I am so sick of teeth!!!

flutterby

Fly away!
So, I have really dry mouth (no visible or palpable saliva glands in my lips, etc) and have had a host of dental problems all of my life. I've had 6 root canals and I think I'm now on my 7th. UGH!!!

One of those root canals - the crown came off with most of the tooth inside ($2,000 down the drain), and I had to have the rest surgically removed. I had that done a week ago yesterday. That was top right (tooth #2). Now the top left is hurting. They gave me vicodin after the surgery and I haven't needed it. Til now. Only it's for #15 - top left, tooth in front of wisdom tooth - not for the tooth that was extracted. So, I can't chew on the right side because of the extraction, and now I can't chew on the left side because it feels like #15 is abscessing. I'm so sick of this crud!!!!!!!!! I barely touch it with my tongue and I want to shoot through the roof.

Ok. Just needed to vent. Have to be at the dentist in an hour. Crossing fingers that maybe I'm just having major sensitivity from only being able to chew on that side. One can hope, right?
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Every time something like this happens, I tell my mom I just want them taken out. I really don't. The idea of dentures horrifies me, especially at my age, but I'm so sick of it. It seems there is always something going on - fillings coming out, teeth breaking, another freaking root canal, etc. My mom freaks out every time I say that. She works in a dental office and has perfect teeth and all that. But, damnitall, there is enough money in my mouth to buy a nicely optioned luxury car.

Ok. The dentist office just called me back. I *have* had a root canal on that tooth - which I thought I had. It's the once that abscessed before. So, what we are doing is a wait and see. My dentist is calling in an antibiotic to be on the safe side and I'm going to see if it gets worse. If it is abscessing, there will be no doubt within a few hours - as opposed to just trauma to the ligament from only being able to chew on that side. If it is abscessing, I have to go back to the endodontist that did the original root canal.

Keep your fingers crossed for me if you are so inclined. Thanks!
 

Andy

Active Member
I am so sorry! Yes, teeth issues are horrid!

I have a cousin who had some oral surgery done almost two weeks ago. I am not sure for what but she is still very sick. She was unable to make it to our grandmother's committal last Saturday so I missed seeing her :(

My mom had all her teeth out when she was in her mid 20's.

I had #2 and #3 removed this last Tuesday and am doing very well in healing. My recovery is from the anthesia and I tell co-workers that I would rather go through this (stiff chest and neck - unable to breath deep, laugh, cough or move) then the tooth pain that is common with oral surgery.

Are you having other issues besides the teeth (like TMJ's, ect?)? I am thinking that my cousin is having oral issues beyond the intense tooth pain of abscessing, chipping, breaking teeth.

Take care! I hope the domino effect of clearing up one issue and having another start ends for you at this one tooth.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
I would not wish tooth pain on my worst enemy.

I am praying for you that it's ligament trauma or even better sympathy pain. The good news though is the antibiotics will help. I've had many, many root canals too. They aren't fun, but now? I fall asleep. (Sad.)

I'm having issues myself with #11, so :hugs: and I'll rattle beads and pretzel up and pray!!!
 

flutterby

Fly away!
UGH, Andy! I'd rather have tooth pain than what you're dealing with. 3 days after the procedure??? Yuck. I hope you feel better soon. Other than feeling bruised, which you'd expect, I haven't had any issues with the extraction. I had a hard time coming out of anesthesia which I didn't enjoy one bit. I'm annoyed that they even did general anesthesia. I don't think I needed it and the entire procedure took 20 minutes, but they said I did and my mom agreed. I have sjogren's syndrome, which effects the secretory glands, so I have really dry mouth, dry eyes, etc, which is the cause of my dental problems. I've had symptoms of this since I was little - like 4 or 5.

Step, I hope your tooth calms down for you. It's no fun at all. I'm rooting for you!

I'm thinking it's abscessing. I'm still giving it more time because it is controllable with pain medications, so I'm still not completely sure, but it has now become cold sensitive and has that "large" feeling that an abscess causes. I really don't want to have to redo this crown. They're not cheap and this is out of pocket. The endodontist isn't cheap either.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
Ugh, ugh!!!

