PLEASE, PLEASE HELP!!! IN SEVERE PAIN DAILY!

therealdeal

Hi to everyone. Thanks for reading. I am having severe severe pain in upper first molar on my LHS. Absolute agony. On prescription painkillers but not much help. The worst thing is that this has been ongoing for the last 5-6 weeks!! I have been to see 4 different dentists, one was an endodontist! but they refuse to do anything because the x ray is clear.

I have been to a gp and I insisted going on Lyrica and then Neurotonin after as I felt maybe it was a nerve problem- no good. Then the Gp tried me on antibiotics to see if i had a sinus infection- still no change to the toothache. Tried night guard- no good. I am at my wits end. Being in this constant state of pain has really affected my wellbeing. I have depression as a result and I am taking prozac and sleeping tablets daily. never felt so low in my life.

I am going to see a facial pain specialist in cork city on wednesday. It really is my last chance. If he can't diagnose what is wrong, I really dont know what I will do.

Personally I feel it is definitely a problem with only this tooth. no other teeth have any pain/problems. I would gladly have it extracted but i CANT find a dentist that willl! Its so frustrating. It like they think I am making it up! Never had any problems like this before. I suspect there is a crack but there is nothing visible.

This is my first post in a long long time but it would be great if anyone could get back to me with the name of a dentist that is open and willing to listen to the patients problem as opposed to insisting on clinical evidence. I dont know how this could be done.. maybe by private message? I need someone in the cork city/county area.

Bottom line.. my own body is telling me that if the tooth was out- the pain would be gone. I have tried practically everything else anyway! please get in touch if you can recommend a dentist that would be willing to do this extraction for me. The pain is unbearable and it is ruining my life BUT NO dentist I have met seems to care about the daily hell my life has become.

All i want is this tooth that is at the back of my mouth, completely not visible to be removed. Please help me. Any dentists out there in Cork please get in touch!!! I am desperately seeking help. I am begging you for any help at all. If any boards readers have a recommendation for a dentist that is a bit 'old school' and perhaps willing to do tis extraction please contact.

Thank you very much, I will hope for a response. Thank you for reading this, it has helped me to put it all down. Hope to hear from someone soon. Kind regards
Rose

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nungesser

sounds like an abscess to me, i'm not a dentist and cant help but i've had an abscess tooth in the past, which is to say there is an infection, the dentist gave me some of the strongest pain killers available "percaset" and it did absolutely nothing for the pain, i had to have it removed. your best bet in the meantime would be some kind of anti-inflammatory like paracetamel, theres no harm in taking paracetamel in regards to any action the dentist might take, best of luck

therealdeal

Thanks v much for your response.

I agree that it is as painful as an abscess is! and I definitely think there is bacteria in the tooth... but any dentist I have seen has ruled out an abscess based on the xray being clear. Its very frustrating. I wish I had evidence that there was an abscess because then I could insist on having it pulled!

I have told the dentists i would like the tooth to be extracted but they wont as nothing shows on xray and tooth looks healthy.

Seriously like, its my tooth and i am the one who has to suffer this pain day in day out, why oh why will some kind dentist not take pity on me and agree to extract??? Just because the xray is clear does not mean this pain is in my head!!! anyone ever able to convince a dentist to remove the tooth without a raging infection being visible???!!!

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btkm8unsl0w5r4

Has anyone given you local anesthetic to see if the pain goes away? Neuropathic pain is real and I have seen patient with half a head of teeth taken out cause the pain travels from one to the next. I know that pain specialist in Cork he is a good guy and knows his onions. If it is was an abscess it would have gone away or started to drain by now, internet advice, or a dentist that will just pull the tooth you point at are not what you need now. I know your frustrated but there are a number of conditions that masquerade as dental pain but are not from the teeth.

Dianthus

Detail a bit scant!
Is the pain constant? Does anything make it better or worse? Has it woken you from your sleep? How/has it affected eating? Is there a filling in the tooth? What type of pain would you describe it as? What painkillers& antibiotics have you taken- names/dosages? Other than investigative tests/xrays, has the tooth been treated in any way since the pain begun? Has the pain become progressively worse over the last few weeks, or been at the same level of severity? Do you have any other medical condition or are you taking any other medications besides the Prozac& sleeping tablets?
It's important that a reasonably definitive diagnosis is made re your pain, as the last thing you want is for the tooth to be extracted, and for you to still have pain but also be minus a tooth, particularly a molar.:mad:
The facial pain specialist may well have answers. It's unusual that 3 separate dentists, & an endodontist, would all fail to diagnose something "obvious". Also, any reason as to why it's not possible for you to travel outside Cork?

