Possible root canal over crown?

I got cavities (lower left)– one in premolar and the other one in molar. I went to the dentist this march’07 and got them treated. The dentist did a root canal to the pre-molar, added a crown to it. For the molar, he just did the filling and added the crown. He said that this teeth might need a re-visit since it was closer to the root but won’t require an early visit. recommend me to a specialist to do the procedure for root canal as and when required as he doesn’t have the expertise to do the job for molar, root canal.





Now after 5 months I started to feel sensitivity around the that area. I was not in the same state so I showed to the other doctor who suggested that it could be gum infection as he could see an inflammation. Upon his advise I ignored the sensation. But the sensation grew into pain slowly. I showed to him again and he gave Rx antibiotics with some pain killers as I was to come back. I am done with the antibiotics course and the pain is still there.

Possible root canal over crown?
Hi Ria,





You should schedule an appointment with an experienced endodontist as soon as possible. You might be able to defer the root canal until after 1/1/08, but you should be assessed and given the appropriate medications until then (unless this turns out to be an emergency).





You may have developed an abscess, which is a bacterial biofilm around the root or tooth stub. Antibiotics usually won't eradicate this type of infection - it requires direct access to the infection site and removal of the infection and perhaps a layer of surrounding tissue that the bacteria may have killed off. Hence the usual treatment by root canal.





So do what you can to get an assessment appointment quickly. Your objective should be to minimize your symptoms until the appropriate action can be taken in the new plan year (again, unless it turns out to be an emergency for some reason). This will probably cost an office visit (with initial consult if you visit a new doc), X-ray and prescription.





Take care,


Dr. Gregg
Reply:I believe you should locate and go for treatment/checkup with an dentist trained in Endodontics, a specialist sub-field of dentistry that deals with the tooth pulp and the tissues surrounding the root of a tooth. I had a crown and developed an abscess and lot of pain underneath it. Went to my regular dentist and he did not have the proper equipment even though he did root canals sometimes, and he referred me to an endodontist on the same day who had the correct equipment. This dentist drilled down through the crown and did the root canal. The crown was saved and the pain finally went away about 3-4 days later - had to use pain killers prescribed by the dentist.