Tooth pain after deep filling. Is root canal my only option? (teeth, pulled)

[boba ben]

I've had a lot of dental work done in the last month and I'm just a little worried and freaking out about everything. I sometimes think it might be me being a hypochondriac, but I just don't know. I've been scouring yahoo answers and dental forums for some insight, so I thought I'd just put out there since my situation is somewhat unique.

I had a root canal on my lower right molar, number 31, back at the beginning of 2010, and I made the stupid mistake of not going in to get the crown done afterwards and ended up cracking the temporary filling in mid April. I had to have it redone and my insurance didn't cover the procedure, so I was out quite a lot of money on that.

While I was taking care of that, my dentist also noticed some pretty deep cavities on both my upper right and upper left molars. I had the right ones done on April 19, 2012 and the left ones done on May 17th. They are all white composite filling. There was no pain before the filling, but the right ones have been bothering me since April. It hurt a lot at first all the time and I was sensitive to cold and avoided eating on them all together. The pain has been decreasing, I have little to no sensitivity to cold, no sensitivity to heat, and it usually doesn't hurt, but I do have mild pain once in awhile still when I eat crunchy stuff like chips or crackers. Some days I also get more severe pain and headaches a little after dinner time or if I floss or mess around between the two teeth on the right that were filled. I haven't had any kind of trouble sleeping at all, either. My normal dentist was on vacation this past Thursday, but I had another one in his office grind down some of the permanent crown that had just been placed on my lower root canal tooth and she also said there was a little excess filling material on the left, so she sanded it down a bit as well. I still have been having the pain and headaches a couple of times over the weekend. I have also noticed that it feels kind of like there's a bit of an overhang between the teeth that were filled as it feels like the dental floss is pulling on the top of the teeth when I pull it through. I've started using Colgate sensitive toothpaste and started using Glide floss instead of regular floss as well. That seems to help, but I still sometimes seem to hit a certain spot when flossing that gives me a sharp pain that feels kind of like when you bite on a piece of tin foil with a metal filling. It may also be worth noting that the more severe pain I've been experiencing from time to time goes away almost immediately if I take a couple Advil.

Is this something that might go away or am I going to need another root canal on the upper right tooth? If the filling/crown were high could it just take awhile for my periodontal ligaments to heal from the trauma? I'd really like to avoid having another root canal done as I've already spent a ton of money trying to get my dental health back in order and my insurance limit is running low due to the amount of work I've already had done. My dentist told me to give it another month to keep healing, but if it still hurts or gets worse to come back and have it re-evaluated. I've also heard that when deep fillings are done, it sometimes takes awhile for the dentin in the teeth to strengthen and that they could be sensitive and achy for a long time after the filling, possibly even months. Is this possible as well? Any advice or input would be appreciated.

[AnonChick]

If the flosssing/sensitivity problem is occurring with the tooth that has the crown, then it sounds like the crown just doesn't have a good fit. You should go back to them and let them know. A crown that doesn't fit -perfectly- can leave the carved-down tooth stump exposed, and that can cause sensitivity. It can also cause your floss to get stuck between the gum and the edge of the crown.

My temporary bridge didn't fit right and I experienced the exact same thing. I expected it though, since I knew it was just a temp bridge and didn't really have to fit perfectly - just well enough that I wasn't in agony when I inhaled, and that I could chew without my gums bleeding. A second temp bridge was put on when they fitted me for the permanent one, which will be ready next week. This second temp is great, no problems at all. They spent extra time shaping it for me, in my mouth, bite down, out of my mouth, grind a little more. And over and over again until the doctor was satisfied it was as perfect as s temp bridge can possibly be.

In summary: your crown is -probably- not fitting perfectly, and needs to be eiter shaped a little bit, -or- replaced. Your tooth is probably just fine, underneath it; just exposed which makes it sensitive and a little sore when you chew.

[boba ben]

It's actually not the crowned tooth on the bottom that's bothering me. I'm having some sensitivity on the deep composite fillings that were done on my upper right and upper left molars.

I'm actually starting to feel better in a lot of ways. I still have some sensitivity issues when I bite on crunchy stuff or drink very hot very cold liquid and hold it right against the filled teeth. However, I'm no longer having the really sharp pain when I floss and I also don't have to take any Advil anymore.

I was wondering about something else, though. Since these fillings were done I've noticed a couple of tiny pieces of filling materials that have chipped or come loose when I've eaten or flossed and it feels like there are slight overhangs between the teeth he filled. Is this normal, or should I have it checked out? Could the overhangs between the teeth be the cause of my sensitivity?

