Expert: Gary Backlund, DMD, MSD - 12/10/2009

Question
I recently had a root canal.  I felt pain and discomfort to hot and especially cold after the root canal was closed.  The endo checked the tooth with ice and I could tolerate it.  He explained that the tooth was fine and there was no sign of pus so he continued to close the roots.  The tooth did in fact feel fine for a couple of weeks however, a couple days prior to filing with the final filling (done by my regular dentist) it became more sensitive than ever.  My dentist thought we should still fill it  and hoped it would settle down.  This is day two and I am still eating advil and the tooth is extremely sensitive to cold causing paid that is excruciating.  Should I call my endo or how long should I give it to calm down?

Answer
Hi Bev,

I'm sorry to hear all thius is going on. Yes, I would defiantly call your endodontist, however I think I have some bad news for you. When you have a root canal, no matter how well or how poorly it is done, there is no longer a mechanism for it to feel hot or cold...the connection has been severed between the outside of the tooth and the end of the roots where the nerve tract is that carries the sensations to your brain. In other words, you have a problem with another tooth that has not been diagnosed yet. You can check for yourself with a sliver of ice and in front of a mirror, touch all the teeth in that area. You will soon find out where the problem is.

Sorry for the bad news.

Gary Backlund DMD, MSD