Pain on chewing

[ellen]

I had a sudden, sharp pain in a root filled, crowned lower molar when chewing on some lamb. It might have been caused by a small piece of bone as I encountered several of those.

I have regular check ups and it's been fine for years. However, the tooth is still a little sore. How long do I give it before getting it checked out? I'd love some reassurance.

Regards,

Ellen

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

Hi Ellen

Thank you for your post. Is there a crown on this tooth or not? Because pain on chewing can sometimes be caused by cracks developing within root filled teeth that have a large filling and no crown.

[ellen]

It's crowned.

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

If the tooth is root filled and crowned and you noticed sudden pain on chewing that persists, you should book to see your dentist for a review.

Its possible that the root canal may have developed problems, but this needs to be assessed as there are other causes of pain on chewing as well such as gum problems, occlusal problems, ...