Tell me what you think about this dental experience (teeth, throbbing pain, dentist)
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A 3 unit bridge came loose in February. It was replaced with a 4 unit bridge because dentist said one tooth had some decay and drilling was too deep to continue using that tooth for bridge end.
New bridge installed and was achy for a while because of the deep drilling. But then it felt odd and that is the best word I can use. Not achy, no pain and tightly fitted but odd enough that I didn't want to chew on that side. Dentist says I just have to get used to it. I've had lots of work done in my mouth and never experienced a lengthy time of "getting used to it."
To date ... two weeks ago the gum around the new bridge was swollen and touching was irritating. So went to dentist. I requested he remove the bridge to see if anything wrong with packing. He said no, x-ray showed infection and it was due to nerve damage in one tooth. He did name the tooth that was already feeling the direct point of pain and it's not the drilled tooth. He said I need to see an endodontist (his referral) for root canal because the nerve is twisted and needs a particular microscope(?) to do it right. Of course, infection has to be gone before any work done.
So I've gone through two weeks of amoxycillin 500mg, last pill Thursday and same day entire side of my face was in pain and yesterday jaw swollen. Called dentist, he was out but I was told I just have to go through more antiB (a different one) and then get the root canal.
Sorry to be so long but here's my point. The thing that's bothering me is the fact that I had no irritation or swelling until the new buildups and new bridge installed. What do you think? Was the "oddness" I was feeling with the new bridge coinciding with the start of infection from nerve damage? Or could it be due to something amiss with the new buildups for the new bridge?
I'll be picking up the other antibiotic today. The root canal will cost $950. No insurance. Our mouths are very important and I'll do whatever it takes. It just worries me that my dentist was so quick to make his decision without looking under the bridge.
So let me get this straight, before the new bridge was done you had no problems with that particular tooth, but once a new bridge was done using that particular tooth it's been giving you problems? Sounds like he may have overprepped the tooth, maybe a mechnical exposure? Part of the problems with crown preps, which is what you had is that if you overprep the tooth, meaning you just gave the tooth a haircut, you might exposure the nerve. If I was him I'd remove the bridge and get the nerve out of that tooth. It's much much harder to do a root canal thru a crown. Have him or someone else finish the root canal and see if he can refit the bridge or make you a new one. Only this time, if he charges you for a new bridge tell him he's going to deduct what it cost for the root canal. Meaning if the root canal costs $950 then he's to deduct that amount off the new bridge. Everyone responds differently to antibiotics, so maybe you need a different one, try Clindamycin and see how that works.
I've read some of your posts and was hoping you would be here. Thanks for not telling me I'm crazy. Yes, no problems with the tooth until new bridge. He did say that the endo would remove the bridge to do the root canal and that I would go back to him (regular dentist) for bridge fitting. I'm sure they would not attempt to charge me for a new bridge even if it needed one.
Thanks for responding. Have a wonderful weekend!
Quote:
Originally Posted by drsmiley06
So let me get this straight, before the new bridge was done you had no problems with that particular tooth, but once a new bridge was done using that particular tooth it's been giving you problems? Sounds like he may have overprepped the tooth, maybe a mechnical exposure? Part of the problems with crown preps, which is what you had is that if you overprep the tooth, meaning you just gave the tooth a haircut, you might exposure the nerve. If I was him I'd remove the bridge and get the nerve out of that tooth. It's much much harder to do a root canal thru a crown. Have him or someone else finish the root canal and see if he can refit the bridge or make you a new one. Only this time, if he charges you for a new bridge tell him he's going to deduct what it cost for the root canal. Meaning if the root canal costs $950 then he's to deduct that amount off the new bridge. Everyone responds differently to antibiotics, so maybe you need a different one, try Clindamycin and see how that works.
A 3 unit bridge came loose in February. It was replaced with a 4 unit bridge because dentist said one tooth had some decay and drilling was too deep to continue using that tooth for bridge end.
New bridge installed and was achy for a while because of the deep drilling. But then it felt odd and that is the best word I can use. Not achy, no pain and tightly fitted but odd enough that I didn't want to chew on that side. Dentist says I just have to get used to it. I've had lots of work done in my mouth and never experienced a lengthy time of "getting used to it."
To date ... two weeks ago the gum around the new bridge was swollen and touching was irritating. So went to dentist. I requested he remove the bridge to see if anything wrong with packing. He said no, x-ray showed infection and it was due to nerve damage in one tooth. He did name the tooth that was already feeling the direct point of pain and it's not the drilled tooth. He said I need to see an endodontist (his referral) for root canal because the nerve is twisted and needs a particular microscope(?) to do it right. Of course, infection has to be gone before any work done.
So I've gone through two weeks of amoxycillin 500mg, last pill Thursday and same day entire side of my face was in pain and yesterday jaw swollen. Called dentist, he was out but I was told I just have to go through more antiB (a different one) and then get the root canal.
