Hello everyone,

This past thursday I was experiencing alot of pain in my bottom left molar and had it looked at. The dentist took an xray and said it the root was infected and he suggested a root canal, I said ok so we scheduled one for monday. He sent me home w/o antibiotics or pain medication. I was in the worst pain I've ever felt all weekend long and my cheek/jaw began to swell a ton. I had to go to an urgent care office sunday to get some penicillin and tylenol 3. I looked like a squirrel on monday and was in extreme pain. I got the root canal done and some penecillin and tylenol prescribed. The abcess didn't drain because the endodontist said it wasn't localized or something of that nature. It's tuesday night and I've been taking the medication and the swelling hasn't gone down. The endodontist said it may even get worse before it gets better, but since I'm young and healthy I shouldn't have a problem fighting the infection. When should the swelling go down as I'm in a big bind w/ college and it's hard to attend class when you look like a chipmunk :( Is there no way they can drain it? Help is MUCH appreciated! THanks

I'd try let the tooth respond to the root canal a few more days. After my root canal, my tooth and gum area hurt for weeks, though I didn't have swelling. I might have to get it retreated. Anyway, it takes at least a week or two for the tooth to recover, especially since your abcess is still there. Take ALL your antibiotics, even if you start to feel better. I've iced my jaw before, when I had some swelling and pain. Maybe try to elevate your head, when you sleep. Obviously, if the pain and swelling keeps increasing, call your endodontist. Taking about 600mg. of Ibuporfen can help take the edge off the pain. You also might try searching this board for past threads on abcessed teeth and root canals. I found some info. for myself that way too. Good Luck.

Well pain isn't really a problem. After the pain I went through without pain medication or antibiotics over the weekend, I can handle anything, plus the root canal kills the nerve? So I'm not in much pain, just in frustration wondering how long till the swelling goes down. The swelling is due to infection prior to the root canal. I wouldn't wish a tooth abcess on my enemy after this experience.

I think I'd give it a few more days, to see if the swelling subsides. At least, the pain has gone. I had a root canal over 2 months ago, and I'm still in pain. No swelling. My endo. today said that everything looks fine on the x-ray, since I had the root canal, but, gee, then, why all the pain still? He thinks my new crown is sitting too high, but, the dentist who did the crown said the crown looks fine. I'm so frustrated. I know this doesn't help much, but, I do empathize....

If an infection localizes a pus pocket develops. This pocket can be drained to reduce the swelling associated with it. An infection can be spread throughout the tissues and swelling occurs due to the inflammatory response and additional fluid in the area. There is no pocket to drain. The only way to take care of the problem is to let the antibiotics do their trick. It usually takes 24-48 hours before the antibiotics begin to make a significant difference. That's why the endodontist said it might get worse before it gets better.

There can be a number of reasons a tooth can continue to hurt after root canal treatment. There can be additional canals in the tooth (particularly molars) that were not seen. In this case the endodontist needs to re-open the tooth and look for additional canals. The tooth can be fractured. In this case, the only option is extraction of the tooth. Unfortunately, the diagnostic tools available (x-rays and visual examination) will not show a fractured root (if vertical fracture) and often not show additional canals. Only time and seeing changes on the x-ray can help diagnose such problems. Sometimes the nerves just create havoc and the tooth continues to hurt for much longer than anyone want. In your case, you just need to give it a little more time.

I'll give it a few days and hope it begins to get better. It's just hard to attend college when you look like a chipmunk, hurts my pride for than my mouth right now :S

I'd have them re examine your tooth because after a root canal you shouldn't have any pain at all since the root is dead right?

After a root canal, the nerbe is no longer in the tooth itself. There still are nerve endings around the tooth in the bone. If there is still infection, or inflammation or bruising of the bone surrounding the tooth, then there will be pain. Until this condition resolves itself, there will be discomfort.

After a root canal, the nerbe is no longer in the tooth itself. There still are nerve endings around the tooth in the bone. If there is still infection, or inflammation or bruising of the bone surrounding the tooth, then there will be pain. Until this condition resolves itself, there will be discomfort.


Yah it's still sore and WAY uncofortable as its hard to open my mouth more than 2 inches because of swelling. This sucks so much, there goes my social life :( *insert chipmunk looking smiley*

Im not sure that this is the problem but sounds alot like what has happened to me, at least the swelling, pain and trismus. I am currently on 6 weeks of IV antibiotics and had to have surgery to drain the infection. Not very fun.

Was your problem due to a tooth abcess?? I hope I don't have to go through all of that :(

I had an infected impacted wisdom tooth. I had to have a tooth pulled because it became abcessed. Ask your docs and dont hesitate to mention osteomyelitis. Not saying that is what yours is but if there is a chance that it is that...youll need to get it taken care of ASAP.

