Cronic tooth pain

My wife is 33 years old and went in for a simple tooth ach two years ago.  Her upper left side toward the back.  They couldn't seem to fix it with a root canal and they ended up pulling the tooth.  The pain is still there.  Long story short they ened up pulling teeth on both sides of the original tooth and the pain is still there.  She has to take Hydrocodone all the time to mask the pain.  There is a dentist that said we could try a steroid shot but it's a small chance it'll work.  I'm looking for any ideas or thoughts.  Thank you all.

Welcome to Healing Well and the Chronic Pain Forum.  Unfortunately, I have very little experience regarding chronic dental pain.  Maybe one of our other members will be able to advise you.  Good luck and keep us posted.

Mywife,
Welcome to the chronic pain forum of Healing Well. A few of us (myself included) have had some recent just plain lousy experiences with dentists. I would first ask if the dentist who your wife is seeing is a specialist (probably an endodontist) or just a general dentist? Earlier this year I had problems with one tooth, my general dentist put a new crown on it and even though I told him I had pain when the temporary crown was on (and I've had other crowns in the past so I knew something was wrong) he continued to put the new crown on. THEN when the problem wasn't resolved he did a root canal. And i had to pretty much beg him for an anti-biotic. When things weren't resolving I finally went to a specialist for a second opinion, and then a third dentist (my periodontist I've seen for years) and both of the specialists realized the tooth couldn't be saved. But I also had to be on antibiotics I think for around 2 months before the infection finally went away. And I'm now in line for an implant.

I think your wife should get a second opinion, even if she is seeing a specialist. Something is wrong and someone has to be willing and CAPABLE of figuring out what. Taking hydrocodone for a long period for mouth pain doesn't make sense, especially without knowing the basis of the problem.

Please do remember we're not doctors here, though, just offering our experiences and opinions.

Good luck!

PaLady

Hi and Welcome!

Your wife IS fortunate that she has you. It's not everyone who is lucky enough to have a spouse researching the internet to find her some relief. But she is not lucky with her pain problem. Pain is nature's way of saying...'Something is wrong!' When oral surgery is done it's very easy for them to hit and/or damage a nerve. I suppose that could end in chronic nerve pain...I'm surmising here... But it's time they got in there and found what's going on and give you some serious answers. I've be mighty irked if I were either of you. When I had my wisdom teeth out they they nicked a nerve and once in a while I feel a tingle or numb-ish feeling around my jaw under the left side of my lower lip. It's annoying but not painful though.

If you are not having any luck with the dentists I would call whatever governing body in your area oversees dentists and doctors and ask for a referral. Or you can call the nearest university/teaching dental schools and ask to be seen there. They are on the front lines of technology and I would think they could certainly get this problem solved.

No guarantees on any of these suggestions but I do hope you find something that will work! And keep in touch. Plus, invite the wife to come join us too. We're pretty good at helping people with chronic pain figure out how to get good medical care while you are on that search/wait, we help with the emotional support that is so critical to anyone with chronic pain. It is a very lonesome disorder.

Hugs,
Chutzie