Oral Surgeon

therealdeal wrote: »

Hi to everyone. Thanks for reading. I am having severe severe pain in upper first molar on my LHS. Absolute agony. On prescription painkillers but not much help. The worst thing is that this has been ongoing for the last 5-6 weeks!! I have been to see 4 different dentists, one was an endodontist! but they refuse to do anything because the x ray is clear.

I have been to a gp and I insisted going on Lyrica and then Neurotonin after as I felt maybe it was a nerve problem- no good. Then the Gp tried me on antibiotics to see if i had a sinus infection- still no change to the toothache. Tried night guard- no good. I am at my wits end. Being in this constant state of pain has really affected my wellbeing. I have depression as a result and I am taking prozac and sleeping tablets daily. never felt so low in my life.

I am going to see a facial pain specialist in cork city on wednesday. It really is my last chance. If he can't diagnose what is wrong, I really dont know what I will do.

Personally I feel it is definitely a problem with only this tooth. no other teeth have any pain/problems. I would gladly have it extracted but i CANT find a dentist that willl! Its so frustrating. It like they think I am making it up! Never had any problems like this before. I suspect there is a crack but there is nothing visible.

This is my first post in a long long time but it would be great if anyone could get back to me with the name of a dentist that is open and willing to listen to the patients problem as opposed to insisting on clinical evidence. I dont know how this could be done.. maybe by private message? I need someone in the cork city/county area.

Bottom line.. my own body is telling me that if the tooth was out- the pain would be gone. I have tried practically everything else anyway! please get in touch if you can recommend a dentist that would be willing to do this extraction for me. The pain is unbearable and it is ruining my life BUT NO dentist I have met seems to care about the daily hell my life has become.

All i want is this tooth that is at the back of my mouth, completely not visible to be removed. Please help me. Any dentists out there in Cork please get in touch!!! I am desperately seeking help. I am begging you for any help at all. If any boards readers have a recommendation for a dentist that is a bit 'old school' and perhaps willing to do tis extraction please contact.

Thank you very much, I will hope for a response. Thank you for reading this, it has helped me to put it all down. Hope to hear from someone soon. Kind regards
Rose

xxxxxxx

Hi Rose,

You sound like you are in an unfortunate situation, most dentists out there are very sympathetic and would do anything in their power to get a patient out of pain.
If you have seen 4 dentists and in particular an endodontist, who all have not seen any pathology, then it is highly likely that the pain is not of dental origin...
There is no joy or profit in telling a patient that you can not treat them.

Like Fitz has said, neuropathic pain is not uncommon and self diagnosis and undergoing operative treatment does nothing to help and often percipitates worse pain.

During my time in the dental hospital, I saw countless patients with significant neuropathic facial pain. Most could be managed medically. Some got fed up taking tablets and went elsewhere for extractions or root canal treatments but 10 root canals or 10 extractions later, they would come back to our clinic with the same pain only now they had little or no teeth, dentures and no money....
You may point to one tooth but once extracted, you will then point to the next and on and on....

My advice is to see the facial pain specialist, be completely honest in describing your signs and symptoms (don't tell them what you read on the net to convince them that the pain is dental- I've seen this happen) and keep an open mind about the cause and treatment.

There is a common misconception that when diagnosed with facial pain of unknown origin, the clinician is labeling you as mad or depressed. This could not be further from the truth, the more you learn about pain, the more you realize that it is not just a nerve firing off in your tooth.

You may indeed have an organic cause where operative treatment will help but in my experience- pulp pain or infection becomes obvious to the dentist over the course of a week or two if not already obvious and yours has not so far...

Good luck, let us know how you get on op.

therealdeal

First of all, thanks a million to everyone who replied. There were some very helpful suggestions. Really appreciate everyones response and input. I was reluctant to post because I feared I would get no replies!! Thank you.

Neuropathic pain is definitely something I have considered. I suppose I thought that my whole Left Hand Side of my face would have to feel the pain in order for it to be classed as neuropathic. I can honestly say that I only feel it on 1 particular tooth. No jawpain or stiffness either. The pain is very much concentrated on the palate side of the tooth.

When the toothache first started it was like a deep throbbing, almost like a heart was beating inside my mouth. This subsided in a few days and its now like a constant sharp ache.

Perhaps I should add that I had braces in my younger years, These were taken off 4 or so years ago. The bracket was attached to this tooth. I always felt my braces were very tight and exerted a lot of pressure. Is it at all possible for a crack to form and cause problems years down the line??

