Anyone needed root canals cleaning more than once? Any dentists about?

[opalescent]

I have had a troublesome tooth (premolar) for a few weeks now. It was finally 🙏🏻 root canalled on Tuesday, (the first part of the treatment- going back in two weeks for permanent filling) and I was desperate for that to be an end to the issue.
It appeared to settle for a day or so, but then began to gradually hurt again, and I appear to be back at square one.

She said after the treatment that the tooth appeared to have already died prior to treatment (no blood came out when she opened it up apparently), so I have no idea what is causing my ongoing pain. She said the treatment went well, and she had no concerns that it wouldn't work.

I've been on antibiotics over the weekend in case it's an infection, but they don't appear to have made an impact. It doesn't feel like an infection. The pain is very similar to what I was having before the root canal.

The tooth doesn't throb or intensely hurt- it's not particularly sensitive to heat or cold.

It just hurts! Soreness and ache. Day in, day out. It gets worse over the course of the day, and eases up overnight (presumably due to my mouth being at rest).

What the hell is going on?☹️ has anyone needed more than one cleaning of canals before a tooth settled?

🙏🏻🙏🏻

I'm not a dentist, but had root canal work in July - the tooth was already dead, didn't really hurt but sometimes ached & just didn't feel right. No reaction to cold/hot as dead.
After the canal work I was surprised that the tooth still ached as prior to the work - and did so for 10 weeks or so, its just started now to settle down.
You need to go back to the dentist to make sure all is OK - my dentist said come back if I had any problems - I didn't and maybe I should have. I've got my hygienist this week coming & will ask her to assess whether I should see the dentist again.
With the amount of ache/pain you've got I'd make another urgent appointment and let her check it out.
Its possible she may reopen to re-sterilise, go & find out for sure what is going on. I should have done, but it wasn't to the level of ache you describe. Go see her!

Katy that's really interesting, and a lot of what have have said sounds familiar- although yes, it sounds like perhaps mine has been more painful. I can really empathise with the tooth just not feeling right- that's very much what I'm having, it's not severely painful (🙏🏻) but I'm just very aware of it.

I am going back tomorrow, fingers crossed I can get it sorted. I'm amazed you didn't go back with residual aching for 10 weeks! You're far braver than me

It was a low level ache & I was extremely reluctant to go back!
At the time although highly anesthetised & in no real pain, afterwards I felt as if I'd been in an accident/fallen heavily on my face. It takes a lot out of you.
Re-reading your opening post, are you inbetween treatments: got to go back & have the permanent filling put in - plus you are going to see her tomorrow cos of the current ache?

My dentist did a lot of work on the 2nd visit.
He didn't use a temporary filling on the 1st visit, he used a permanent one.
I actually asked him about the use of temporary fillings as oddly enough there was a root canal thread on here in June/July (prior to my appointments) where some posters had said the temp filling had caused issues/inflamation.

My dentist said "don't worry I prefer to use a permanent filling and dig it out again on the 2nd visit."

I think/99.99% sure he sterilised & did a lot of work on that 2nd visit. I was surprised at how much work was done, it wasn't simply taking out the first filling out and putting in the permanent. Plus he used a rubber mask or drain around the teeth - just about tolerable, said he could work without it but made his job easier.
Need a dentist here, cos I can't remember exactly.

My tooth was like yours a premolar, no indication there was anything wrong apart from me saying to him it sometimes ached in that area and didn't feel right. He tested it for cold and x-rayed the area (Lower left) and came back to tell me it was dead and what my options were.
He confirmed it was dead when he did the treatment.

You are wise to go back, would like to know what she says and sure it will all go OK. It might be something to do with the temp filling. Once the 2nd treatment visit is over it will settle down, albeit it might take time.

Yes that's right, I'm in between the two parts of the treatment- I am popping back regarding the pain tomorrow.

The pain I'm getting is more searing than a dull ache- it's bearable but pretty unpleasant at its worst.

I'm wondering where some residual nerve tissue is left somewhere, as the pain is so similar to what I was getting pre-treatment!

I'm so fed up now I'm considering extraction. The only issue is that I'm getting married in 10 weeks and it's a visible tooth 🤦🏻‍♀️

Fingers crossed for tomorrow!

I've got my fingers crossed for you - I'd like to know what your dentist says and hope she can ease the pain.

I've not had any teeth extracted, got caps but no extractions. I don't know how well a bridge/single false tooth works.
My dentist said try to keep the tooth if possible.
I did a search on root canal on mumsnet & wished I hadn't. Mine went well, my dentist said the majority of them do, so be positive.
Can you take pain killers - not sure you can take at same time as antibiotics? What I wanted most was something to help me sleep, the only thing I had was night nurse, which worked.

Personally I'd take some temporary pain in an attempt to keep the tooth. Has it discoloured, not at all or just a bit?

Then there is the cost. I'm on denplan, I paid nothing extra but the premium is bound to go up when the year is up. Don't know how much a NHS dentist will do. My dentist was NHS, but when he went private I wanted to keep him so had to go private as well.

A wedding in December is very romantic, hope you get snow. Don't worry, the root canal will work out, you see.

I'm a retired dentist, sometimes teeth have tiny accessory canals that branch off main canal like a delta and it is impossible to physically clean these so you have to rely on the sterilising solution
sometimes the temporary filling maybe a bit high so there is too much pressure on tooth
very occasionally the tooth has a hairline fracture not visible to naked eye so tooth flexes when you touch it
as your dentist will have said root canal is not a treatment that can be 100% guaranteed to work, the success rate drops with the number of canals and intricacy of canal system an upper front tooth is much easier to root fill successfully than a second molar
extracting the tooth may solve the immediate problem but creates a whole raft of other problems from visible gap, teeth drifting lack of bit on one side etc
as you are seeing them again tomorrow hopefully it will be better but sometimes just the working on the tooth causes localised inflammatory responses which can themselves be sore but will settle later

Thank you both so much for taking the time to reply. Really helpful to hear from a retired dentist too!
Katy I will let you know what happens today 😊.

Just to update- I saw my lovely dentist again yesterday. Since my pain appears to be improving, she is keen for me to finish the course of antibiotics and go ahead with the second part of the root canal next week as planned.
The tooth still doesn't feel right, I'm very aware of it! But it's less painful than over the weekend, so she's assuming it was a mild bacterial infection that is getting better.

She said the procedure went well, the tooth looked good and she had no concerns in accessing the canals, so she's hopeful the tooth can be saved.

Fingers crossed!

I've had 3 root canals now. None have settled immediately and two needed several temporary fillings and sterilising before they were finished.

Thank you beamur, that's reassuring! Were they ok in the end?

Mostly! My first two have never given me any further pain, although one has since been removed following a catastrophic crack! (20 years after the root canal). But my most recent one is proving slightly trying. It wasn't an ideal candidate as there was a break close to the gumline but my dentist wanted to try and save the tooth, so it's had a root canal and a crown fitted. It's mostly ok, but occasionally a bit uncomfortable - I think there has been an infection in the gum/jaw underneath and I've recently had a course of antibiotics. Fingers crossed it's ok now.
Still better than an extraction.

Pleased to hear the news is good - great!
Interesting to hear what TeacupDrama and Beamur say.
My dentist said it was nothing I had done, that sometimes teeth just die but it was rare. (doesn't feel like it if you search on MN).
Onwards & upwards, get thru next week and then concentrate on the good things.