Dental Pain

I have a molar that has gradually turned painful. My USA dentist looked at it last summer and couldn't find any explanation for the pain. It got a lot worse suddenly this fall, including sensitive to cold, and I went to a local dentist. He x-rayed and examined and couldn't find any explanation either. Except he said the gum was inflamed and cleaned it, which did seem to help some but it's still painful. Any ideas? It just occurred to me that it might be possible for the filling to be leaking and not show up on an x-ray? I don't want to insist that a dentist drill on a healthy tooth, but I also don't want to sit around and do nothing if there might be decay underneath that could be spreading. I always look for the most conservative treatment possible.

I think those have been ruled out, and no, there's no drainage. They have also done the thing where they look at your bite (how the teeth fit together) and sand down the teeth wherever it doesn't hit exactly right. One speculation was that the teeth not hitting exactly right might have been causing some sensitivity or bruising, but now they all hit just right and that possibility has been ruled out. It's a bottom molar that already has a filling. I do have some TMJ, but that seems to be under control as well. The sensitivity gets better and worse, it's better when I'm very religious about flossing. Anyway, two dentists can't find anything wrong ... and that seems rather unsettling. I guess they would say something if they felt there might possibly be decay underneath the existing filling?

I suggest going to the American Dental Group surgery in Princes Building. They have some of the most experienced dentists in Asia and are very 'gentle' in their approach and explanations. I have just had some extensive work done on my teeth and i couldnt be happier. Ask for Dr Poon, Dr Cheng or Dr Kwong - all very good.

Meiguoren, does it hurt when you bite? and is the pressure relieved when you stop biting? Also, if you have had no luck with two dentists missing tooth decay, then perhaps the pain is from an undiagnosed tooth fracture (which is very hard to diagnosis) .. you said you had some "gum swelling".. was the swelling localized to that molar, or were all your gums swollen?


perhaps you grind at night?