Why Am I Still Experiencing Pain After Root Canal Treatment?

Q.
In December 2014 I had a root canal post and core and then a metal/porcelain crown put on my lower “eye” tooth. It has been overly sensitive since then. I went back to my dentist who x-rayed it and could not find what is causing the pain at all. I am at my wit’s end with this whole thing at the cost of almost $2000. Any reason why I should still have pain of any kind? I feel pain when I touch or rub the tooth and it is painful to floss around and in between the crown and the tooth next to it. I also have a bad odour sometimes when I floss around this area. I am vigorous when flossing because I feel something is getting stuck there. Overall I do not think this was a good cap job. What are my options?
A.
It is very important to try to get a diagnosis for your problem. It may or may not be from the tooth that you had all the treatment on, but it is important to try to establish that. I would recommend that you first see the endodontist who did the root canal treatment – were you referred or did the dentist do it themselves? Either way see an endodontist to assess the root canal and the integrity of the root itself.

Some of the possibilities are:

re-infected root canal, fractured root, fractured crown, food traps, poor fitting crown, impingement on the bone/gum (biologic width), another tooth
inflammation from grinding or a high spot on the crown. I would ask for a second opinion/referral to a specialist, or maybe two to try to get to the bottom of it.  Hope that helps for now. Kind regards, Mark.

Dr Mark Hughes Harley Street Dental Studio 52 Harley Street, London W1G 9PY Web: www.harleystreetdentalstudio.com Tel: 020 7636 5981 View My Profile Dr Hughes

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