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You are here: Experts > Health/Fitness > Dentistry > Dentistry > Root Canal Retreatment
Dentistry - Root Canal Retreatment
Expert: Gary Backlund, DMD, MSD - 11/1/2009
Question
Hello Dr. Backlund,
In reading your pasts answers, you really seem to know your stuff so I hope that you can help me. I just had an endodontist retreat a root canal for my #14 tooth. I had a regular dentist do the root canal exactly one year ago and last week, the tooth was in excruciating pain. The dentist I go to now (not the one who performed the root canal the first time) recommended I see the endodontist who did the retreatment this past Thursday. It is now Sunday evening and I still cannot chew or put any pressure on that tooth at all. The endodentist recommended I get my dentist to put a crown on it within 2-4 weeks and I have an appointment for him to do so next Tuesday; however, my question to you is should I be concerned that I still cannot put any pressure on this tooth after 3 days. It doesn't hurt, thankfully, but if I try to chew anything with it, there is indeed pain. When will I be able to apply pressure to that tooth? If I am still unable to chew on it by next week, should I have a crown put on it?
Thank you for your help.
Brenda
Answer
Hi Brenda,
Thank you for the kind words. I've been at this a long time and my training was at a great school...I credit them with "knowing my stuff"....:-)....
To answer your question, there are couple of reasons you may still have pressure sensitivity. Since the tooth doesn't hurt at other times, I suspect your bite is off. You can check that by holding your teeth together, then slide from side to side. If this causes pain, you need your bite adjusted. That is an easy thing to do and either your dentist or the endodontist can do it.
The other most likely cause would be continued pressure at the end of the tooth possibly from a stirred up infection as a result of the retreat. You may need to be on antibiotics.
If I were you, I would call the endodontist's office, tell them what you are feeling and ask to get in for a recheck. They would be able to check your bite and give you a prescription fi that seems necessary.
As for your crown, I would hold off on having that done until things feel right. I suspect that once the cause of your pressure is dealt with, things will settle down nicely. If it's adjusting the bite, usually 3-4 days will make things feel a whole better. Antibiotics take 24-48 hours to begin to work. In either event, I suspect in 1-2 weeks you will be fine.
Hope this helps.
Gary Backlund DMD, MSD
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