[AnonChick]

You should have all this checked out anyway. It's not normal to have both hot and cold sensitivity. The filling material -could- be excess that the dentist neglected to remove, -or- there could be something wrong. You won't know, til you have the dentist check.

[boba ben]

Yeah, I'm going to make an appointment to go back this coming week. I don't want to seem like a hypochondriac or something, but I just want to be sure the fillings aren't compromised because of the tiny pieces that have chipped off and maybe have him shave them down a bit. It almost feels like there's a little extra piece sticking out between the teeth he filled. I want to make sure everything's okay or if he needs to do something else.

Trying to get my dental health back has proven to be quite the hassle.

[mgs123]

I have deep white fillings and have gone to the dentist 5 times in one month. He said that the white fillings are not as good as the silver fillings and that if they are deep, they are pressing down against the nerve in the tooth and therefore I had to have two root canals to fix my pain in the deep filling teeth. He said I should have left the silver in there a long time ago. Unfortunately I am still not done having work done, as a few more of my teeth have the deep white filling and I am sure they will have to be pulled or root canaled. I am just tired of all the pain and aggravation. Hope you feel better!

[paulie123]

Had a deep cavity filled 5 months back in my rear most top left tooth. It still hurts like hell. Went to dentist several times...he said give it a year and the pain will go away..pull it of root canal. I am attempting to give it some time if I can deal with it. Although he said everything looks fine he put me on amoxicilian.

[cindersslipper]

I had 3 root canals and the next dentist ripped them all out.

Root canals and the like weaken the tooth. It's already weakened from the decay, but any time they drill the middle out of it it's going to be prone to cracking and breaking.

Hate to say it but I doubt I would ever have another root canal, or a crown, or anything like it.

After my experience, if your tooth is that decayed, replace it entirely.

Whatever patching up they do will be temporary and you are at risk of the tooth breaking within the gum on extraction, which then means surgery and a lot of agony just to get the roots out.

Ugh if I knew then what I know now....straight to a prosthetic tooth implant, do not eff around with root canals, crowns, and the like.

[jzeig104]

Originally Posted by cindersslipper

I had 3 root canals and the next dentist ripped them all out.

Root canals and the like weaken the tooth. It's already weakened from the decay, but any time they drill the middle out of it it's going to be prone to cracking and breaking.
Hate to say it but I doubt I would ever have another root canal, or a crown, or anything like it.
After my experience, if your tooth is that decayed, replace it entirely.
Whatever patching up they do will be temporary and you are at risk of the tooth breaking within the gum on extraction, which then means surgery and a lot of agony just to get the roots out.
Ugh if I knew then what I know now....straight to a prosthetic tooth implant, do not eff around with root canals, crowns, and the like.

I totally agree. I had one tooth that caused problmes over many years:

1) 1977-wrong tooth root canaled-failed root canal (since it really was the wrong tooth in the first place)-dentist then pulled wrong tooth-got bridge when nothing was wrong with the tooth in the first place-it was the one below it. Pain continued.

2) 1978-when they figured out which tooth it really was (lower molar)-had TWO root canals on that tooth, then a crown. Pain continued at lower level.

3) 1985-grinding down of crown as next dentist said bite was bad. Pain continued.

4) 1990-new crown and root canal of tooth behind it because tooth still hurt and they thought it was the other one. (nothing wrong with tooth behind it). Pain better but continued at a more tolerable level.

5) 2004-several years later-tooth hurt again-referred to endodontist. root canaled tooth in front of it because tooth still hurt and they thought it was the other one (nothing wrong with tooth in front of it). Pain continued at low level.

5) 2014-another 10 years-went to have teeth cleaned-tooth "needed scaling and planing."

6) scaling and planing aggravated the underlying, ongoing pain in the tooth.

7) one week later-sent to endodontist. Dental CT scan showed entire tooth cracked vertically (could not be seen on x-ray).

8) tooth couldnt be "saved" anymore-sent on to oral surgeon.

9) oral surgeon took out tooth, leaving a pointed shard of tooth in the gum area. gum area still hurt.

10) two weeks later-oral surgeon took out shard -FINALLY PAIN FREE.

TOTAL COST: approximately $40,000 including insurance payments. I now think the tooth was cracked many years ago and should have been pulled in the first place. Unfortunately there were no dental CT scans then and problem could not be seen on x-ray. It would have saved me years of pain, aggravation, time, and money.

Just pull those puppies when they start talking root canals, people! An implant will be cheaper in the long run!!

[mimi904]

I'm having the same pain in the upper right of my back tooth.he filled a deep cavity which is still hurting when I eat because the food is going between my teeth . my dentist say if its pain I will need to get pulled . ughh I hate going threw this