Hi all,
Sorry in advance for the length of this post.
I have type 1 and 2 on my right side (upper teeth, palate and the side of the nose) that is for the most part under control for the moment with medication.
In the past month I have developed pain in a lower molar on my good side.
There is no jabbing pain just a dull ache that waxes and wanes. If I chew on that side a few minutes later I get more severe pain that can last for days. Sometimes it just gets.
My dentist has done 3 root canal treatments on the tooth which seems to help for a few days provided I don’t chew on the tooth.
Saw an endodontist yesterday and he got me to bite down on the surrounding teeth (not the sore tooth) and all the lower teeth started to ache several minutes later. He checked that there were no missed canals and could not see a crack.
At the suggestion of the endodontist I am getting my regular dentist to replace the filling on the tooth next to the sore one as he noticed a small amount of shading that could indicate decay.
The endodontist that believes that the pain is probably neurological and suggested going back to the neuro.
I don’t understand if the pain is being controlled on one side with medication wouldn’t the other be the same? Should I ask to get a cone beam (morita) scan done?
Any suggestions?
I would rather have an endodontist tell me to go get a scan - than to rip into my teeth any more than necessary --- before TN - I had soooooooooo many fillings, crowns, root canals, teeth pulled --implant ---
Now -overly cautious of course since TN - and since it happened in an oral surgeon's chair
Go with your gut - if you trust this person.... Not every dental professional will stop doing work on you so that you can spend money on getting a real grip on the problem -- he/ she could just as well tell you what you want to hear and stay for 5 more appts.!
And then again -- it does seem that the pain would be controlled with the same med! Some here need more than one med for more than one type of facial pain they deal with.
I do have a great deal of trust in both the dentist and the endodontist and they are conversing by phone and fax trying to work out the right treatment plan. When I was originally diagnosed my dentist refused to take up teeth because he couldn’t see anything was wrong.
Unfortunately this time the tooth in question previously had a very deep, filling so it’s harder to make the right call.
Both have agreed at this stage that the tooth should not come out until they have scans that proove that something is wrong.
I am having the same problem, I am taking medication for type 2 on the left side and I’ve been relatively pain free for a week since I started taking the meds a month ago. However, this morning I had the worst pain I’ve ever experienced on the right side. Stabbing, searing, shooting, unrelenting pain surging through my cheek, jaw, teeth, tongue and throat, but only on the RIGHT side. It’s been wavering in severity all night and all morning but it won’t quit. I’ve tried taking some high strength codeine but it didn’t do a thing, the only thing I can do is hold Listeriene in my mouth until it burns and numbs some of the pain a bit.
But I’m totally confused as to why my meds are not treating both sides, don’t know what to do…
So I understand your frustration Trish, why isn’t my medication controlling both sides of pain?
I have bilateral TN, TN1 on right and TN2&1 on left had mvd recently on left.
I can tell you that my right side has always been well managed with Tegretol. When my left came out of remission, I had to increase my meds 800mg Tegretol didn’t cut it. It soon became resistant to meds. That’s why the mvd.
Back in 2002 when my TN first started, my right was first, 2 months later my left began. I was able to manage both sides with one med for 9 months and then I went into remission.
(8 years on my right, 10 years on my left)!!!
I have never had pain on both sides at once.
Explore increasing your meds with your doctors supervision of course.
Hope you find relief soon,
Mimi
It really is helpful to get someone else’s experiences. I was doing so well that this has all come as a bit of a shock (no pun intended). Suppose I will just take it one step at a time, just so disheartened.
Hope your pain settles soon, Amanda. Apart from the pain it is just so frustrating, I am sick of myself and although I have a very supportive family I just feel sorry for them. It feels like we are starting all over again.
Time to pull on my big girl panties and head off to the dentist.
Thanks again, it is a blessing to be able to get the insight of others dealing with these problems.
Thought I’d report back in case this information is of help to anyone in the future.
My dentist found a small amount of decay on the tooth behind the problematic tooth, he replaced the filling but is very sure that could not be the cause of the pain.
While my mouth was still numb he got me to repeatedly bite down on a hard plastic stick. The pain kicked in within minutes which he feels it wouldn’t have done if it was the tooth.
Both he and the endodontist think there is a possibility that the pain is neuro muscular in origin and my dentist has suggested trying acupuncture and remedial massage at the clinic he uses personally. In five weeks i have a neurologist appointment already scheduled so I am going to try the acupuncture/massage in the meantime and see if it makes a difference.
I am sure that I hold a lot of tension in my face and head, it’s hard to be relaxed when you are in pain.
I have bilateral TN when is going on remission on one side I start to get I bit of pain on the other on my teeth and close to the nose, then when it goes really on remission pain gets worst on the other side.