In April, my dentist did a root canal on a molar tooth and put a crown on it. About two weeks after the procedure, the tooth started to hurt. My dentist did x-rays and said there are no cracks in the tooth, and it appears to be stable. My dentist referred me to an endodontist two months letter because the pain persisted. The endodontist prescribed antibiotics for two weeks. When I returned to the office, the endodontist examined my tooth and said it would continue to improve. I traveled to late July for an extended stay with my elderly parents, who needed my help with a personal issue, and my tooth was fine. After returning home last Tuesday, a severe toothache woke me up from sleep. The endodontist prescribed more steroids, but my tooth is still throbbing. Help! What is wrong with my tooth? Am I going to need an extraction? Jennifer from Laurel, MS

Jennifer,

Although steroids are a popular treatment for root canal pain, sometimes they don’t work. And in your case, it’s clear that your endodontist’s treatment isn’t working. A combination of poor diagnostic skills and a lack of understanding of pharmacology for your case—is prolonging your recovery.

Root Canal Treatment Pain and Steroids

We disagree prescribing steroids for your root canal treatment pain several reasons:

A steroid is an effective anti-inflammatory drug that calms the body’s response to inflammation. But inflammation has a purpose. The body’s response is to send white blood cells to fight infection. So steroids not only block inflammation, they block the body’s response to infection. A dentist must understand what’s happening inside a tooth—irritation vs. infection—before prescribing medication.

After root canal treatment – Immediately after treatment, tissue around the root end gets irritated for a variety of reasons:

• Pushing infected pulp through the end of the tooth
• Pushing disinfectant and filling materials through the tooth
• Root canal files poking the end of the tooth

Irritation and inflammation – The irritation causes the tissues to swell, push the tooth up, create traumatic occlusion, and results in a cycle of post-operative inflammation and pain. Although steroids can treat the inflammation, some of the infected material was pushed through the tooth’s end. Both antibiotics and steroids may be required.

Ongoing inflammation – When a tooth is inflamed for weeks, as in your case, infection is usually the sole cause. That’s why the antibiotics that your endodontist prescribed in April/May worked.

But at this point, we disagree with your dentist. Weeks after the root canal treatment was completed, your tooth became infected. That means there was a problem with the root canal treatment. Sometimes root canal systems in teeth are complex. It can be easy for a dentist to miss some of the canals and thoroughly clean and seal them. We’re unsure of why your endodontist, a specialist, would tell you that it will take time, but your pain will improve. In most cases, as you experienced, another infection occurs.

And unfortunately, the endodontist placed a crown on the tooth before knowing if the root canal treatment was successful. Now root canal treatment is more complicated because an endodontist will drill a hole in the crown to access roots. And visibility is impaired.

What’s the Solution?

How can your endodontist not understand that your tooth is infected, not just inflamed? In your case, steroids are not the answer. You need antibiotics, and an endodontist needs to repeat the failed root canal treatment.

And unfortunately, the endodontist placed a crown on the tooth before knowing if the root canal treatment was successful. Now root canal treatment is more complicated because an endodontist will drill a hole in the crown to access roots. And visibility is impaired.

We recommend that you find another endodontist who is willing to tell you why you’re in so much pain and how to treat your tooth. Your options will include:

1. Root canal re-treatment,
2. Root canal surgery, or
3. Extraction of the tooth and tooth replacement with a dental implant

Steven Brooksher, DDS, a Baton Rouge dentist and founding member, L.D. Pankey Alumni Dental Study Club, sponsors this post.