Toothache years after a root canal?

[emer95]

I had a root canal and crown on a molar 4 years ago, and never had any issues or problems with it. Suddenly this weekend my tooth started aching something fierce. I'll call my dentist first thing tomorrow morning, but I'm wondering if any of you have experienced this? I'm confused how it could hurt, if the root is gone.
Right now I'm trying Motrin (and a little mixed drink). Ouch!!!

 

[KNJWDW]

I had a root canal and crown on a molar 4 years ago, and never had any issues or problems with it. Suddenly this weekend my tooth started aching something fierce. I'll call my dentist first thing tomorrow morning, but I'm wondering if any of you have experienced this? I'm confused how it could hurt, if the root is gone.
Right now I'm trying Motrin (and a little mixed drink). Ouch!!!

I just had this happen a few weeks ago. It turns out that it was my tooth next to the one with the crown/root canal. It really felt like the pain was coming from the one with the crown, but it wasn't. The other tooth is cracked. My dentist used air and cold to check where the pain was actually coming from and then also took pictures. I can see the crack on the other tooth in the pictures. Tooth pain is horrible.

 

[low-key]

He will fix it but what you need to do now is grab your left butt cheek, where your wallet is because that is where the real pain will lie

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I had a root canal and crown on a molar 4 years ago, and never had any issues or problems with it. Suddenly this weekend my tooth started aching something fierce. I'll call my dentist first thing tomorrow morning, but I'm wondering if any of you have experienced this? I'm confused how it could hurt, if the root is gone.
Right now I'm trying Motrin (and a little mixed drink). Ouch!!!

Well the root isn't gone, actually, what's gone is the nerve and blood that used to run through the root up under the cap of the tooth. It's possible that not all the tissue was removed during the original root canal, and now has (sorry to be graphic) rotted and there is a build up of gasses.

Or the tooth itself now has rotted, and is loose in it's socket causing pain.

 

[ForeverAlice]

It could be an abcess (infection) in that tooth or possibly referred pain from another tooth. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[mnrose]

My husband had a root canal fail years after the fact, and it caused considerable pain. Ultimately, the tooth was removed and he now has an implant. I hope it's an adjacent tooth, and not a root canal failure. Those are hard, if not impossible, to fix.

It hurts because the tissue AROUND that tooth becomes inflamed (if it's a failed root canal). And, I would NOT let my regular dentist try to fix a failed root canal. A failed root canal calls for a specialist, IMO.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Happened to DW just a couple weeks ago. She had to get drilled again. Original work was 20+ years old.

 

[OhMari]

You may have to go to a Endodontist. This happened to me and I thought the pain would never go away. I had to go on an antibiotic for 10 days and then he fixed it. It took an hour, and I just kept thinking, "only an hour, only an hour." It took almost 10 days for everything to stop hurting.

 

[cijay]

Well the root isn't gone, actually, what's gone is the nerve and blood that used to run through the root up under the cap of the tooth. It's possible that not all the tissue was removed during the original root canal, and now has (sorry to be graphic) rotted and there is a build up of gasses.

Or the tooth itself now has rotted, and is loose in it's socket causing pain.

You sound very knowledgeable. Are you a dentist/dental tech? I've been having the same sort of pain and the top of the crown has a crack (just the porcelain part, the steel part is okay so the tooth is not open). I'm just wondering if it has anything to do with that. It has been cracked for a long time but only recently started hurting. Is it more likely to be the tooth next to it or what you've described, more of the root is rotting?

 

[flowergirl45]

I had a root canal, and had recurring pain about a year later. Two times the dentist put me on antibiotics - the pain went away each time, but eventually came back. X-rays showed nothing unusual. Finally the dentist removed the crown and went back into the tooth. He found a SECOND root. Removed it, and no more pain! But it was a miserable year for sure. The dentist said the chances of having two roots were very slim. I was just lucky lol.

 

[shoney]

Oh boy. I had it happen twice. First time, I was 7 months pregnant and my doctor would only allow them to pull the tooth.

Second time, 15 years later and of course another tooth. I had it treated. They did a apicoectomy procedure. It was incredibly painful and if I would have known before hand, I would have had the tooth pulled!!! The doctor couldn't believe that this happened to me twice!

Good luck .... nothing worse than tooth pain.

 

[goofy4tink]

About 15 yrs ago I had a root canal done on a molar. It was terrific until about 5 yrs ago...started hurting something fierce. My dentist checked it out and said there was an infection in it that had to be cleaned out. Because there wasn't much 'tooth' left, they had to cut into my gum and go in that way! It was not a pretty thing. But, it cleared it up. Great. Well, about 18 months ago, that same tooth started hurting again. I dealt with it for about a month but just couldn't stand it any longer. Went back to the dentist...he looked at it, looked at my records and said he was calling the endodontist right then. 40 mins later, I was sitting in the endodontist's chair, having my tooth pulled out!!! Not fun. A year later, my new implant was in and working out just wonderfully. It wasn't cheap, but I'm glad I did it. Had to cancel a trip to Israel to pay for it!!!
But, as you can see...infection can build up in there...and if it gets bad enough, the tooth has to go.

