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Oral Health Made Simple: Your Prescription For Knowledge
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Q: A week ago I had a root canal done on one of my back teeth on the lower left side. The tooth is still bothering me. Sometimes the pain is so bad that it wakes me in the middle of the night. What is wrong? What should I do?
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Marc W. Michalowicz, D.D.S., M.Sc..

Marc W. Michalowicz, D.D.S., M.Sc., is an assistant professor at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and is chief of dental medicine and attending in anesthesiology at Helen Hayes Hospital. His hospital-based practice focuses on special-needs patients, the use of oral drugs to decrease anxiety, and dental treatment under general anesthesia for the special-needs patient.

November 7, 2008
A:

Many people have some discomfort after a root canal procedure, especially if the tooth was causing pain or was infected. This kind of sensitivity lasts a few days. Over-the-counter pain pills usually help.

The pain you are describing sounds like more than just discomfort. There could still be bacteria in the tooth, or the filling/crown in the tooth could be affecting the way your teeth come together. Call the dentist who performed the root canal and ask to be seen.

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