Hello I Had Two Of My Lower Teeth Worked On

hello I had two of my lower teeth worked on more than 4 weeks ago he filled out two cavities, I believe its 17 and 32, since then I been having problems. I cannot chew on either side without pain, I have returned to the dentist twice since then. He removed the filling on my left side and said he added more packing? He also showed me pictures of the tooth which showed two gray areas and he said that was the nerves and it is possible that is what would be the issue. I am still in pain and my ears are starting to hurt plus I have had a constant headache for the last 4 days. I would like to know what would be best a root canal or tooth extraction. Please advise, I appreciate a prompt response and I thank you in advance for your assistance.
Cecilia L. Garcia