What's causing my toothache where I've had root canal & crown?!
Question:
What's causing my toothache where I've had root canal & crown?
I woke up 2 hours ago with a terrible throbbing pain in my mouth. It is around a tooth I had a root canal & crown put on about 7 months ago. I took 2 Aleve, and after an hour and no change in the pain I then took 2 Extra Strength Tylenols. It's been an hour since then, and I am just starting to feel the effect of the meds. Why am I having this pain? I thought a root canal removed all the nerves. Just looking for some reassuring advice until I can call the dentist in the morning. Thank you.
Answers:
A root canal does remove all the nerves; however, a tooth often has multiple roots, and it's possible that the dentist either didn't do all the roots, or missed one (sometimes they're hard to see). It's also possible that you have a problem with an adjacent tooth, and the pain is being "referred" to the area of the repaired tooth. As you clearly already know, the only way to be sure is to go to the dentist.
Good luck!