...read & answer my question? I had to have a temporary cap placed on my tooth, while I await for the permanent cap to come in. They said that when they drilled the rotten tooth down, they could see the pink of the nerve. That it wasn't exposed, but they could see it. They told me if I were to be in a lot of pain, then I'd know I'd need a root canal done. They said there was a 50/50 chance I'd need a root canal. They said I may have a little sensitivity to cold, etc, that would be normal. It hasn't really bothered me, EXCEPT, when I go to eat something & the food presses down on that temp cap, it's like I can feel the nerve being pressured. I've tried to avoid eating on this tooth, especially crunchy or sticky things, as I was told. But if I'm eating a sandwich or something & bite down, I feel the pressure & it's unfomfortable. Just sitting here, I feel nothing. Am I only feeling this cuz it's a temporary cap & it will go away when I get the permanent cap put on or does this mean I need a root canal? .

I wouldn't dream of trying to show up Dr Sam in the denistry department :D I just wanted to add something since you seem to be worried about having a root canal. Root canals are rarely painful. You hear a lot of nasty stuff about them, but it's not that bad. The worst part about it is that it takes a lot of time to get it done (hours). If you have to have a root canal, see if you can talk the dentist into doing the whole thing in one day ... digging out the nerve and putting in the permenant filling. I've had 3 root canals ... the first two were done in one day, and I felt no pain during it or afterwards. The third took a couple of visits and that's the only one that bothered me. But it still wasn't that bad. So don't be nervous!

Since the pain is only when you bite, it may possible that the temp is too tall. I come across that alot in our office.