Partial Root Canal?

[nrgins]

I cracked part of a molar off, and there was decay there. The dentist removed the decay, but said it went into the nerve, so had to do a root canal.

He removed the nerves, but then said he was going to finish it in a week. Said he likes to let the nerves dry up to make sure he gets all of it out. He rinsed it with sodium hypochloride, stuffed some cotton in there, and put a temporary filling on it. Said I wouldn't be in pain, but the tooth would be sensitive, and not to chew on it.

The tooth was fine for two days. Then, yesterday (day three) I started having pain. And now I'm having a lot of pain. I'm trying to figure out what's going on.

First, why did he only do the first part of the root canal? There was no infection in the gums. He just said that's how he "likes to do it," and feels it works better. Is that a legitimate technique?

Also, what is causing this pain? Is there anything I can do to relieve it?

Thanks for any input!

 

[Bert]

Hi, I sympathize with you. Dental pain is not fun!
If he completely removed the nerves, the pain is probably a infection at the tip of the root canal that is causing high pressure around the area. Best thing to do is to go back to the dentist or another one if you are not feeling good about him. They will open the tooth again which will most likely relieve the pain.

best of luck!
Bert

 

[nrgins]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. When I went back to him, he finished the root canal. Turns out, he told me, my roots were 25mm long, and he says normal length is 18mm. So, apparently, he had left a lot of nerve tissue in there the first time, since he didn't take a measurement, and thought he had gotten it all out. So he finished cleaning out the root, and then immediately filled it. Haven't had pain since.

When I asked him afterwards why he didn't take a measurement, so he'd know if he got all the nerve out, he said that it "takes too long"; and "most people don't have roots longer than 18mm."

So, that was my experience.