What's worse...

What's worse than having a root canal...Ouch..how about having two root canals on the same tooth, then oral surgery. That's what has happened to my poor mouth this past year! Spring of '08 when I went to the dentist I was told I needed a crown on tooth #3 (upper right almost to the back). I had that done; then during the summer I developed severe pain in the same area. Went back to my dentist; he took x-rays. There was a shadow in the area of the tooth that hadn't been there in the spring and it was determined I needed a root canal. This was my first r.c. and at this point I was in so much pain I would have paid anyone anything to get me out of it. Dr. M did the r.c. I recovered, the pain went away and all was fine...until fall. The pain prior to the r.c. never came back, but the area around the tooth felt funny and there was pressure when I bit down on the tooth. The Dr. thought it was a bite problem. He adjusted the bite; I went on my merry way feeling great but was back to him a couple of months later with the same problem. This went on for several more months, several more adjustments with me feeling fine for a few months then it would come back again. Finally the Dr. recommended I go see an endodontist because I may need surgery. The endo took xrays and said I needed another root canal on the tooth because instead of 2 canals, there were 4. He did the r.c. and all was fine until a week ago when the pain returned again. Went to see him last week and he said surgery was in order to cut the roots of the tooth and clean out the bone area of the tooth. I went in today; he split my gum open, cleaned out the area (which was infected), did the rest of the work and sewed me back up. I'm feeling okay right now, surprisingly not too swollen, and am on antibiotics and Advil. I feel both my dentist and the endodontist did what they had to do with what they saw on the xrays. They are very professional men and I would go back to them in a minute. I am just hoping this is the end of my battle with this tooth and I don't have to go back to see them for a problem with it.
You know what? Life is still good...