My root canal... it tickles?

November 12, 2009 6:18 PM

What is this sensation I'm feeling after getting a root canal?

I had a root canal on a molar exactly three weeks ago. Some of the alveolar bone between the roots had been lost, but when I went back to the dentist today to have a post put in, the x-ray indicated it was healing extremely well, and showed "significant" bone restoration - (way cool, and yay!).

But every now and then I feel a slight tingly (not painful, not sensitive, not uncomfortable), almost fizzy feeling under the tooth in question. It sort of feels like tiny seltzer bubbles, but the feeling lasts only 1-4 seconds. I don't feel it every day, but when it does happen, it's usually in bursts of a few times an hour. I forgot to ask the dentist about it since I haven't had the feeling for several days, doesn't cause any discomfort, and doesn't appear to be indicative of any post-root canal problems.

What is this sensation? What is causing the fizzy feeling? Might the feeling have something to do with bone growth? Is it even possible to feel bone growth?

posted by raztaj to science & nature (4 comments total)

Bone Growth?!
I never had any such thing of the sort after my horrendously unsuccessful root canal.
I would suggest saliva getting into the (unfilled yet?) gap. Or air.
It sounds like it might be filled? So perhaps they put it in wrong.
You never know; personally, I wouldn't have put it past my dentist.
posted by lhude sing cuccu at 7:05 PM on November 12

It could be the nerves twitching there. They can get nudged and hurt a little during oral surgery, and it takes a while for the nerves to get their act back together.

Mine did that a little too, it eventually stopped.
posted by Jinx of the 2nd Law at 7:50 PM on November 12

I had all sorts of weird nerve sensations after I had a wisdom tooth out...taking a high-potency B-complex/multivitamin helped me get over it after a few months.l
posted by aquafortis at 8:17 PM on November 12

There could be multiple reasons for odd sensations following root canal treatment. Although the tooth is now dead on the inside, the outer layer of the tooth and the surrounding bone are still alive and can feel things.

Irritation/inflammation that was in the bone may gradually go away, bone heals more slowly than soft tissue. The materials used to seal off the root canal from the rest of the body may cause a temporary irritation, the process itself can do this.

Even in a well done root canal it is not unusual to have these types of sensations for days, weeks, months, even years. You can expect this to gradually decrease with time, however, if it ever increases in intensity or changes character let your dentist know right away.

Be patient, but don't ignore symptoms that are affecting your quality of life. It's good to hear the dentist had you back to check on the tooths' progress, he/she should check again in at least 12 months.

Since this was a molar be sure to follow up with the full coverage restoration (crown or onlay) that was probably recommended, you don't want it to break.

Good Chewing!
posted by Northwest at 6:06 PM on November 14