Expert: Rafael Mosery,D.D.S. - 12/4/2006

Question
I have been having strange pains after a root canal procedure done 5 days ago to the top right cuspid tooth.  It hurts on and off and is pretty painful. Sometimes the pain lingers for minutes on end. It feels almost like I am biting on tinfoil or an electric current zap.  I think it is triggered by chewing. I dont have pain to heat but it is sensitive to cold. I feel this shooting pain in the tooth right beneath it as well and about two days after the root canal I started feeling it on the left cuspid area as well. The dentist can not find the problem.  She said the root canal was cleaned and looks fine.  It was inflamed before she did the procedure though. she has not filled it yet because she wants the tooth to calm down but she took out the roots and put in some meds. Is it possible that she could have left a piece of the root still in the tooth? Why would i feel these electric shocks below and on the opposite side of my mouth? Are all these nerves connected? When I tap on the root canaled tooth I still feel pain. Is the pain coming from the area that the root was connected to? Did I experience some sort of nerve damage? I am very confused and at wits end. Just want the pain to go away :(. Please enlighten me. Thanks!

Answer
You shouldn't feel pain to cold. If you do it's from a different tooth. You definately would not have pain on the opposite side of your mouth from this tooth either. These two signs tell me something else might also be a problem. Sensitivity on biting with a tooth still under treatment is possible,even referred pain to the bottom jaw on the same side is possible. Once the rct is completed this should all be resolved.Depending on the severity of the inflammation and possible infection these symptoms could  be present but should all dissappear.
Good Luck,
Dr.Rafael Mosery