Four years ago I was told by 2 dentists I needed a RC
since the cavity was so deep. I found a dentist who just put a crown over the tooth. :-(
Last night it woke me up, throbbing. For about 3 minutes. It's starting in again. It's #19, last tooth in the back on the bottom.
I guess I HAVE to have a RC now, right?? :-(
Or have it extracted. It depends how many teeth that you might have, like if they are crowded like mine. Or maybe something else could be done. I would think that a good dentist should be able to help you the best. It's hard for us to say. I hope that it doesn't involve anything serious or difficult and that you feel better.
Another thing.... Have you tried a good salt water rinse in the meantime? See if that helps. It may or may not help, but it's an inexpensive way to clear up some infections. If it keeps throbbing, probably seeing the dentist is best.
Thanks, Rhody. Yes, I did a salt water rinse yesterday 3 times and it didn't hurt a bit all night.
My teeth are not crowded. The nerve of this tooth, under the crown, is almost exposed. If I brush it too hard it can bother me. And i had done that. I call it "stirring up the nerve."
I hope it was the vigorous brushing since this is the second day with no problems from this tooth at all.
The nerve is so close to the surface that I cannot brush it hard . Evenso, it can stab me if I chew something hard on it.
Well, if you do need a root canal, I highly recommend going to an endodontist. I have heard so many horror stories about root canals and repeated retreatments and agony, but usually these people have gone to a regular dentist. An endo can make all the difference in the world. I have never even needed a Tylenol after a RC with my endo, the RC was nothing compared to sitting in a chair for over an hour getting prepped for a crown!
I would get it checked out though. You don't want the pain to be coming from an infection that's just starting. And you don't want to have to keep avoiding that tooth forever. Good luck!
thank you ! I have had one root canal by the cutest, itsy bitsy little doll endodontist imaginable. I had no pain whatever. A breeze. BUT...my face was swollen for a week afterward ! I never figured that out. I could have another on this tooth but I really hate
coughing up almost a thousand bucks when it doesn't hurt.
Today.
So far.
I had a similar pain. I had never had a root canal before and just had some "twinges" and pain in my ear on and off. I went to my dentist to have it checked out and everthing looked fine (I even looked back at the xrays with him some months later).
Well, waiting to go to the endo and trying to save some bucks wasn't worth it. I ended up in the hospital for 10 days in IV antibiotics and morphine. I had a root canal (and crown) about a month after I was discharged. It took me months to recover fully. Puzzled everyone - dentist, ENT, family Dr., etc. Strange for an infection to settle in like that, but it can happen. I was really scared at first, they thought I may have a tumor in a salivary gland which could have been malignant. I even got placed in the Oncology wing of the hospital.
Needless to say, I'd vote to have the root canal.
I hope you feel better soon!
Avoiding a Root Canal ?? 
