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Squishor · 06-26-2005, 09:47 AM

Wow, I just found this thread. This is great. Thank you so much, popo, for being willing to take the time and share your knowledge!

I haven't read all the previous pages so if my question has already been addressed just point me in the right direction.

I have numerous dental problems, partly due to poor nutrition as a child, weak enamel, and particularly stemming from a time period of about five years when my teeth weren't getting the beneficial saliva rinsing they should have as a result of a bad habit. Not to spell it out but if you know what that means, you'll know. Fast-foreward to the past five years, when I've paid thousands in deductibles to my dentist trying to save my teeth.

My problems are exacerbated by the fact that I grind my teeth in my sleep, although I have been wearing a night guard for the past three years.

The rear-most lower molar on the left side of my mouth is giving me all kinds of problems. I haven't been able to chew on the left side of my mouth for at least the past two years. My dentist did two root canals and it still hurt. I don't know why but that one tooth is a real bitch, I've had so much more pain with it than any other tooth it's just indescribable. One time it was still hurting six novacaine shots later!

I'm trying to save the tooth if at all possible...I already have a nice gold crown that I was wearing for a number of months, and I'll be running out of teeth pretty quick if I just start having the problematic ones pulled. Plus, the right side of my mouth is getting pretty tired from doing all the chewing so I'd like to have all the teeth I need to chew on the left side when the time comes, if that makes any sense.

The pain I've been having is two-fold. I have a deep throbbing pain in the jaw below the tooth, that seems to spread a bit downwards and towards the front of the jaw. I also experience more surface pain that feels like it's coming from the tooth itself, or the area immediately around it. It seems more pronounced when the inner side of the tooth is contacted. I've also had some problems with the tooth in front of it, which still aches a bit even after a root canal, but it doesn't seem to be the source of the pain I'm describing.

After two root canals didn't help, my dentist referred me to an endodontist about a year ago but I wasn't able to pay for the decuctible and so just dealt with it for a long time. Now my dentist has an in-house endodontist, which means I was able to get treated on a payment plan, so I saw her on May 4th. I found that I was in extreme pain after the procedure, although I was optimistic because she found some new canals on the inside of the tooth. Unfortunately the pain didn't go away. Two weeks later it had subsided to a nagging, deep throb and has pretty much leveled off there, although there has been some gradual improvement. It's also hard to quantify my discomfort level because I'm taking hydrocodone for a knee injury, although I'm taking the lowest possible dose I can, usually no more than 2.5 mg at a time and mostly at night. My dentist decided to hold off on cementing the crown back on for obvious reasons, so we're in a wait and see period. The tooth doesn't seem to be cracked.

My question is just, do you have any insight at all into what could be causing me so much discomfort from one tooth that's been treated nearly into oblivion? Have you ever seen a similar situation? Can this tooth be saved?

Thanks again, and sorry for the long post.

06-26-2005, 09:47 AM	#221 (permalink)
Squishor Frontal Lobe Location: California	Wow, I just found this thread. This is great. Thank you so much, popo, for being willing to take the time and share your knowledge! I haven't read all the previous pages so if my question has already been addressed just point me in the right direction. I have numerous dental problems, partly due to poor nutrition as a child, weak enamel, and particularly stemming from a time period of about five years when my teeth weren't getting the beneficial saliva rinsing they should have as a result of a bad habit. Not to spell it out but if you know what that means, you'll know. Fast-foreward to the past five years, when I've paid thousands in deductibles to my dentist trying to save my teeth. My problems are exacerbated by the fact that I grind my teeth in my sleep, although I have been wearing a night guard for the past three years. The rear-most lower molar on the left side of my mouth is giving me all kinds of problems. I haven't been able to chew on the left side of my mouth for at least the past two years. My dentist did two root canals and it still hurt. I don't know why but that one tooth is a real bitch, I've had so much more pain with it than any other tooth it's just indescribable. One time it was still hurting six novacaine shots later! I'm trying to save the tooth if at all possible...I already have a nice gold crown that I was wearing for a number of months, and I'll be running out of teeth pretty quick if I just start having the problematic ones pulled. Plus, the right side of my mouth is getting pretty tired from doing all the chewing so I'd like to have all the teeth I need to chew on the left side when the time comes, if that makes any sense. The pain I've been having is two-fold. I have a deep throbbing pain in the jaw below the tooth, that seems to spread a bit downwards and towards the front of the jaw. I also experience more surface pain that feels like it's coming from the tooth itself, or the area immediately around it. It seems more pronounced when the inner side of the tooth is contacted. I've also had some problems with the tooth in front of it, which still aches a bit even after a root canal, but it doesn't seem to be the source of the pain I'm describing. After two root canals didn't help, my dentist referred me to an endodontist about a year ago but I wasn't able to pay for the decuctible and so just dealt with it for a long time. Now my dentist has an in-house endodontist, which means I was able to get treated on a payment plan, so I saw her on May 4th. I found that I was in extreme pain after the procedure, although I was optimistic because she found some new canals on the inside of the tooth. Unfortunately the pain didn't go away. Two weeks later it had subsided to a nagging, deep throb and has pretty much leveled off there, although there has been some gradual improvement. It's also hard to quantify my discomfort level because I'm taking hydrocodone for a knee injury, although I'm taking the lowest possible dose I can, usually no more than 2.5 mg at a time and mostly at night. My dentist decided to hold off on cementing the crown back on for obvious reasons, so we're in a wait and see period. The tooth doesn't seem to be cracked. My question is just, do you have any insight at all into what could be causing me so much discomfort from one tooth that's been treated nearly into oblivion? Have you ever seen a similar situation? Can this tooth be saved? Thanks again, and sorry for the long post.