I'm baffled--can't figure out if I got injured working dish or have a tooth problem

[Steven Tyler]

From my personal experience, I've had a cracked root after a root canal. You can't save the tooth. It will have to be cut out. Amoxacillian is a good antibiotic, especially if you have an abscess. You may later mash around your gum where the infection is, and a ton of pus will come out.

A cracked root is usually caused by the way you bite. I don't think a shot to the mask would crack something, but I couldn't say for sure.

Good Luck. I hope you have some type of dental insurance, or deep pockets. Hope everything is okay though, and nothing major.

[SAump]

The pain went away after you began antibiotics, not the painkillers which only mask the pain. I doubt a blow would cause an immediate infection. If there was infection, there is a tooth problem. Do not wait for the infection to return.

Your dentist should have answered the second question. Now if there wasn't any infection, there is another problem there that may have been caused by a severe blow, followed by clenching of the teeth and muscle strain, and possible tooth pain. But only the expert or followup visit to a dentist can determine the proper way to correct it. Mention it to them before they begin and ask them to explain your options. People choose to have teeth pulled when other options are available and sometimes they refuse the proper treatment when the symptoms disappear.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

From my personal experience, I've had a cracked root after a root canal. You can't save the tooth. It will have to be cut out. Amoxacillian is a good antibiotic, especially if you have an abscess. You may later mash around your gum where the infection is, and a ton of pus will come out.

A cracked root is usually caused by the way you bite. I don't think a shot to the mask would crack something, but I couldn't say for sure.

Good Luck. I hope you have some type of dental insurance, or deep pockets. Hope everything is okay though, and nothing major.

But the dental X-rays Wednesday revealed no crack in the roots at all. Nothing out of the ordinary was noticed, except for a tiny black speck that the dentist said might be the beginning of an infection, but because he couldn't be sure, he referred me to the aforementioned endodontist.

Originally Posted by SAump

The pain went away after you began antibiotics, not the painkillers which only mask the pain.

Could that be more of a coincidence, though? Just wondering.

I doubt a blow would cause an immediate infection. If there was infection, there is a tooth problem. Do not wait for the infection to return.

Your dentist should have answered the second question. Now if there wasn't any infection, there is another problem there that may have been caused by a severe blow, followed by clenching of the teeth and muscle strain, and possible tooth pain. But only the expert or followup visit to a dentist can determine the proper way to correct it. Mention it to them before they begin and ask them to explain your options. People choose to have teeth pulled when other options are available and sometimes they refuse the proper treatment when the symptoms disappear.

I'm still going to the endodontist next week just to make sure. Hopefully they'll find absolutely nothing wrong. BTW, the swelling is now almost totally gone, thankfully.

[MikeStrybel]

PD, sorry to hear about the tooth. A quick Google about infections post root canal turned up plenty of hits. If the endo missed a canal or didn't get it completely then the infection will take hold, sometimes years later.

I wear the same mask and have never had a bell ringer or tooth issue. I wish you luck. Heal fast. See you around.

[UMP25]

Well, I'll find out in a few days. Thankfully, the pain has subsided greatly since its inception.

[knuckler]

Well, not only am I an umpire, but I am a dentist as well. Seeing how your swelling was almost a month ago, hopefully you have got to the bottom of it by now. I would highly recommend having the endodontist evaluate it, even if the Amox did the trick. It is not uncommon for a tooth like you described to respond to the antibiotics, but if it is a failing Root canal, it will eventually rear its ugly head again, usually at the most inopportune time!

[UMP25]

I canceled my endodontist appointment because several days before it was scheduled--there was no way I could get in any earlier--the swelling disappeared, along with all pain and discomfort. This led me to conclude it was from that freak foul ball to the mask than a tooth problem.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by UMP25

I canceled my endodontist appointment because several days before it was scheduled--there was no way I could get in any earlier--the swelling disappeared, along with all pain and discomfort. This led me to conclude it was from that freak foul ball to the mask than a tooth problem.

My dentist diagnosed my issue as a kind of bruise due to a foul ball to the mask. My symptoms also subsided.

Better than root canal!

[UMP25]

True, although I've had two root canals done in my life. They're not as bad as people make them out to be.