I been dealing with a toothache for nearly 4 years now. First time I went in was still during mask time. Told dentist I had pain in tooth 3. Did normal cleaning and xrays said everything's fine just maybe I bit hard on something and pain will go away. Went back 6mo later said I'm still having pain, he said xrays look fine shouldn't be hurting.
Then I was at work and the pain just wasn't letting up and I could feel a crack in the tooth with my fingernail. Went back and he said it wasn't a bad crack and ground it down and put a temp crown on. When I went back for permanent crown he asked if the pain was gone. I said no, it's as intense as it was when I first found the crack. More xrays and again telling me it shouldn't hurt maybe I'm just sensitive.
Another year later I went back for unbearable pain in that tooth. More xrays, ground down a spot on the crown and said it'll be good now. Was a little better but then about a year ago I had to go in again and said the pain is intense. It's been years since I could chew on the right side of my mouth. I have to brush with warm water and even the toothbrush touching that tooth hurts. He did xrays again and said it's all fine, you're just sensitive. Use sensodyne toothpaste and orajel if needed.
Went back in March and same thing. I said I'd rather have this tooth ripped out than go on with all this pain. He said that's excessive. Ground down the crown some more and now it sits higher than the adjoining molars. Doesn't touch bottom teeth, doesn't really squish food, pain was better but still very temp sensitive and occasionally would get pain from nothing. He made a point to tell me he doesn't prescribe narcotics.
Saturday night I woke up with facial pain. Jaw muscles on that side were tight. I assumed I was sleeping on my jaw weird. Ibuprofen took care of it. Back to just "normal" tooth pain. Sunday same thing. Monday I couldn't touch my cheekbone, my ear hurt, jaw muscles still felt tight on the right side. But ibuprofen was doing its thing. Called the dentist on Monday he said I could come on Friday.
Tuesday by noon at work I had taken more ibuprofen and tylenol than I should and the pain was still intense. Holding ice in my cheek and an ice pack on the outside helped but as soon as the tooth/jaw warmed up again I had searing pain. Tears and panic level pain. I called my supervisor and said I'm going to urgent care on lunch break. I was thinking it was TMJ pain cause I could barely move my jaw. Figured a toradol shot and some steroids and I'd be back to work. The doctor said "I don't prescribe narcotics for tooth pain" I said I didn't ask for narcotics, I asked for steroid and NSAID. She said "I'll give you antibiotics in case it's an infection". Went back to work with my ice. Locked jaw/stiff muscles was just from pain, not TMJ inflammation.
Today I was at work doing the ice thing and doing my job. One of the cardiologists asked what was going on. I told him. He called his dentist buddy and told him I needed to come in today. So on my lunch break I went there, even though I had an appointment for Friday at my dentist, a second opinion on something that's been an issue for years is a good idea. They took one xray and said "Holy chit" took another a lil higher up and told me "this is really bad" Asked when I last saw dentist, told him in March. He asked if they did xrays. I said yes, I've had like 6 sets of xrays on this tooth in 4 years. He said the chronic inflammation and infection had to be there for years for it to look like this on a basic xray. He called an endodontist while I was there and said you need to see him asap. Earliest they could do was Friday.
Up until the point he said "Holy chit" I was truly thinking I was being a lil bitch about the pain. I'd asked a ton of people how long the pain lasted after getting a crown. Everybody said only a day or two. I have never taken narcotic pain meds, even when they've been prescribed I don't pick them up. I've had some painful experiences in my life but nothing as bad as this. But I thought maybe I'm just sensitive.
I had taken thurs-fri off work because of my big bbq trackday event this weekend. Told them there's not gonna be any bbq. Might go in to work tomorrow. Got an MRI in the morning (unrelated to the tooth thing, another issue I been dealing with for a few years hopefully coming to a close) and had planned on spending the rest of the day gathering BBQ stuff. Might as well go to work after. The antibiotics and ibuprofen around the clock has brought the pain down to nearly bearable. I took a flexeril last night that expired in 2011 and it still knocked me out and I got some real sleep for the first time since Saturday.
Anyway, I felt like rambling and youse guys been my dumping ground for my bitching for 10 years.
Plus side, I'm gonna hit my $14k deductible this year so anything else I need is gonna be covered at 80%.
Edited by user
11 months ago |
Reason: Not specified
