Thanks Red I will print questions and bring them with me.
Let me just say what a day this has been.
Went in to get the root canal and when I sat down in the chair the dentist asked me how I was. I told him I was worried this wasn't really my problem and read him Red's questions. He answered all of them very quickly without hesitation and I can't even tell you what he said due to what happened next. I felt comfortable that he was familiar with TN and I was in good hands. He started the numbing medication on my lower jaw in that specific second to last molar. All I can say is OMG. The pain that's been gone for 4 days was back and acute. After moaning and going stiff as a board, he told his assistant to switch to C4 whatever that is. Same thing. I about came out of the chair. He then stopped and I had to sit up with my head between my legs to recover for a minute or so. He then told me that the numbing medication he gave me was the equivalent of a root canal on that tooth and that he had given me two different medications so there is no way I had feeling in that tooth. Since I was still in so much pain that this tooth was NOT what my problem was and he said the trigger point had to be higher than that lower branch of the nerve.
I did tell him my bite had shifted since the symptoms started and he said that could be the cause of my heat/cold sensitivity and that he could adjust my bite. He ground down my teeth after having me bite on paper that showed where I was high. He had to grind for 30 seconds and then wait a full two minutes for my pain to subside. He then basically agreed with a TN diagnosis (Not in so many words) and suggested I see the neurologist.
I cried the whole way home. If only the root canal had fixed my problem. It's harder to be in denial when even a shot of Novocaine didn't stop my pain. I can't believe that I can never have work on that side of my mouth without that kind of pain. I am not really even having pain anymore but it was like that needle in my gums brought it right back to the acute level. I need crowns on my upper teeth over there and the thought of going back to the dentist is more terrifying than ever. I am feeling hopeless.
No root canal. The dentist stopped it when he saw my reaction. Said there was no way I would sit through an hour of a root canal and now he wasn't sure it would help me anyways. We were both clear that this tooth didn't really show an abscess on X-ray but there was a slight dark spot (more like a line) at the tip of the root he showed me. Since my bite was high, he adjusted that and suggested that I wait at least a few weeks before I do anything else with it to see if that tooth settles down since the adjustment. Since the heat and cold sensitivity could be caused by my tooth being high and since my pain level changed so dramatically he is not sure they are both connected. Recommended acupuncture, adding potassium to my diet and seeing a neurologist or pain clinic before moving forward with any additional work on my teeth.
He said he didn't see significant wear patterns on my teeth to suggest I need a night guard but that I might go back to considering that before more dramatic stuff.
He said most dentists would have done a higher mandibular block and moved forward with the root canal but due to my reaction and description of the previous pain he is not certain that I need the root canal. I could tell by his and his assistants reaction that they had never experienced someone in the chair reacting like that to an attempt to numb a tooth. She hugged me before I left.
I believe you will find cause for hope, Amber, when you have consulted with a neurologist. You can be started on either a tricyclic antidepressant or an anti-seizure med or both, and tapered up to a point where breakthrough pain is much less likely from any dental procedure. A neurologist can tell you what the process is to prepare a patient who has TN, for needed dental work. Please see a specialist.
Regards, Red
I didn’t read all the replies yet , but I sure wish I had seen a doctor or neurologist 6 or 7 years before I did. Maybe I would have all my teeth and not had so many root canals. Good luck to you and good for you for researching for answers. xo
Ask your dentist to call you in for some Lidocaine Mouthwash if I didn't tell you about it
Here call it Magic Mouthwash! I'm glad !
I have 3 that need to be done - but I've read hundreds here that get worse TN, or started TN because of root canal it is scary, and I'm glad you held off if you feel good about your decision.
I really do feel good about the decision. I prayed all night and this morning to just let me make the right decision either way and although I am not generally a super spiritual person I firmly believe that I felt that specific pain for a reason. It has motivated me to get the pain under control and keep it that way. I won't question the decision to see the neurologist now and all in all I have many things to be grateful for. I am grateful that I got this figured out so quickly compared to most on here and I am grateful to Red for those questions. I do think if I hadn't asked those questions the dentist response would have been different. Thanks again to everyone who responded. You have helped me more than you know!
I just finished a round of amoxicillin and clendymican thinking I had a sinus infection. I went into the dentist first two weeks ago when he did the Xrays.
Do you think I should get a second opinion from endodontist? Have you heard this reaction to an attempt to deaden a tooth before? Wait and see if I have continued pain??
So sorry you had such a rough day, it is hard but don't feel hopeless...there is help. Please go see a neurologist, one that knows about TN. I hope you continue to have pain free days, but I would definitely go see a neurologist so just in case it is TN and the pain returns you will know what to do. TN is most frustrating for all of us, but there is life with it. I wish I had known I had TN before I had so many teeth extracted for no reason. Hang in there, I know it can seem overwhelming. Thinking of you and sending a gentle hug,
Betsy
My personal opinion: It DOES sound like TN. I had a similar experience (Go read my experience on my page) except mine has never gone away like yours. But you can have periods of remission with TN and it can come right back, so save that Neurontin........you might need it! You and I were both diagnosed very quickly so I say we were BLESSED, not cheating, LOL. You are very lucky if your pain has completely gone for now. Enjoy those times. Also, even if you have an MRI, chances are that it is NOT going to show anything wrong unless it's a tumor or MS causing it. So you need to weigh your options carefully before spending the money, BUT you probably should rule out a tumor or MS causing your TN. That is the main reason they do them with TN anyway. God bless and hoping for many pain-free days for you!