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What Causes Mouth Swelling After Root Canal?

Posted on Wed, 30 Sep 2015

Question: I recently visited a dentist and was going through the process of root canal for three tooth on the right side, two in the lower part and one in the upper part. I visited the doctor consecutively for three days on 20, 21 and 22nd August 2015 where he started the treatment for all the three tooth simultaneously, one on each day. After that I experienced swollen on the right side of my mouth for which he prescribed antibiotics. After 3 or 4 days the swollen disappeared but I am not able to open my mouth by more than 3/4 inch and experience pain in the jaws if try to open full mouth. It's been three weeks from the day my treatment started and still the same situation exists. The dentist is now advising me to go for the splint so that my jaw alignment becomes proper. Please provide me advise on the same and should I go for the splint.

Answered by Dr. Honey Arora (29 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Seems to be TRISMUS/LOCK JAW.

Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXXXX .
Welcome to HEALTHCARE MAGIC..

I have gone through your query and can understand your concerns..

As per your complain and explanation of symptoms you are suffering from a condition known as TRISMUS or LOCK JAW which most probably has occurred due to long dental sessions leading to either inflammation and over fatigue of facial muscles or can be due to direct injury to the jaw joint known as TEMMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT.

It also leads to locking of jaw or restricted jaw movement and if jaw joint is involved it is known as TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DISORDER [TMJ /TMD].

Splint is one of the procedures done in case TMJ/TMD and they help in regaining proper bite relationships between the upper and lower teeth and regaining proper neuromuscular relationship and reduces load from the jaw joint and thereby relieving the patient and gradually the mouth opening improves.

But it is alone not sufficient and it is an adjunct to medicines and physiotherapy..

-But first of all I would like to known that since three weeks are you undergoing any treatment or not..
-Are you taking any medicines or any heat therapy and mouth opening exercises etc?
-If yes, is there any improvement?
-Has your dentist taken your full mouth x ray the condition?
-Is there any swelling present?

Kindly reply so that I can guide you better so that you can proceed towards correct treatment..

Any further questions from your end are also welcome..

Hope this information helps..

Thanks and regards..
Dr.Honey Nandwani Arora.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Honey Arora (1 hour later)

The answers

-since three weeks are you undergoing any treatment or not..
Not as such.
He prescribed me the medicines last week for

felxon - MR (2 times in day)
Zerodol - MR (1 time before going to bed)

-Are you taking any medicines or any heat therapy and mouth opening exercises etc?
Last week i took this medicines
felxon - MR (2 times in day)
Zerodol - MR (1 time before going to bed)

I have stopped taking the same this week.

I am not trying any mouth excercises as such.
I try to gargle with hot saline water once in a day but not regularly.

-If yes, is there any improvement?
I do not feel any considerable improvement while opening my mouth.

-Has your dentist taken your full mouth x ray the condition?
No

-Is there any swelling present?
No

Please let me know your thoughts
1)if i should continue the same medicines or should change them and for how long should i continue the medicines.
2)please help me with some document or guide me on which mouth exercises and heat therapy should i take
3) Next steps for the treatment

Answered by Dr. Honey Arora (51 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Continue medical treatment and physiotherapy..

Detailed Answer:
Hi..
Welcome Again..

Thanks for the reply..

As far as your case is concerned, it seems to me to be more of inflamed muscles or muscle injury following local anaesthesia injection in which the needle has injured the muscles causing inflammation..

As far as I am concerned and I would be your treating dentist I would have advised you to take a combination therapy that involves MUSCLE RELAXANT + PAINKILLER COMBINATION, HEAT THERAPY, PHYSIOTHERAPY AND A SOFT DIET for a period of 15 days..
Splints comes at a later stage when there is no improvement with this and then also after proper x-rays and clinical evaluation only I would suggest you to wear splints and more commonly splints are given in cases of TMJ/TMD.

As of now you can start a fresh..

-Take FLEXON MR twice a day and ZERODOL MR once a day [ same as before], continuously for 15 days and not on and off.

-Do warm saline gargles 3 times a day.

-HEAT THERAPY- Apply a hot moist towel on each side of the face and more on the right side,at least for ten minutes every 1 to 2 hours..

-PHYSIOTHERAPY- It should be done only if there is no pain and discomfort.
You have to try and open your mouth more and more by applying a bit of pressure..
Another way is to use ice-cream sticks.
Make a pile of ice-cream sticks and place gently between the teeth, count the numbers.
Try and add one more..

Everyday try to add just one more than the last day but do not force in excess..
If you are able to successfully add more every day you are at success..

Do 2 to 3 times a day..

Try and move the lower jaw side ways that is from left to right and right to left..
A chewing gum can be chewed as it helps in side ways movements..

Do it for 15 days and in case if doing all this if there is severe pain you should not do it and then you should consult an ORAL SURGEON for evaluation and treatment can be planned according to investigations..

Revert me back for more queries..

You can also perform the above explained treatment and can also write me again for follow up by clicking on my profile and asking me a direct question so that I can help you further..

Hope this information helps..

Thanks and regards..
Dr.Honey Nandwani Arora.

Note: Find out which dental treatment will work best for your teeth. Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad