Dentists, Please Tell Me What You Think?

My DDS hasn't been able to determine what's wrong with my mouth, in am area where my last Root Canal was. Xrays show no infection anywhere and when the dentist feels around my gums, she cannot feel infection. My symptoms were simular to those of a tooth infection. After alot of investigating and testing, she determined that the most effected tooth was the rooth canaled tooth but she wasn't sure why. (she also has a post grad in endodontics). Long story short, my best friend who works in the dental field for 13 years said it really sounded like clinching or grinding to her and to try a night guard. It is now day 5 with a night guard and I notice a substantial difference. Still some slight throbbing, some slight aching but nothing like what it was. So what do you think? Is it possible all that horrible pain was associated with clinching and grinding?

Dentists, Please Tell Me What You Think?
Its probably the root canal failed. Next option remove it and put a bridge or denture
Reply:I would guess it is a missed canal (quite easy to do). You may ask the dentist for a referral to an endodontist if it doesn't get better (does your dentist use a microscope? -- if not, an endodontist with a microscope would have a better chance of finding the canal). Another thing to check is for a high bite.


And then also, there is a possibility that it is/was from grinding and clenching (if in fact you do that). Whatever the case, make sure you participate in good follow-up to know with highest likelyhood what is going on. If the cause is not found definitively in the first phases of followup, I would ask for a follow-up xray of the tooth at 6 months. Best wishes.