is there a dentist around?

[Ploughingthrough]

I'm feeling a bit stressed out and would love the opinion of another dentist. Several years ago I got quite severe periodontal disease which resulted in teeth mobility in my front teeth. Had a great periodontist who gave bone and gum graft and stabilized the teeth last year (overseas). The result of the disease, however, was very large visible gaps in my smile and crossed over teeth. I was very conscious of it and never smiled, and then to top it all off I bashed my face and chipped and surface-cracked one of the teeth a few weeks ago.
After all this, the periodontist suggested I get two veneers on my front teeth to cover the gaps and chip, improve my smile and make them look straighter. Last Monday I had the preparations on my teeth - one was shaved more than the other as it was slightly crossed over and he said he could end up a bit close to the nerve and keep an eye on it.
Fast forward 10 days and I'm having trouble with the tooth that was more prepared. I've got a tooth ache that comes and goes a bit. It is not agony, more of a sharp pain that is intermittently irrirating. If I take neurofen it is fine for 12ish hours. I tried not to take neurofen last night, however, and it did bother me a bit.
I went back to see him yesterday and he hit the tooth a few times and asked me some questions. He said it could still be settling and not to rush into root canal unless it was stopping me sleeping.
My only symptom is the above described irritating sharpness and awareness/feeling in the tooth. It does not hurt when it is tapped and it not sensitive to cold food or drink. I can eat fine.
But the trouble is all I'm doing is obsessively googling and I can't help thinking I'm a bit stuffed and need a root canal in that front tooth.
I'm due to have the permanent veneers fixed on Monday - do I sound like I need a root canal?
Thank you for any thoughts on whether a nerve can 'settle' after deeper than normal preparation or if this niggle needs fixing asap.

or even if you're not a dentist, if you have had RCT in a front tooth and everything has been okay...I"m terrified of being toothless at the front and not being able to do anything about it.

oh and I forgot to say I am currently wearing an acrylic temporary veneer.

Honestly, it's too soon to know whether your tooth may or may not need root canal treatment. Is this the tooth that got knocked and chipped as well?
A tooth that's had bone and gum grafts, trauma (if it is that tooth) and a quite extensive veneer preparation is more at risk of needing root canal treatment. I would try and look at root canal treatment as a way of saving a tooth rather than a negative thing.
Over the weekend, take a low dose of paracetamol or ibuprofen a couple of times a day to reduce inflammation in the nerve, sensitive toothpaste rubbed all around the tooth several times a day.
I normally advise if it is going to settle it'll do this within a couple of weeks.
Ask your dentist if the veneer is going to affect the access if root canal treatment is needed.

MillyMollyMardy thank you. Yes its the same tooth that got knocked and chipped. Its had a hard time. I'll wait and see a bit longer as it's just niggling on....

MillyMollyMardy or any other dentist, I went back today because my discomfort is much the same in the tooth. Dentist wants to monitor for another two weeks, as he said he has seen teeth settle up to 4 weeks. He sid seem to think the nerve was probably dying but wants to give it every chance. If much the same or worsening in 2 weeks then will see a specialist for root canal before he does the final veneers.
Does this sound sensible?
He also reassured me that a front tooth root canal is relatively easy on an incisor for a specialist and theres no reason why it can't last a lifetime (or close to) as long as I look after my teeth forever more.
I just feel sick with worry that one day I'll end up toothless at the front and there will be nothing anyone can do!

Specialists have a very high success rate and incisor endodontics are the most straightforward.
Holding off on the permanent veneers for now is sensible.
There are always further options if a root canal failed but losing an incisor that is veneered even if it ends up needing root canal treatment is uncommon. I can't remember a single one in my experience and I'm quite old.

Thank you so much for the reassurance MillyMollyMardy

Hi MillyMollyMardy so I'm now 5 weeks post preparation. It was still bothering me at the 4 week mark but the dentist said he wanted to bond the veneers on because it might help. If not a root canal is still possible through the back of the tooth.

That was a week ago. It is now niggling a lot less but not gone completely. My new problem is that the other front tooth feels super irritated and sensitive - not a sharp pain or a throb just a constant sensation of slight discomfort. This tooth was only minimally prepared and was okay in the temps. I'm going to go back and see him tomorrow, but do you have any idea why the other tooth would start to bother? Can one irritate the other? Or is there some kind of treatment/adjustment that I could ask him for ? I am really really starting to regret this if I had known that it could cause such irritation for such a long time I would have put up with my teeth.

Go tomorrow and get them check out.
It might just be post cement irritation- get some sensitive toothpaste and rub it liberally around the tooth every couple of hours.
Does your bite feel ok?