My #11 is just a loose filling. It's been canaled (most of my teeth have)... And, FWIW, they can do a root canal through a crown.
 

flutterby

Fly away!
It's already had a root canal, so they would have to go in to clean out infected tissue or something. My mom said they might have to go in through the gum, which doesn't sound pleasant and I told her I'd rather not know about it in advance. LOL

For as much work as I've had done, you'd think I'd be relaxed at the dentist. I'm not. I'm clenching the arms of the chair the whole time. I am hard to get numb and I don't stay numb for long. I'm usually not numb long enough to finish a procedure. Depending on what is being done, I'll suck it up and have them finish or I'll get more anesthetic. For a filling, I just suck it up. For this? I'll get more.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
If they have to go in through the gums, it's called an apicoectomy. I've had them done 3 times. If there's any way you can manage it, have them put you under general anaesthesia.
 

flutterby

Fly away!
Don't tell me that! Some things I'd rather be blissfully ignorant about.

I think the endodontist will use IV sedation if needed. She doesn't do general anesthesia that I'm aware of, and it took me over a month to get into the oral surgeon for a consult when #2 broke off. Then a couple more weeks for the actual procedure.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
...Would it help to know that they sound awful but they're really not that bad?

Fillings, to me, are worse.
 

AnnieO

Shooting from the Hip
When it comes to teeth - I've had so much work done, the joke is that my dentist has a castle in Scotland with my name on it. From copays alone.

I've found that, if you can get ANY doctor to Rx ketoprofen (it's a veterinary anti-inflammatory, and has some side effects, but was perfect for me) - 12mg will kill any pain due to swelling. (Or you can take 600mg of ibuprofen...)
 

flutterby

Fly away!
When this tooth abscessed the first time, I was taking two 5/500 vicodin and 800mg ibuprofen every 4 hours. I'm able to manage it now with one 5/500 vicodin every 4 hours. I can't take ibuprofen because I take celebrex for migraine prevention and I'm not stopping that - I've been having too many breakthrough migraines lately.

Since this tooth has already had a root canal and it's a re-infection, I'm going to give the antibiotics a couple of days and see if it takes care of it all - unless it becomes unbearable. It's already not as bad as the initial abscess, so I'm hoping....
 

1905

Well-Known Member
I am so sorry that you have to deal with this! I'm in the middle of dental work myself, and something is totally wrong! I'm so angry, and frustrated! I'll share my story and maybe you won't feel so bad. I went to the dentist for a checkup, and he said my crown was old and there was a cavity under it- I had already had a root canal in that tooth so there was no nerve and I didn't feel it. So, I agreed to have the crown replaced. He went in, cleaned out the cavity and gave me a temporary crown until the new one came back from the lab. Well, I can't even breath air into my mouth it hurts so bad! I thought I had no nerve there and couldn't feel anything? I'm dying on agony. I did go back, he took x-rays, and said the tooth isn't broken, and (get this) he said I'm being "melodramatic" OMG! This pain is not made up, everything was fine until he started messing around in there, and forget eating on that side. Think of every curse word in the universe, that's what I feel like saying to the dentist. I would rather give birth than feel like this, I'm in pain and I hate the dentist!
 

flutterby

Fly away!
UGH UAN! That's horrible! I'd like to show that dentist some "melodramatic". If he won't take care of it, go to another dentist. It could be a fractured tooth, or it could even be something as simple as the bite being off with the temporary crown. If my bite is off even a hair, I get pain like that, and it's very easy to adjust. So, that's what we'll hope for. :)

I hope you feel better soon. Really, go to another dentist if this guy won't listen to you. You're paying him. That kind of treatment is unacceptable.
 

1905

Well-Known Member
Flutter, I hope we both feel better soon! I hope it's the bite being off but the new crown will be made from the same mold I think, do you? I'll ask the dentist when I go back May 31. Unfortunately my insurance co already approved the work to be done and I've paid my co-pay for the entire thing. I hope today is better for you.
 

flutterby

Fly away!
The bite is always going to have to be adjusted on any crown. It never comes out of the mold just right. They put the crown on - without adhesive (can't think of what it's called) and check your bite, make adjustments, rinse and repeat until it's right. Even then, it's sometimes off a bit and I've had to go back to have my bite adjusted after.
 
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