Tag Archives: root canal specialist

What’s Wrong With My Root Canal?

Hi there,

I fractured my teeth playing sports a few months back, and was treated by an emergency dentist and released. A few weeks after the accident, my teeth became grey and discolored.  I was in severe pain and had swelling, so I had to go back to the dentist for an emergency root canal.

I was ok for a few days with antibiotics but now the pain is back. I don’t know what to do to get the pain to go away. My tooth is sensitive to cold food and even chilly air. I’m very uncomfortable and want the pain to stop.

Should I have gotten a root canal sooner? Do I need more antibiotics? What can I do about the pain?

Luca, from Quebec, Montreal

 

Hi Luca,

A discolored tooth means there is damage to the root, or an infection may be present. It needs a root canal treatment as soon as possible at the first sign of greying. Once the root is removed, the bacteria is cleared up and the tooth is sealed to prevent further problems. Leaving an infected tooth in your mouth longer than it needs to be there serves no purpose. Oral infections should be taken seriously, as they can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated too long.

It sounds like your root canal treatment was sealed before all the bacteria was removed, which is causing a flare up. Usually, the infection is allowed time and space to drain, but since it has been sealed, there is no where for it to go. Also, a few days of antibiotics is not enough time to be on the medication.

Your best bet is to find an endodontist specializing in root canals. They can fix what has been started, and will advise you on how to properly take your antibiotics for maximum effectiveness.

This blog post is brought to you by Gilbert emergency dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper, of Vista Dorada Dental.

 

 

“Affordable” dentist wrongly charging me

I visited a dentist who claimed to be affordable, after one of my premolars was causing me a lot of grief. I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford the cost of treatment at my regular dental office, so I came across an affordable dentist from an online search and got an appointment right away.

My experience was horrible. The root canal process took almost two hours. He continually jerked my head around and forced my mouth to stay open the entire time. He then mentioned that I needed a crown to treat the decay. When the dentist was removing the cavity, the tooth gave way and I was told it would need to be pulled. I agreed to the removal of the tooth, but was later billed for the extraction.

When I called the dental office, questioning this, I was told the dentist deserved to be compensated for his time on the extraction procedure. Can he do this? My tooth had to be extracted because of something that happened during a procedure. I should not have had to pay for the extraction, right?

Thank you,

Brandy

Dear Brandy,

You should not have been billed for both, and I am sure you are quite frustrated. Whether the extraction could have been prevented is unclear, and may always be. It is possible that the decay was extreme and could have been a cause. But, regardless, it sounds like you are not willing to pay for both procedures. While going the legal route may cause you unnecessary stress, you might consider talking to the dentist himself, if you can’t reach an agreement with the office manager. If this doesn’t work, you could connect with the Better Business Bureau, or your local dental board.

Wishing you luck in rectifying the issue!

This post is sponsored by the office of affordable dentist, Dr. Matthew Roper.

Pain with CEREC Crown

I had a cerec crown put in and since then I have had a lot of pain when biting down on this tooth. I’ve been back twice for my dentist to readjust the bite. After the second time when I told him I was still having a problem he said it was because of the way I chew. If that is the case then why didn’t it hurt before I had the crown when I chewed?

Frustrated and in pain.

I can understand your frustration. I don’t believe the pain is from your chewing. In general, there are two main reasons for you to have pain while chewing with a crown.

The first is if the crown is too high. There are a couple of things that make me think this is unlikely. First,  CEREC crowns are milled by a computer which is more precise in its construction, therefore you have less chance of a  poor fit. Secondly, your dentist has already adjusted it twice.

Another possible reason for the pain you are experiencing is you could have an infection. I’d get an x-ray done to eliminate that possibility (though it seems the more likely of the two). However, if you’re not confident in your doctor’s diagnostic ability, then I would go to a root canal specialist to have your x-ray done.

This blog is brought to you by Gilbert Dentist Dr. Matt Roper.