Hey thanks for replying,

this monday the swelling had yet to come down with antibiotics so they drained it a bit and put in a drain for a few days. The swelling has came back a little bit and I'm not noticing the new antibiotics working yet. It's been about a week and a half on antibiotics and I don't know what to do :( I had one doctor say that if the infection got into the bone then it is very dangerous. And then my endodontist said the doctor didn't know what she was talking about, that there is a difference in other bones of the body and that of the jaw since the jaw bones and teeth are easilly accessible, and that there was already an infection in the jaw (ie: the abcess) I'm going tomorrow to get the drain removed and have no clue what lies ahead, I really want to get this thing done with and behind me as it's worrying me and very uncomfortable and tiring :(

At this point, I think I'd only let an endodontist or other specialist treat the problem. You might even talk to an oral surgeon. Most give a free consultation.

tchocky, tkae this serious. I had time (I have a messed up mouth) where a molar was abcessed. They did all the same things to me they are doing to you. I wen to the ER one night because I could not open my mouth much and they put me in the hospital because the abcess had spread to my ears. They told me that if I had not gotten there it could have killed me. Listen to your endo, I am conviinced regular dentists dont understand root canals. They told me to do the 2 finger test. That if you cant get 2 fingers in you mouth stacked you need to get immediate attention.

Ok an update for everyone :)

The endodontist removed the drain today and because the swelling didn't go down a whole lot she took me to see a oral surgeon. The oral surgeon looked at my mouth and jaw and said that he's not concerned at all because it looks like I'm on the end of the whole mess. He had a panaramic xray taken and he said the infection isn't in the bone like it was when it started and now it's just in the tissue and the swelling is minimal enough where it shouldn't be worrysome and to continue taking my antibiotichs and see them friday. I asked them both about osterperitis or whatever it's called and they told me it's def. not what I have. I guess I'm more comfortable now and hopefully the swelling will begin to go all the way down. I guess I can notice it coming down some.

Gosh, can feel all your pain and am empathizing with you!!! I had a root canal in February and the gum around that molar is still sore (feels bruised). Haven't had the guts to get a crown on it either. Hang in there!

Gosh, can feel all your pain and am empathizing with you!!! I had a root canal in February and the gum around that molar is still sore (feels bruised). Haven't had the guts to get a crown on it either. Hang in there!

hmm.. I'm wondering if thats what I'm experiencing now. The big swelling in the face has gone down, but I just ran out of antibiotics and there is still soreness or the tooth (prob gums) and a little bit of swelling along the gum line. It's annoying, feels like I have food stuck in my gums :S

Hello abcess root canal people, I am going through it right now, but don't know what is going on. A week ago I went to the dentist with a swollen jaw and he took an xray and found an abcess. He did the first part of the root canal, put me on antibiotics and pain pills, and it was beginning to work till last night when the swelling started again. TOday I went back and he took a panoramic xray, saw that there is infection at the roots and cleaned it out again. TOnight the swelling is worse, I can't sleep or open my mouth wider than one fingertip and I have extremely bad pain in my chin, jaw, cheek and ear on one side. HELP! Does anyone have any advice from what they went through? THe swelling is hard so he says they can't drain it yet. I don't have a fever, but am swollen from my throat to my cheek. I would appreciate any input from anyone who has had this problem of an abcessed tooth root canal. I have been having pain for 6 months and it seems that this is the core of it. THanks!

Okay, went back to endodontist today to finish off the last root canal (the one that started this pain), and I am in horrible pain again. I can not take hydorcodone, my stomach can not handle it. I have some mepergan left over from a previous surgery and it has eased up the pain but not much. If he finished the root canal on this tooth how can it hurt so bad. It hurt a little still, but nothing a little advil if any couldn't handle. I hope it goes away tomorrow!!!! This sucks, I can not go through this again.

Gingerbread, I remember your posts from last spring because I was going through root canal problems then, too (although I was fortunate enough to only need one root canal). But my tooth, a lower molar, never improved despite all my trips back to the endodontist and dentist. Finally, I had an oral surgeon extract the tooth. After he took it out, he examined it and said that it had a fractured root, and therefore it was impossible to treat successfully. Do you think that this might be your problem? Anyway, now I'm looking at either getting an implant or just leaving a hole in my mouth, but at least I don't have a terrible chronic toothache anymore. I really hope that you reach some kind of resolution with this soon. I know how rotten it is to have a miserable toothache all the time, and to get no relief from the people who are supposed to be treating you. Good luck...

Gingerbread85, while the nerve has been removed (I hope) during your RCT you should have no pain to temperature change (hot or cold). The pain that usually is seen immediately after having had the RCT is related to the inflamation in the tissues surrounding the tooth and root unless there is an infective process actively going on in the bone. The best first line treatment is to take otc anti-inflamitories if you are able, not Tylenol based products.

I think I would find a new dentist, it sounds like this one could care less about yhe pain you are in. And he should have given you an antibiotic and something for pain! If he does the root canal with the infection still there it can spread all over your body and cause a lot of problems. Tooth pain is awful, find a more caring dentist!