I got a root canal, and now I'm in pain!

[Shirelle]

I'm hoping someone has a word of advice for me....several weeks ago I went in for a filling that turned into a root canal. I had no idea that he was even DOING a root canal, except that he had a student in the room, and his assistant said something to the effect of, "and that's how you do a root canal." That day, he just did a "partial" root canal--he put in a temporary filling until I could decide if I wanted him to finish the root canal or extract the tooth. I thought it would be best to finish it, so this week, he finished it. It was last Tuesday, and I'm still in a lot of pain. I've called him, and he says the pain could last for up to six months--why??!! My understanding was that there would be pain for the first visit, because he was removing the root--I did have pain for about three days, and then it was fine. The pain after he filled the tooth has been much worse. I'm also having some bad sinus problems right now, which the dentist told me could happen--if you're having sinus troubles the RC could exaccerbate them.

I was reading some old threads on here about fillings and root canals, and I really had no idea that there were ways to fix teeth problems with nutrition. I've been feeding my son a more NT type of diet for a few months--but not myself. The stupid thing is that I've been getting all this dental work done (I've spent upwards of $1200 on fillings/root canal at this point) and I wasn't in any pain at all--I'm in pain NOW. I still have several more cavities that he says need filling.

He said that he could put me on some kind of steroid pack to help with healing--but I'm nursing. I'm just worried now that I'm having sinus pain/pressure and I seem to have gotten sick right after having the RC done, not to mention the pain in my tooth. Where do I go from here???

[JaneS]

Personally... I'd get the darn thing pulled.

You can never ever clean out all the tubules. They will harbor bacteria.

Please read this article regarding research on Root Canals that Weston Price did. Dr. Meinig's book entitled, "Root Canal Cover Up" exposed his research that has been lost due to ignorance:

http://www.price-pottenger.org/Articles/Rootcanal.htm

That is really smarmy not to tell you or give you a choice!!!!

[bobandjess99]

I'd get it pulled, under no circumstances would i have a root canal poisoning my body.
ugh.

[Viola]

You could have an infection that could build up to something worse. I got an abscess after I got a root canal, because my dentist did not do a good job with the root canal. There was a dentist member here, Smilemomma, who was giving me advice at the time this happened to me. She impressed upon me the important of finding a good endodonist to do the root canal. I had the quick, 5 minutes with a hammer and screwdriver kind. It sounds like your dentist wasn't communicating with you well at all if he didn't even tell you what he was doing.

My root canal did hurt for awhile, like in a year or so, but not too bad. The abscess was horrible, though. I had one once before as a result of a large cavity that was filled, and that one took months to fully develop so it's possible you might be facing a situation like that. Definitely keep an eye on it. I also read some of the anti-root canal/pro-teeth pulling pov that was mentioned here, so you might want to check that out too.

[nicolelynn]

I just read this anti-root canal stuff as Im about to go in for a root canal consult wednesday. Im in the worst pain of my life with a tooth that was filled 2 years ago and the filling went down almost to the root. It has got infected a few times since then...but this is the worst pain ever. I can't deal with it anymore- yet Im also convinced against the root canal at the same time.

My question is...this is on the same side I got my wisdom tooth pulled- the molar 2 away from it. Is there any danger in having too many teeth pulled...IE un-even wearing in the teeth, etc (beyond the fact that I will look like an old woman cuz it would be invisible when I smile...)?

[e123vg]

i wanted my tooth pulled, dentist woulnd't do it and gave me a root canal, that was 4 years ago. to this day it is the only tooth in my mouth that hurts.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I would have it pulled. I made a decision years ago that I would never have a root canal, heard of to many people ending up in pain and loosing the tooth any way.

