The dentist should have seen you needed a root canal done..So how are you feeling right now?

You know, I am going through a similar problem..

I had to have a tooth extracted and since I can't afford an implant, I decided to go ahead with a bridge.

Well, I did have a filling in one of the teeth that they cut down and they did xrays and everything. They fit me with temp crowns until my bridge came in. I did have to return to the dentist as the one crown on the possible-root-canal-tooth-in-question was too large.

I went in the other day to get my permanent bridge on. I told them that I have had some pain which went away after taking ibuprofen... I just assumed it was due to the problems I had with the temp crown. Well, they numbed me to continue taking the temp crowns off (as it really hurt!!!) and did another set of xrays. I could hear them speaking in the hall about "the real question is 'is this tooth saveable?'" I didn't know if they were talking about me or not.

The dentist came into my room and said that they were going to put the bridge in temporarily and have me come back in a week. He said that hopefully this is just transitional pain, if not the one tooth will need a root canal.

Now, I was wondering if that shouldn't have been noticed prior to putting a temp on. And is my dentist making up this "transitional pain" just so I don't freak out about having to get a root canal? I am a huge baby when it comes to all things dental.

It hurts a lot less now than it did, so maybe he wasn't making it up, but then what if I am just trying to convince myself that things are better just because I don't want to think about getting a root canal...?? I have some "sensation" in that side of my face/mouth, but I do know that it most definitely isn't the same type of pain I felt before at this point at least.

It is not always possible to know ahead of time that a tooth will need a root canal.Nerves can swell in response to having dental work done.Sometimes the tooth recovers and is just fine and in other cases,as some of you know,it does not.When the tooth does not calm down or develops an abcess,a root canal is needed to save the tooth.A dentist can sometimes tell you ahead of time that she/he thinks the tooth will need a root canal if there is extensive decay,but sometimes a nerve in a tooth dies just from being worked on.Please do not think that your dentist is not doing a good job,this is how it is sometimes.
Patty

It is not always possible to know if a tooth will need a root canal ahead of time.Sometimes the nerve dies just from the tooth being worked on.It can happen.I know some of you think your dentist does not know what is going on,but,nerves can recover from the dental work and be just fine,sometimes not.A dentist can sometimes know ahead of time that a tooth will need a root canal if there is nerve exposure from extensive decay,but sometimes teeth that should be fine can develop abcesses and need root canals.Nerves of teeth can do weird things like die for no apparrent reason other than the fact that the tooth was worked on.There is no way a dentist can tell you 100% that that tooth will never need a root canal if she/he has done extensive work on that tooth.It seems strange that you cannot be given that guarantee,but most dentists will tell you that.
Patty

Whew! Thanks!

I am very distrusting of dentists anyway, so this does make me feel better. On a better note, I have really not had any pain since getting my bridge affixed temporarily, so I am hoping that a root canal will not be necessary.

I think that I got upset because I had to keep asking him question after question to find anything out, and when he did answer me, he had this tone in his voice like I should have known this already. =(

i think that I just need to find a dentist that will tell me what they are doing and why instead of playing 20 questions...

Thanks for your input!!

my dentist put permanate crown on tooth #30 in Feb09. I am still having same symtoms May 18 in addition to new symtoms of slight pressure under crown. Was sent to endodonist which said that problem was with #31 craze lines and suggested a crown. My dentist says craze lines are asymtomactic and that it's now possible that I now need a root canal on #30. Shouldn't he had know before he put on crown? what happens to existing crown? Will I need a new crown after root canal. How will I know if I need a root canal?

No, one tooth can infect the other and not show in an X-ray...So often you get "referral pain" either next to the tooth and possibly even in the lower jaw....It's a nerve thing and difficult for a dentist to find....I know...I had to have two teeth pulled out that were side by side...I thought it was one tooth and it was the other....Pretty bad, but it happened... To make it worse...The good one ended up with a dry socket....

Good luck...

Caroline

How does one know if a root canal is needed xrays the endodonist took doesn't indicate one is needed but dentists who put crown on seems to think I do because of slight pressure I feel under crown. He seems to think that because of my symtoms that I may need one. I don't have pain I just know its there and sometime feel like I want to take it off.

I would agree with them...The pressure is building up because of the infection that is working...This has been my understanding on this...It can get so bad that you want to yank the filling off to get relief...It is then that the root canal and all it's expense comes into play...I was blessed with having a root canal go bad...Seeing I had this procedure done earlier, they kind of ignored it and the pain that I felt...Finally I told them to yank the tooth out...They were shocked what they found...The infection had gotten into my jaw bone and the smell was terrible...The pain of that surgery and the lower jaw in my mouth will always be a reminder of the worst expenience I have ever had in the hands of a dentist...I had to heal the open wound without skin to cover it...Fortunately, mine was a specialist with a staff to match...I was on anti-biotics for two months...Didn't sleep for three nights...Just plain moaned...It did not show in the X-ray so I can fault no one...Just part of life...

Either way...good luck...

Caroline

Caroline it is not them that think I need a RC which is why there is confusion. The experts,endodonost,say there is No indication that there is need of a root canal.The dentist that sent me there after he has put a crown on tooth #30 when if fact it may be #31 that caused original pain says that #30 now may need a possible root canal. At this point can't get a straight answer. I have a reevaluation this Wed.with endodonist before I procede.I know #31 is the real original problem I now may have another problem with the crowned tooth #30 according to dentist possibly needing a RC. the pressure is not too bad I am just aware that it's there. If I had an infection wouldn't it be detectable,with more severe pain, swelling,or is this just the beginng? I had this done in Feb.it is now May still nothing to exciting just know it's there sometimes more than others I will get a crown on #31 which is the problem I went in forin the first place and hopefully not need a RC on it. Denist says this happens 10% of the time.Denist put crown on #30 because it was fractured on the end and it looked like the most probable problem so he crowned it. X-rays did not show anything This was not the case #31 is the problem and now it looks like bc of the work done on #30 I may need a RC on it. the endo says it's #31 that's the problem and cannot see a problem with #30 as yet reevaon Wed. this is a bit complicated i hope I have mmade myself clearer this time.

Why not just sit back and find out where the pain lies?...I am sure my problem is not yours, but I think I would have a tendency to think along the line of the Endodonist...He is more specialized in his work and nowadays, and I am not saying this is true, some dentists may like to pad their pockets, when they can...I found the best way to find a problem in a tooth was to take a metal spoon...Hit the top of the tooth...If it rattles your brain with pain, you have hit the jackpot...If it is more quiet, then it is not too bad....I will never know why this was missed with my lower jaw...I tried to no avail...It was only when I made an appointment and said yank it out that they found my misery...I heard a lot of quieted words between the doctor and nurse during this procedure...It was pretty rough....

Again, go with who you trust....

Caroline

Here is what I've learned from my many years of experience and torture from having extensive dental work including several crowns and root canals- If it ain't broke, don't fix it. When you let a dentist mess with your teeth, you are asking for more complications. A crown can end up costing you more pain and money from root canal due to the drilling and loss of tooth structure that can lead to tiny fractures and nerve damage. Even regular dentist cleaning has led to tooth sensitivity that I've never had before. I ask a lot of questions and many Dentists are like quacks that can't explain how it happened, just what you supposedly need. Do regular cleaning no more than once a year, and if it ain't broke don't let them break it. Best advice you will ever get hands down!