Unexplained pain after root canal

kim32

Hi, I had a root canal done 3 weeks ago (My tooth was cracked and I had a toothache from it).
Well my toothache is still here, and it has gotton worse since the root canal.
I begged the dentist to re-do the root canal but he said that he couldn't, that he did all that he could to the tooth.
So he sent me to a endodontists.
Well the endodontists said that either I have a fractured root or that the filling is way too deep and touching the root, or the dentist missed a root.
So the dentist, screwed up!!
I have had alot of root canals done before, and everytime, my toothache pain went away, RIGHT AWAY!
The endodontist can't work on my tooth for another couple of weeks,
and plus he said that even with him re-doing the root canal, etc..
it's no guarantee that my toothache pain will go away.
So I just decided to have the tooth Extracted!
So this coming Wednesday, the 9th I will have it pulled out!
I know that my mouth will hurt for a few weeks from the extraction,
but I guess it's better than a toothache!
I really wanted to save the tooth (because I don't have that many left)
but my dentist is ordering me a partial, because I don't have any of my back teeth left.
Well just keep going to the dentist and tell them that your still in pain, and if they don't know what to do, then go see ANOTHER endodontists.
I can't believe that the endodontists didn't suggest that your root canal could have failed.
I have read somewhere on the internet that toothaches can come after many days, months, or even years from having a root canal done.
Good Luck!
Kim

Suzq222

It's been 2 1/2 years since my root canal and I'm still in constant pain. It turns out, in my case, that the pain is from muscle spasms in my face which was referring pain to my teeth. I went through a horrible root canal (which I probably didn't need in the first place) and kept going back to the endodontist every couple of days and they kept re-cleaning it, testing other teeth and they couldn't figure out why I was in so much pain. They told me that it just takes time. Well, 2 months after they finished I couldn't stand the pain and went to my regular dentist. Immediately he felt inside my mouth and said the whole side of my face was in spasm and that was why I had the pain. Unfortunately it turned into a major tmj problem, I've been through physical therapy, accupuncture, chiro and a few other things and I'm still in pain. So, in answer to your question, there could be a possiblity that it's muscle related especially since you had so much work done.
Good luck.

kim32

suzq222,
Have you thought about getting that tooth pulled, the one that you had the root canal done on, just to see if that would help your pain??
I know that you wouldn't want to just have a tooth pulled, especially after going thru all of that with having a root canal done, but I have read (again on the internet) haha that on some root canals, you can have health problems, and that it can lead to chronic pain.
Anyone else heard of this??
I have TMJ pain also, but my pain only happens when I'm ovulating or I'm menstrating,
weird huh?
UGH My toothache pain is killing me so I better go and take my pain med's. :-(
Kim

Suzq222

Kim,
Thanks for the suggestion but I am too afraid to have the tooth pulled. I feel that I have tried so many things to get rid of the pain and nothing has really helped and pulling the tooth might have the same result. Besides, I honestly do not think I could mentally survive going to the dentist to have it pulled. I have an appointment on Thursday with a "TMJ specialist" so we'll see what he has to say. I did already go to one who wanted to make me a splint to wear 24/7 and then put me in braces (all of which are conveniently done at his office). Needless to say I never went back.
Sue

kim32

Hi Suzq222,
Well they could put you to sleep to have the tooth pulled.
That's what I'm going to have done tomorrow at the Oral Surgeon's.
I have had ALOT of teeth pulled out before
and a few times I was awake and I ended up being put to sleep because
no matter how many times that they gave me novacaine that I still felt the pain. Last time the oral surgeron said, "Kim I have given you all the novacaine that I can give you, so you might as well just be put to sleep or we can try it again another time" Well at this point I just wanted the tooth pulled because I had a toothache (Just like what I have now)
Except this time instead of just getting it pulled out, I had a root canal done on it, so I could save the tooth.
But the root canal failed!
So I have to end up getting the darn tooth pulled out anyway!
Is your TMJ pain 24/7? Or does it come and go?
Like mine comes only a couple times a month.
I have heard that it can be caused from hormones, so I think that's why I have it during those times.
I'm so sorry for you that you have chronic pain from it, pains no fun!
Well I hope that you do find someone that has an answer for you soon!
Wish me luck at the oral surgeon's tomorrow, I'm kinda scared, even tho that I will be put to sleep. haha
Oh and I can't eat after midnight tonight (or otherwise I will turn into a gremlin) hehehe
because of being put to sleep.
Then I won't be able to eat afterwards because of my mouth being so sore.
MMMMM Maybe then I could lose a few hundred pounds! hehehe
Kim