Will do re. the toothpaste. How would I know if my bite felt okay or not?

When you have any dentistry done, there are always very minor changes to the bite this normally feels odd for a few days and settles.
Veneers are often used to build edges up and can change the bite more, people have different tolerance of this. It sometimes makes teeth feel sensitive/uncomfortable. I think if you have to ask how you'd know, that your bite is fine. If your bite is feels wrong you know.

Thank you. I'll get it all checked out tomorrow but his usual advice seems to be to keep waiting...

Watch and wait is always sensible as long as things are improving.

The second tooth may well have been knocked when you chipped the other one, it may be grumbling as it's been prepared even though it's minimal, it may be unhappy about the veneer glue (it can be slightly irritant), the tooth has had bone loss, surgery, trauma, dentistry. It's sometimes hard to pick the one thing that has triggered a tooth playing up.

Once everything has settled, hopefully you'll feel happier with the result and your new veneers.

As an aside this is what people need to be aware of when they have wall to wall veneers. In your case this was being done for a reason- previous, necessary treatment and gum recession and spaces then a chipped tooth. Treatment for cosmetic reasons on healthy teeth needs maintenance, repair, replacement and can give problems. Veneers are not a quick maintenance and consequence free fix.

No I'm starting to regret taking the advice to have them but not much I can do now. They look very natural though and are stopping me from getting food caught in the big black triangles. Went for an evaluation with an endodontist today; he said as xray looked normal, percussion test normal and I had a normal response to the cold test that root canal is not indicated for now. He said it can take a long time for a tooth that's been traumatized like mine has to settle down, even months, so to come back if I started to get pain o biting or lingering pain to cold and hot, or worsening pain. A bit frustrating as the discomfort is tiresome, but if it is worth waiting then I will do.

That's positive from the Endodontist and they're another one saying be patient. The body takes time to recover from injury and nerves are one of the slowest. If you can avoid root treatment that will be great. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Well sadly I have had to go ahead with the RCT in the original tooth which just hadnt settled. Saw a different dentist as pain was quite tiresome and he did another xray and felt that there was some inflammation, and after almost 6 weeks it didnt stand much chance (with its history). We talked for ages and he gave me several options. he performed the rct (very experienced at doing it, does 2-3 a day) and it all seemed to go to plan. There was one root only. He sent me off with some painkillers and I have an appointment to see him next week.

Can I ask you, the area is all pretty tender today (it's been 22 hours since the procedure so not long) which I did expect as he said thay was normal for a couple of days. Also, more worrying I am occasionally feeling the same short sharp pain that was intensifying before and caused me to even have the rct. This is just now and again. Seeing as the nerve is gone I dont see how this is possible. I am quite an anxious person- could this just be a phantom feeling? Or should I see him. My DM says I just need to relax and let things settle down now as without a nerve there isnt much left to hurt. Any thoughts or do ai just need to calm down alittle? ?

Yes completely normal, the tissues and nerves in the area around the tooth get inflammed too and even though treatment is done they then have to heal too. It can take up to a few months to settle. So patience is going to be needed.

Thank you. It already feels a lot better than it did so that's a good sign I presume. Onto the next tooth 🤦‍♀️

MillyMollyMardy so I'm well over a week from the treatment now and still not feeling comfortable. Just constant awareness of the tooth and a sharp pain that crops up now and again. Dentist adjusted my bite on Friday but it hasnt really made a difference. He said to go back on Monday if it wasnt comfortable, which i will do but i just cant understand what could be wrong here. Everything i read suggests i should be largely comfortable by now. I keep getting discomfort in my cheek and jaw too but he reckons this is tension/anxiety which I could well believe is true. But I dont think anxiety explains away the other symptoms. Can this really take months or could I have some other problem?

You must be so fed up.
Be patient with the root canal treatment they take time to settle. Is there any tenderness or discomfort from the other tooth now? Has that been checked at the same time at the other tooth?
The cheek and jaw pain is most likely to be muscular, low dose NSAIDS painkillers such as Ibuprofen if you can take them, soft food and calming thoughts.

Thanks MillyMollyMardy I'm pretty fed up and a bit anxious about it all really. The other tooth gives occassional bother and is sensitive. But because this one isnt sorted I cant really turn my attention to it.
Is there any chance that the feeling I'm getting in one tooth is radiated from the other? Or is that not possible with teeth on opposite sides?
I am trying to be patient I'm just worried I've set myself up for a lifetime of discomfort 😥😥

You can get a bit of overlap with the front incisors both top and bottom so you could be getting referred pain. I don't think it'll remain the case and things will settle.