No root canal--Huzzah!

Okay, I'll try to be brief.

Went to the endodontist today. Gave her the Reader's Digest version of what's been going on. She took an x-ray. Said the "halo" (she called it a "shadow") around my tooth could easily be nothing more than a bruise resulting from an ill-fitted filling. She explained what was probably going on (I suspected as much what she explained, but she explained it better than I could). Basically, the wrong-fitted filling is banging constantly into the other teeth, causing much trauma and pain. She filed down the filling some more and let me sit and get used to the new fit.

It was amazing. The pain is gone, save for a tenderness that is probably a bruise. I'm still a little sensitive to cold, but I was able to actually eat lunch without pain. Yippee!!! The doctor advised that I continue on ibuprofen as needed. She wanted to take the conservative route and not do an actual root canal just yet. I think maybe she was somewhat uncomfortable about doing the root canal and then my leaving for Va and having someone else do the reconstruction or whatever. Anyway. She said I don't have an infection (which eliminates the thought that I could have an abscess starting), so yippee for that.

All in all, I'm very happy right now. No more pain. Teeth that fit. It's a good thing.