Pain when biting after root canal

[rondon001]

Hi,

I had a root canal yesterday on my lower molar tooth.

Since then, when I try and bite on the tooth it hurts. I do not feel pain otherwise. Is this normal? I was under the assumption that since the tooth is "dead" there should not be any pain. Does this mean that the root canal has failed?

Thanks

 

[Dr M]

No it does not. Firstly the filling might just be a little too high and require a slight adjustment. Even though the nerve has been removed, every tooth still has ligaments around it, which might become inflamed if the filling is too high.
It sometimes also takes up until 1 month, for a root canal to ''settle'', after the treatment has been completed. During this time you might experience bouts of sensitivity or even pain.

 

[rondon001]

Thanks - the pain has gone now so all seems good now.

 

[dental_care]

It's good to hear that you are fine now. The fact is some pain after a root canal, especially while biting, is normal due to tissue inflammation, residual nerve fibres, or temporary filling. This sensitivity should fade within weeks.