Root Canal?

I've been going to the dentist quite often because of a root canal. I am on antibiotics for the 2nd time. He can never go far enough because of the pain. Even with 2 anaesthetic. Is this normal? He is waiting for this medication to work now.

Root Canal?
I believe that infection and inflammation has reached the periodontal tissue at the tooth apex. As soon as the antibiotic works, it will be easier to work on it.
Reply:Do you have any endodontists in your area? They specialize in root canals.





If your original infection was severe or if the first attempt to do the root canal did not get the all the infected area out, antibiotics will help calm down the infection. All the canals must be cleared of tissue before the infection and pain will be solved. (there can be extra accessory canals that are easier to find if the doctor is working with a microscope). The infection is keeping the anesthetic from working as well as it normally should. Good luck.
Reply:Hi! I've been in dentistry for over 25 years and I think you dentist needs to send you to a endodontist. Don't panic. I say this because sometimes a dentist gets in over h/her head because the roots of the teeth have auxiliary canals that they can not see on an x-ray. Often the pain continues because there is additional little tiny nerves that are almost impossible to see without years and years of experience. I had to learn this too! So don't get upset with the dentist. It is just a fact that has been coming out in the last few years and makes doing some root canals harder.


If the antibiotics do not stop the pain, then I would look at fractured root or floor of the tooth. This would keep the patient in pain and make the root canal almost impossible to complete. What I do is numb the tooth and do a nerve block and take more x-rays and look under a magnifying lens to see the problem. This takes a very trained eye. I am very leary of using antibiotics over and over when another pair of eyes may see the problem. Please ask you dentist is this is a possibility as he may not have as much training or experience as h/she needs now. Be kind, just ask if you can see a specialist and get to the bottom of this. They may be relieved that you asked. Just a thought. Marie
Reply:Go to a specialist. My dentist could not get me numb enough so I have to go to a specialist...a endodontist and had 3 done in one day. That's what I get for not having it done when I was told to years ago. Had it not been for the specialist, I may have never been able to stand the pain without being knocked out.
Reply:This is not normal, because the dentist should finish the root canal in one visit, using an injection of anesthesia and of course a pain killer after that and antibiotics.


But you should not have more pain after that.