 

[ronandannette]

Question: Does anyone know what kind of restorations they did "in the old days" before dental implants? I'm a "grinder" and recently fractured a molar down to the bone. It was previously root-candles and will no longer hold a crown - it needs to be extracted. An implant will set me back several thousand OOP after my insurance. My dentist is a "progressive" practitioner and only wants to perform the most "up to date" (and expensive) procedures; he hasn't offered me any options. Are there any?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Question: Does anyone know what kind of restorations they did "in the old days" before dental implants? I'm a "grinder" and recently fractured a molar down to the bone. It was previously root-candles and will no longer hold a crown - it needs to be extracted. An implant will set me back several thousand OOP after my insurance. My dentist is a "progressive" practitioner and only wants to perform the most "up to date" (and expensive) procedures; he hasn't offered me any options. Are there any?

Not really, once a tooth has to be removed, you either get an implant or leave an empty space. Time was that they used to do partial plates. But they, typically, no longer do this, because they found the hooks (around adjacent teeth) required to keep the partial in place damaged those adjacent teeth and caused them to fail.

 

[NotUrsula]

Question: Does anyone know what kind of restorations they did "in the old days" before dental implants? I'm a "grinder" and recently fractured a molar down to the bone. It was previously root-candles and will no longer hold a crown - it needs to be extracted. An implant will set me back several thousand OOP after my insurance. My dentist is a "progressive" practitioner and only wants to perform the most "up to date" (and expensive) procedures; he hasn't offered me any options. Are there any?

I'd say call a dental school and see if you can be a guinea pig; that's probably the only way you are going to be able to afford it.

Also, for the OP, it's possible that it isn't a tooth problem at all. I had that happen two years ago. I was in screaming pain and went in as an emergency case. I had forgotten that the tooth had had a root canal done, and so when the dentist looked at the xrays she was shocked to see that there were steel posts in a tooth that supposedly was hurting so badly. She looked at the teeth next to it but they were sound. Three consultations and a double-dose of penicillin later, my ENT figured out that the problem was actually a sinus infection.

 

[littlejimmy]

Question: Does anyone know what kind of restorations they did "in the old days" before dental implants? I'm a "grinder" and recently fractured a molar down to the bone. It was previously root-candles and will no longer hold a crown - it needs to be extracted. An implant will set me back several thousand OOP after my insurance. My dentist is a "progressive" practitioner and only wants to perform the most "up to date" (and expensive) procedures; he hasn't offered me any options. Are there any?

three options to replace missing teeth.
1. implant
2. fixed bridge
3. removable partial denture.

its nice your dentist is progressive, but the needs/wants of the patient should be taken into account. there are options. good luck

 

[littlejimmy]

I had a root canal and crown on a molar 4 years ago, and never had any issues or problems with it. Suddenly this weekend my tooth started aching something fierce. I'll call my dentist first thing tomorrow morning, but I'm wondering if any of you have experienced this? I'm confused how it could hurt, if the root is gone.
Right now I'm trying Motrin (and a little mixed drink). Ouch!!!

as a previous poster said, the root isn't gone. you will most likely be referred and have the root canal redone. endodontists do that everyday, and you will be fine.

 

[michellerobertz123]

In olden days they consider dentures for replacing missing teeth. There are 2 types of dentures - partial denture and complete denture. Nowadays many are considering dental implants as they give a natural look but they are expensive than dentures. Recently my mom has undergone dental implant procedure from a clinic in Stony Plain as she lost 2 consecutive adjacent teeth.

Since your dentist is a progressive practitioner, he might consider dental implants procedure for replacing your teeth. Good luck!!

 

[aprilgail]

In olden days they consider dentures for replacing missing teeth. There are 2 types of dentures - partial denture and complete denture. Nowadays many are considering dental implants as they give a natural look but they are expensive than dentures. Recently my mom has undergone dental implant procedure from a clinic in Stony Plain as she lost 2 consecutive adjacent teeth.

Since your dentist is a progressive practitioner, he might consider dental implants procedure for replacing your teeth. Good luck!!

I am sure since its been a year since they asked this that they have had the tooth taken care of LOL- or it was one painful year.....

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have had two root canals on one tooth, but I also agree that it could be a problem with the tooth right next to it, on the side, too. I had that happen recently as well, lol.