Question:
I am going in to have a crown prepared on back left molar. Dentist says I
still may need a root canal after seeing tooth after preparation for the
crown. He can't tell from x rays yet. I do have cold sensitivity and it
does hurt. Does this mean the tooth is still alive if I do have the
sensitivity?
Answer:
There may be live tissue in the pulp chamber, but it may already be at
a stage of irreversible pulpitis (IOW's the damage and inflamation is
greater than the tissue can repair). It can be difficult to diagnose
in person and it is impossible to do so over the internet. With your
description of symptoms, I wouldn't be surprised if a root canal was
necessary.
However, that shouldn't be a cause for terrible alarm. With adequate
anesthesia (and maybe a little nitrous or a mild sedative if you're
really nervous), the procedure should not be painful.
Just kidding about the subject line but its really hard to say for sure
even when we have you in the chair! The tooth may calm down, maybe not. It
sounds like your dentist is going a common route though. Prep a tooth for a
crown and wait to see how it does in the meantime. If the symptoms abate,
then great, you get a crown as planned. If the symptoms get worse
(spontaneous pain) the you get root canal therapy on an already sick tooth.
I've had root canals done before things have flared up. I would have fallen
asleep during the procedure had I not felt my head getting jiggled back and
forth as they were getting into the bottom of the canals. Afterwards, I felt
the typical tenderness due to the anaesthetic and a little sensitivity
around the tooth they were working on. Nothing more than a Tylenol or two
would take care of.
Something to do with the hynotizing effect one experiences as there head is
being moved back and forth from the rhythmical motions of the canal files
and the fact that the pock marks in the ceiling tiles are about all you can
see.