I am glad someone mentioned that extractions may not always work, I thought if the tooth was extracted- the nerve was gone and it was impossible to feel pain? I was obviously wrong on that score though so thanks for the info.

The thing I notice most about the tooth is.... when the dentist is tapping and blowing air etc- it is not particularly painful BUT a short time later the pain is absolutely unreal!! nothing comes near it. I find that a strange symptom, can anyone shed some light??

My molars seem to be problematic!! Particlarly the first molars. Have a deep filling in one- decay. Had to have a root canal in another last sept- completely hollow when opened (also a perfectly healthy xray!!!! but my whole gums were swollen!) I kinda lost faith in xrays after that! My dentist was at a complete loss as to why nothing showed up on the xray when the tooth had been in his words 'completely dead!!'

Also I have had 1 recommendation for a dentist in my personal messages- Thanks a million, will definitely look into. Any other recommendations about other practices are welcome. I can travel outside Cork if needs be, It would just be handier for me if in was in the county.

I willl definitely see the specialist this week and see how I get on. Kinda afraid I will be diagnosed with something vague like grinding and expected to cough up another few hundred for a night guard but I am jumping the gun thinking like that.

Please keep posting. Your responses have helped me greatly. I wish my teeth were straight forward! life can be cruel... my sister is very relaxed about her teeth- fond of sweets and only brushes the odd time when she feels like it and not so much as a filling!!! oh well- thats life!

please keep sending you dentist recommendations by pm. Its great to have word of mouth as opposed to relying on flashy websites etc. Also Extraction is definitely not my preferred choice but If I explore all avenues and still no relief- any recommendations for a dentist experienced and willing to perform extractions???

Long post! Thanks a million to everyone reading and replying. Your in my thoughts and prayers. Enjoy pancake Tuesday have a few for me!

Regards,
Rose
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btkm8unsl0w5r4

Maybe your pain is from the teeth we cannot tell. However one thing I learned which I was confused about is that neuropathic pain is real. The pain can come from the nerves and fell exactly like a tooth. Its not in your head, your not mental. The pain is as real as a tooth ache however not caused by the tooth but rather a disorder of the nerves. You only know what you nerves and brain tell you and if one of the nerves is acting up its telling you the pain is from whatever that nerve supplies. Its a very difficult problem to diagnose and treat I hope you get some resolution soon.

therealdeal

Thanks a million for the replys. Some very good sugggestions there. Yes I have considered having a root canal but I haven't got the typical symptoms- no decay, no extreme sensitivity to hot and cold... the only symptom is this unbearable pain!!! would gladly try it though if a dentist out there would do it???

Can general dentists perform root canals on upper first molars?? I thought you would have to be referred to an endodontist? any info appreciated.

As i said, I am going to a facial pain specialist later this week in Cork City, Douglas area. I am extremely worried he will find nothing wrong with me... and what will I do then???!! There is no way I can keep living like this. I completely understand that dentists have ethical issues and codes of practice but its not like i have tried nothing!!!

I have had prescription anti- inflammatorys, Antibiotics, Lyrica, Neurotonin, Consultation with an endodontist and a consultation with a facial pain specialist tomorrow.

Any dentists or ppl that are in contact with dentists e.g. family, dental nurses out there that can help me out and point me in right direction???? I fully understand your concerns about extracting a tooth that 'seems' healthy but I am running out of options. I have tried everything and now I just feel completely abandoned Life has become unbearable: all because of 1 tooth. Please pm me with recommendations!! all i need is the name of a dentist willing to believe me and help me by doing something... anything!!!

Worth mentioning: last september- was abroad and another molar(this time on upper right) was giving me extreme trouble. had 3 xrays- 2 in ireland, 1 abroad. all were perfect! but little swellings started appearing in my mouth near the tooth- I begged the dentist there to do something. He decided on a root canal: when he opened the tooth- it was completely dead!!! if it happened once, surely it can happen again??? he said perhaps the braces were too toght and had created tiny cracks into which bacteria seeped. No decay!


please please get in toch with me if you have any recommendations. Any dentists in the cork area that think they can help- for the love of god- PM me. Money is not the problem. I would pay milllions to have a life again instead of being in misery. This 1 tooth has destroyed me and my family. Its like having the worst toothache imaginable every second of every day for 2 months.