Sorry to be so long but here's my point. The thing that's bothering me is the fact that I had no irritation or swelling until the new buildups and new bridge installed. What do you think? Was the "oddness" I was feeling with the new bridge coinciding with the start of infection from nerve damage? Or could it be due to something amiss with the new buildups for the new bridge?
I'll be picking up the other antibiotic today. The root canal will cost $950. No insurance. Our mouths are very important and I'll do whatever it takes. It just worries me that my dentist was so quick to make his decision without looking under the bridge.
I'm not a dental professional, but I can share my scenario.
I was having some very mild throbbing on a tooth for a few months. I mentioned it to my dentist during one of my regular visits. However, I couldn't identify which of the two teeth it was. He took xrays, but couldn't see anything wrong. The dentist suggested I hold off until it became more apparent as to which tooth it was. He didn't want to have to do the job twice much less on the wrong tooth. Neither did I! I HATE going to the dentist. lol
Appxly a month ago, I started to wake up at 3am with a throbbing pain (still mild and not on a regular basis). But because I was awakening to pain the situation needed to be addressed; it was a red flag.
It turned out to be a tooth that I had a fill-in from over 10 yrs ago. Apparently, it had a mild infection as residue from food particles had crepted up in that tooth's roots. As a result, they cleaned it up as best as possible and put me on Amoxycillin for a week. Went on vacation the next day after my procedure! hehe
Came back and the saw the Endondontist and she started a root canal. Out of the 3 roots 1 of them was CURVED! Ughhh...she said it was an Endondontist's worst "nightmare". GREAT! That one root was HELL/time-consuming to complete the procedure on, but an hour or so later VOILA! All done and tooth was completed.
I'm assuming that you may have had some work done on that tooth? And maybe you had the same thing happen?
Not having insurance is going to cost you, but when it comes to one's health, etc...you have to do what you have to do.
Hi SummerBabe ... I saw your reply on the other thread about your root canal cost. Your experience leading up to the root canal is what one would expect for the situation and makes sense. That's why I've been sure the "odd" feeling of my new bridge had something to do with the preparation for the new bridge. The tooth in question was part of the original bridge and as mentioned, no problems of any kind until the new buildup and bridge. The reply from drsmiley06 is a good explanation for what happened - nerve exposed with the new work. This is the first time in all my years that I've had an infection and tooth pain.
Just got back with the new antiB and it is the clindamycin that drsmiley06 recommends. I sure hope the root canal on my curvy root is not too awful. This would be one of those times I won't mind if the endo uses the happy gas.
It is a beautiful day in Tampa, perfect sky, perfect sun - 77 degrees, 35% humidity. Hope yours is the same.
Enjoy your weekend and thanks for the replies!
Quote:
Originally Posted by SummerBabe
I'm not a dental professional, but I can share my scenario.
I was having some very mild throbbing on a tooth for a few months. I mentioned it to my dentist during one of my regular visits. However, I couldn't identify which of the two teeth it was. He took xrays, but couldn't see anything wrong. The dentist suggested I hold off until it became more apparent as to which tooth it was. He didn't want to have to do the job twice much less on the wrong tooth. Neither did I! I HATE going to the dentist. lol
Appxly a month ago, I started to wake up at 3am with a throbbing pain (still mild and not on a regular basis). But because I was awakening to pain the situation needed to be addressed; it was a red flag.
It turned out to be a tooth that I had a fill-in from over 10 yrs ago. Apparently, it had a mild infection as residue from food particles had crepted up in that tooth's roots. As a result, they cleaned it up as best as possible and put me on Amoxycillin for a week. Went on vacation the next day after my procedure! hehe
Came back and the saw the Endondontist and she started a root canal. Out of the 3 roots 1 of them was CURVED! Ughhh...she said it was an Endondontist's worst "nightmare". GREAT! That one root was HELL/time-consuming to complete the procedure on, but an hour or so later VOILA! All done and tooth was completed.
I'm assuming that you may have had some work done on that tooth? And maybe you had the same thing happen?
Not having insurance is going to cost you, but when it comes to one's health, etc...you have to do what you have to do.
I do alot of root canals even as a general dentist and I can say that some of easy and some aren't, especially the ones with the curved roots. And let me tell you even endodontists have problems with those too. Let's see if the new medication works. Basically the root canal coupled with the medication should get rid the infection but some may still persist. Alot of people think antibiotics will get rid of infection totally, and sometimes it doesn't, but then again you may not feel it. I can't tell you how many patients I see with large infections at the apices of teeth and they don't feel a thing, they don't even know it's there until I point it out to them. And then all of a sudden one saturday morning they wake up and feel the side of their face and go, "hmmmm...wonder what the hell that is?" That's the infection basically waking up and presenting itself. So I would definitely go thru with the root canal if it's part of the new bridge and it's good that it happened now and not 5 years from now. Good luck!
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