Guys,

My dentist has had my right lower wisdom tooth on "watch" for some
time.  Last week a molar further forward was giving me a lot of pain,
reacting to hot drinks (badly) and soothing to cold ones.

I picked the day the dentist's surgery was being refurbished and no
x-ray possible.  He looked at my old notes, expressed surprise on the
tooth I had pointed out, tapped all (no pain) and we agreed I'd go back
if the pain got bad or in 2 weeks.

Anyhow, 5 days later and on Friday the pain was very bad - paracetamol
and ibuprofen were being consumed quickly!  Funnily enough, after
waking with a mild pain yesterday all seemed ok for many hours until
later in the evening.

Now it is THE wisdom tooth that hurts if I touch it on the top and the
area of the jaw round there feels "numb" and my neck slightly sore.

I remember the dentist once telling me about nerves running along the
jaw so when one tooth seems to be in pain its another one.  Is this
likely to be what has happened?

The wisdom tooth is lower than the back molar, obviously not in sight
and I wonder if a dead/dying nerve is prescribed whether an extraction
is better than RCT?

I suppose when I say better I mean in terms of time to live with this
pain, procedure length and cost!!

Now, I have not had an extraction in 30 years and the last (another
wisom tooth) involved a small lady dentist on my chest pulling and
pushing and was not a great experience.  Please someone tell me for a
large male dentist its a case of injection, a few twists and turns,
taste of blood, swelling where the body reacts for a few days but
basically short and sharp.  Or does this baby need to prepare for
something worse ....

Thanks

G