarding the reduction of pain only.

I'm sorry you are having such difficult dental problems. Spending a lot of money on a dental procedure that cannot cure the problem is very disheartening. Your dentist should have informed you prior to the root canal that the procedure is not done to "cure" the infection... it is done in an attempt to "retain" a chronically infected tooth for an undetermined amount of time.

It is best to consult with an oral surgeon (not a general dentist) to evaluate the extraction sites along with this tooth.

Bryanna