Really hope to hear from ppl soon, if you know a dentsist that could help: please show him/her this message. it would mean everyting to me and my family. You would not only be helping me gwt rid of toothche but you would literally be saving my life. I am at the end of my rope having lived almost every minute in pain and not sleeping properly in months

Thank you all so much. I have great faith in other people and any help would be very much appreciated. please please reply. I am sorry I sound so desperate but thats what pain does to me.. i have no life at all atm. every thought revolves around how i am going to get rid of this tooth ache

Kind regards and best wishes. Thinking of everyone else out there reading this

warm wishes
Rose
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ButterflyABC

I had a root canal done a couple of years ago. It started as a pain in my teeth and I couldn't pin point which tooth as it felt like it was moving around. It got worse and worse until I could feel it in one tooth and then eventually it was sensitive to cold then hot (think this is a sign of the nerve dying). I went to my dentist who didn't want to do a root canal as he couldn't see any decay or anything wrong in the x rays but a day or two later I was in extreme pain and when he tapped on it it hurt alot. I was not able to sleep at night and was taking pain killers all the time. It was in a heavily filled tooth from a long time ago that I had refilled a few years before that and somehow the nerve was irritated. The tapping thing was the proof for me that it needed a root canal as you nearly jump out of the seat with the pain of it.
Best of luck to you, I also felt like there was something wrong with my nerves or my sinus at the time. I was even put on antibiotics for a sinus infection to ensure it wasn't that before I got the root canal procedure done.
I hope that you find your answer and soon!
Ps I found Nurofen Plus a god send, they really did help with the pain.

therealdeal

thanks v much for sharing your story with me. Glad it all worked out. There is absoltely nothing more frustrating than when the xray is clear!!!:mad:

Yes nurofen plus are among the better pain killers but I try not to take them as often as I would like. As i say, pain has been ongoing for 5-6 weeks. v frustrating as I seem to be getting nowhere:(

At least I have the appt with the facial pain specialist this week. hopefully he can point me in the right direction- though I think the time slot is only half an hour which isnt much!!

If he cant fathom what is going on, I will just have to find a dentist or preferably an endodontist to carry out the procedure. There are no other options besides that really as in this day and age dentists seem completely unwilling to extract unless there is absolute clinical proof.

Thanks again to everyone. Would love to hear any good news stories, have you or anyone you know been battling a mysterious toothache for months?? did you find a solution and a cause?? I think it would cheer me up. Sometmes I ask my family 'do you think I will ever be back to my old self again, do you think I can ever be without a toothache??' and they generally reply 'im sorry, I dont know'. They are just trying not to get my hopes up but I wish someone would tell me that someday, hopefully soon, I will be pain free. Sometimes I feel like I am losing myself. the longer it goes on, the harder it is to keep going

To anyone out there reading this::: please post. It helps me immensely to read the messges you send as i often feel like I am going it alone. I would be very interested f anyone involved in the dental field could post?? or please pm me??

Thank you all so so much
Kindest regards,
Rose
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username123

Hi OP,
Terrible situation to be in, but no point in losing teeth as well if its not the teeth causing the problem!

Hopefully the specialist this week will have some insight for you.

I found this article that might interest you.

Good luck.

navy56

hi Rose ,

Im in the exact same situation as yourself . Tremendous pain and dentist recommends the bite guard . Can you post how you get on at the Facial specialist as I think it is the same guy that i am supposed to see so i would be interested to hear how you get on .

Best of Luck, hopefully he will give you a solution .

Susie564

I found these articles written by Dr Dermot Canavan on orofacial pain an interesting read when I was looking into my own situation. There from 2004 so I guess they may be a little outdated but might be worth a look all the same.

http://www.dentist.ie/resources/jida/articles/2004/JIDA_Autumn04.pdf

http://www.dentist.ie/resources/jida/articles/2004/JIDA_Winter04.pdf

http://www.dentist.ie/resources/jida/articles/2005/JIDA_Spring05.pdf

Solair

Make sure you get any ENT issues checked too. I had ear surgery & the various ear problems and I know that ear pain travels to my upper teeth and can be very severe too.

There would be no harm in getting the team in the south Infirmary ENT unit to check you out fully.

2D dental x rays don't show up everything. An ENT consultant could look at CT and MRI imaging to rule out any ear or sinus problems. They can also very quickly look into your sinuses with an endoscope and get a very good idea of what's going on in your ear by just looking in through a special microscope. So, it's all relatively simple to check out.

Ask the facial guy for advice on the ENT side of things too.

The nerves in your mouth and face can completely misrepresent where pain is actually coming from.

peggie

Hi Op
how did it go??
i read your post last week and was thinking about you- no word since your appointment- how are you feeling now??
hope you got rid of the pain
peg