My dead tooth does not like biscuits

[ellen]

I had a root canal treatment by an endodontist in May and it took months to recover. It was quiet for about two months, I could bite on it, it was 95% ok, then recently I began to feel a dull ache, often starting after morning coffee and a biscuit, but absent in the evening and at night. Today, I felt fine after dinner but ate a biscuit using teeth on the other side, and the dead tooth has been complaining since. I feel a hard swelling in between the tooth and another one but that's been there for years and goes up an down. I had a good descale a week ago, and there was plaque on all lower teeth. All three adjacent living teeth sometimes feel irritated but less so after sensitrol yesterday. Could I be suffering the effects of bruxism, as so many teeth are upset, the dead tooth tooth looks ok on X-rays and a second opinion thought it was fine but I'm grinding. I can't wear the new mouthguard as it's uncomfortable.

I have heard that dead teeth can flare about around Xmas, (stress increasing bruxism?), but my dentist can't see me until the 7th of Jan and then she'd only send me to the endodontist again. I've suffered many months so can suffer some more, but I'd love to know what might be going on, especially given it flared up after a rich tea biscuit and I didn't touch it. It's dead but sore for hours. I can understand the increased bruxism theory, (don't like Xmas) but not the rich tea biscuit phenomenon.

I'm allergic to antibiotics, so that's no solution.

She who is feeling very sorry for herself as no one seems to know what is happening and all want to wait till I'm in agony, then remove tooth.

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

Thank you for your post.

A root filled tooth can at some point in future develop an apical infection and need either re-root canal treatment or extraction. In this case, without seeing your tooth I cant speculate on the likelihood of a failed root canal.

Bruxism can cause toothache especially when stress levels are increased and more parafunctional activity is taking place. Usually Bruxism leaves wear marks on teeth or on nightguards which a dentist can recognise.

Antibiotics are not the solution for bruxism. If you are not getting on with your nightguard, you can try a smaller NTi-Tss splint and as these are smaller in size, you may find them easier to wear.

[ellen]

I like the look and thought behind this appliance but my front teeth don't meet (major overbite) and one of my front teeth is also painful (new, sensitive to heat, X-ray fine).

I don't know what I'm doing to my teeth but despite all my best efforts, I'm having a lot of trouble with the nerves dying, slowly and painfully. Not a great way to start the year.

I have ME and I've been told that people with AIDS sometimes develop mad teeth and odd sensitivities. They have a specialist department in a London clinic; we don't.

Happy New Year!

[Dr Mohsen J. Esfahani]

All going well, we will soon bring in a specialist endodontist to take over the more complex endodontic work.

[ellen]

Good news for those of us with mad teeth.

It's a pity that one can't identify a dying nerve accurately, e.g. with a scan. It means you often have to endure pain untill there are clinical signs or patches on an x-ray. A friend has been told he might have to wait 6-8 months as his dentist wants to be sure. Another is being given repeat prescriptions of antibiotics which helps for a week, then the whole lot starts off again.