All my fillings from six months ago fell out almost all at once over the last two months (I'm finding a new dentist); I was very foolish and waited to schedule a dentist appt thinking that it might be possible for the hulled molars to recalcify. The nerve in one of them (#32) became exposed and the dentist that had filled them initially refilled that one first (all my other back molars are still hollow making it impossible to chew on the left side and painful to chew and dig food out of the right every time I eat). Three days later I go back due to excruciating pain from any trace of pressure (it hurt to drink water); he glances at it (no xray) and taps it twice, says I need a root canal and prescribes me penicillin (vk 500mg) -- once every six hours for a week (28 pills), 3 of which I managed to drop down the sink. It seemed to go away altogether after the first night but last night I could feel it was definitely worse. It seems a little better now but I'm sure it's still infected.

My questions:

1. Do I go back and ask for another round of the same stuff or do I need a stronger pscrip?
2. Is there a 'lesser evil' antibiotic I could ask for?
3. Do I do something else, i.e. immediate root canal?

I only went to this guy because he takes walk-ins (and is pretty inexpensive...); I don't know how soon I can get an appt at another doctor's office -- but I really don't want this dude to come anywhere near my teeth again. I could see going back just to renew my pscrip but if I need a root canal I don't know how immediate it can be.

Edit: I should make it more clear that my main concern is ending up with an antibiotic-resistant tooth infection if I don't go back and get more of the same or something new and stronger.

All my fillings from six months ago fell out almost all at once over the last two months (I'm finding a new dentist); I was very foolish and waited to schedule a dentist appt thinking that it might be possible for the hulled molars to recalcify. The nerve in one of them (#32) became exposed and the dentist that had filled them initially refilled that one first (all my other back molars are still hollow making it impossible to chew on the left side and painful to chew and dig food out of the right every time I eat). Three days later I go back due to excruciating pain from any trace of pressure (it hurt to drink water); he glances at it (no xray) and taps it twice, says I need a root canal and prescribes me penicillin (vk 500mg) -- once every six hours for a week (28 pills), 3 of which I managed to drop down the sink. It seemed to go away altogether after the first night but last night I could feel it was definitely worse. It seems a little better now but I'm sure it's still infected.

My questions:

1. Do I go back and ask for another round of the same stuff or do I need a stronger pscrip?
2. Is there a 'lesser evil' antibiotic I could ask for?
3. Do I do something else, i.e. immediate root canal?

I only went to this guy because he takes walk-ins (and is pretty inexpensive...); I don't know how soon I can get an appt at another doctor's office -- but I really don't want this dude to come anywhere near my teeth again. I could see going back just to renew my pscrip but if I need a root canal I don't know how immediate it can be.