[teddy711378]

My regular dentist whom I have had for close to 30 years was slowing down his practice and giving more complicated things to an associate in has office. The man was an idiot. This dentist started a root canal on me but was unable to complete it because one of the canals was calcified. He closed up the tooth and recommended that I go to an endologist(?) ie root canal specialist. I have a friend who has a friend who is a dentist - he recomended this specialist in the area. I also visted another specialist that was recommended to me by the dental office. All this time I was in horrible pain and was popping Advil every 4 hours. I ended up with the guy who was recommended via my friend's dental buddy. I later found out this guy was viewed as an expert even by fellow dentists. He did an amazing job and there was no pain after he did the root canal. I have since had a second root canal (yesterday) and am in no pain whatsoever. My recommendation is to ask around, friends or other dentists if you can. Visit at least 2 specialists, (it's worth the consultation fee). You shoud have no pain after root canal if it is done right. (Also, this endologist fixed the crown installed by the idiot dentist above, free of charge) I have switched my general dentist but am also considering another switch, after asking the specialist his recommendation of a good general dentist. (he sees alot of different dental work coming thru his practice so he should know) He gave me a recommendation without any hesitation. Hope this helps.

[ramlita]

Shirelle, I'm in the same boat. :

It was last Wednesday for me. I've had a headache and felt poorly ever since. The pain in the tooth was incredible for several days, and is now gradually subsiding to an ache. I can't put any pressure on that side of my mouth at all- I tried "chewing" a little pudding and it was terrible.
I'm cranky, short-tempered, and painkillers don't help much and bring other side effects.
And this thread has been full of bad news, eh?

Just wanted to commiserate.

[ramlita]

P.S.

Funny, our dentists didn't say anything about six months of pain before they did this to us!

[momto l&a]

I would get it pulled.

The dentist wanted me to get a root canal and I asked the price of it and it was 1,200 I asked the price of pulling and he said 120. Oh thats why you want me to have a root canal.

Anyway I did lots o reading before I went to the dentist and found for health reasons I don't want a rc.

The pulling was pain free, healing took a couple of days.

I may someday if we get to a good $$ position have a removable bridge put in.

[Shirelle]

And this thread has been full of bad news, eh?

Just wanted to commiserate.

Umm, yeah! I wish that I'd asked BEFORE I had it done : Honestly, it's not bothering me anymore. I've been doing fine. On getting it pulled---I guess that I didn't like the thought of getting my largest tooth pulled. I thought that it would drive me crazy to have that big gap in the back of my mouth. I guess I'll see how this root canal does...I paid $800 for it, after all

[ramlita]

Oh!
I hadn't noticed the date of your original post!

That gives me some hope that this pain will fade- how long did it take for you to feel better?
I just broke down and took some Exedrin for the first time in three days, and am feeling much better and therefore calmer about my mouth and life in general. And I baked a double batch of my favorite pumpkin-with-chocolate-chips cake. It's nice and soft for my tender mouth, plus it's nutritious and

[Shirelle]

I went through a couple cartons of ice cream the week after my RC

It was probably 7-10 days before the pain was gone. I hope you start to feel better soon! I was stubborn about the meds too...still nursing.

[countrymom]

I just had a root canal on thursday--not my 1st---and had a wisdom tooth extracted. I have heard a lot of conflicting info/ advice on root canal vs. extraction-----since I have had a few other sucessful (thus far) root canals--I opted to go ahead & root canal vs pull it. I also like the idea of having as many of my teeth as I can.

The wisdom tooth was pulled & I am glad for that.

I do have bad teeth--and it always seems I go in for a tooth ache--thinking I need a filling and---boom--it's in my roots full blown bad------(and I've had different dentists)

The suprise this week was that I have bone loss below a tooth that had been root canaled before & under the current one-----Bone loss?! I was shocked. While I was under, the dentist did a bone graft on the two places and I am in pAIN from that & the stitches mostly----I don't think the root canal or extraction are causing me much of the pain, but I do have painkillers and am taking them. I just hope I made the right descision--it's so hard when you are in pain & discomfort from a tooth/ teeth to decide which way to go.