Had root canal done.. but..?

I had root canal treatment done on a back tooth about 18months ago.Had lots of problems with the tooth, it had an abscess and swelled the whole right side of my face up. It was a mess.
I'vehad it done and its been fine since, though its always been very sensitive.
Now, everyday i keep getting toothache. In particular at night when im lying on it.

What do you you think it could be? I thought it would pass but its been a week now, the pain lasts about 30mins then goes, it goes immediately when a take ONE paracetamol.
I'm not going to lose the tooth am i? I'd like to save it somehow, i need it..its a molar!! Also, i paid to have it filled with a 'white' filling which i had to pay privately!

Any help is MUCH appreciated!!

A root canal is the opening and pulping of the tooth--basically removal of the nerve. Theorhetically you should be feeling nothing there as the nerve is removed and dead. IF however, you are still getting pains that hurt more when you lay down, it could be that you have another tooth that needs root canal--throbbing pain in the tooth when lying down is a symptom of a tooth needing a root canal. ALso when a tooth is hurting like that it can "refer" the pain so you may be feeling it where the other tooth had a root canal done.

Another possibility is that the root canal has abscessed--when the do a root canal on a molar they have to make sure that the root is removed from all 4 prongs of the tooth--they do that by drilling down into each prong and removing any tissue with little things that look like bottle brushes, then they medicate the area, fill it with rubber and then fill the tooth. If the dentist does not get each prong clean to the bottom, left over tissue in the root of the tooth can cause an infection--an abscess under the dead tooth.

You need to go back to a dentist, describe the pain you are getting, have him check the other teeth to see if there is another root canal waiting that's causing referred pain and/or to make sure there is no abscess formed or forming under the root canalled tooth. IT may mean you need antibiotics alone or that he needs to open up the tooth again to clean out what was left there.

Root canals are not always the final answer. Have you explained this to your dentist?

sue your dentist and drop kick him in the nads

Time to go back to the dentist and get an xray taken.

It might not be the same tooth you had the root canal in.

You should check with your dentist, who will x-ray that side of your mouth to determine what the problem is.

Go to your dentist and have it checked out immediately! The longer you wait, the worse it could turn out. You may end up losing the tooth (I had had a root canal done, the tooth ending up cracking right up the middle afterwards (after I already paid them for the work), so had to have it pulled (and of course pay for that also) (it's my 2nd to last molar on top right side). I've gotten used to it. If you happen to lose yours, you will get used to it as well.

i have had same procedure done twice on separate occasions and ended up having them both out in the end , and was told it was because there,s still a root left in what the dentist could not get out ,and i was the same as you tooth ache on and off all the time , on the last occasion i was offered the chance to have it redone but i refused it saying cost a fortune i only work for a living so i,m afraid the other treatment is antibiotic s for the abscess when its gone have the tooth extracted
good luck