Root canal? I''m scared and would like to hear experiences

[asscherisme]

HI,

Despite taking good care of my teeth, going to the dentist every 6 months, daily flossing, brushing 2-3x a day, Ihave a mouth full of fillings. I was told I have poor enamel.

Anyhow, I have this one tooth that has been hurting for weeks and weeks and I finally went to the dentist who did something to the tooth and told me if that does not work I will need a root canal on it becaus there is nothing physicall worng with the tooth. That the xray looks fine and the tooth LOOKS fine but obviously it must be a nerveproblem inside the tooth. He told me root canal will kill the nerve so it won''t hurt anymore.

So after he did his thing it still hurts. AGgg,, looks like root canal time. I am such a wimp about these things.

People always joke about root canal being the worst every. My dentist is a big believer in novacane and is really good about numbing things for fillings so I don''t feel anything.

Is a root canal as awful as its reputation? I trust my dentist, He is experienced and honest. After the novacane wears off will it hurt awful or not really?

Please share with me!!

 

[PaulaW]

I''ll be honest with you, I''m the biggest wimp when it comes to the dentist. I had a root canal 2 years ago and I really don''t think it hurts any more afterwawrd than a filling a deep cavity. They will start out much the same with the shot of novacaine and then drilling the tooth, then they do some things that I didn''t want to know about . What I do remember is that they used a series of different shaped files that look like pipe cleaners inside your tooth where the roots were and that feels weird - not painful, just weird! I was really anxious through the whole thing and afterwards wondered why I got myself so worked up to begin with! You should be just fine, especially since you trust your dentist so much. Remember, there''s nothing wrong with asking for the gas!
Good luck!

 

[tiffanytwisted]

HI. I had a root canal last spring. I broke one of my front teeth (hit it on my dog''s head) and the swelling killed the nerve. I was really nervous because I felt like my front teeth were more sensitive to begin with, than if it were one of my back teeth. My dentist was awesome! I didn''t feel a thing. They do drilling, then some filing, and they do have a lot of different instruments but I didn''t really pay much attention to that. All I know is the novocaine injection worked for the entire procedure. He sent me home with a prescription for pain pills, and later that day I did have some soreness so I ended up taking one. However, narcotics make me sick so that was actually worse for me than the soreness. I probably would have been fine with either ibuprofen or tylenol. It never did really hurt afterwards. The worse part for me was that they put a temporary crown on while the lab was making the real crown. I was terrified that it would fall off, because after the drilling and filing I was left with a little stump of a tooth (and in the front!), not very attractive!
My dentist has televisions in each room, with head phones, so I was able to watch tv and it sort of drowned out the sounds of the drill. I think that really helped, because I too was pretty anxious. If your dentist doesn''t have tvs I would suggest maybe taking a walkman/cd player/ipod, something with headphones, something you can listen to other than the sounds of the drill. It also helps pass the time because it did take an hour or 2 (I don''t remember exactly) and I would have gotten pretty bored without something else to occupy my mind.

 

[Dee*Jay]

I had a root canal about 10 years ago that I still have nightmares about (it was performed by an absolute hack), so when they told me a few months ago that I needed to have one on an emergency basis I freaked out--but there was no need. The person who did my root canal was FABULOUS. She was very gentle and talked through what she was doing the whole way so there weren''t any surprises. I didn''t feel A THING.

The two most important things in my mind are to go to someone GREAT (not good, but GREAT) and if you feel anything--and I do me ANYTHING--have them shoot you up some more.

Seriously, things like this are always worse as we anticipate them than they are in reality when the time comes, so just relax (as much as you can) and you will be finer than a frog''s hair split eight ways (to quote Storm!).

 

[Kaleigh]

I had one about 8 years ago. My tooth was killing me. The root canal really wasn''t so bad. The pain of the tooth before was worse than the actual root canal. I agree in finding someone who is skilled in doing these. If not done properly it can be quite a nightmare. Good Luck!!!

 

[Erin]

I''ve found the only thing that hurts is that first shot of novocaine. After that you barely feel any other shots and definitely don''t feel the work being done. If it''s in the back of the mouth the stretching of the jaw can hurt later. Definitely pop some pain reliever as soon as you can swallow water without dumping it down your shirt. But like Dee Jay said, if the dentist asks if you''re ready, just check your mouth by tapping on your teeth with your fingernail and say, it doesn''t feel completely numb for some reason. They''ll give you more novocaine and then you for sure won''t feel nuttin.

 

[Julian]

I had one several years ago and it was actually kind of -- don''t be shocked - relaxing. No pain at all.

I had on headphones and watched Runaway Bride in the overhead monitor while they were doing it. Just a small pinch at the injection site, then nothing but relaxation. They even had aromatherapy -- lavendar oil to calm down patients. It was a breeze.

Don''t worry! If you have an awesome dentist, you will be fine and feel no pain. The anticipation is probably the hardest part.

 

[fire&ice]

Had mine a couple of years ago & didn''t really feel a thing. It''s a long process - so the worst part was my lip kinda hurting from being pulled back for a period of time. I felt no pain during any of the process. In fact, I think it''s the drilling out the tooth that is the painful part. If I remember correctly, I didn''t have novacaine during the actual root canal.

I''m in agreement with a walkman or book on tape.

 

[asscherisme]

Thanks ladies. I guess since I have a good dentist, nothing to worry about . Eeek easier said than done. I actually have 2 friends who go to him and one had a root canal from him. She said that the best part was the pain from her tooth was gone the next day.

So what I''m hearing from you all is that since I have a mouth full of fillings from when I was a kid, and they are slowly falling out now and beingreplaced over time, that the root canal should not be any worse? Just longer?

 

[Molly1024]

My mom has had EIGHT root canals and only one has been bad and that was when she was seeing a not so great dentist- if you have a good dentist, you will be fine.

 

[Mara]

actually i just had one about 6 months ago or so and it was not painful AT ALL. it was actually more irritating and tedious than painful. everyone told me it would hurt as well, but it didn't. i definitely think all the noises that the machines make totally psych you out as well. take music if possible.

my mom said it would be SO PAINFUL but who knows when her last root canal was done! the RC took about 3 hours or so, so it was just a really long afternoon in the chair with stuff going on in your mouth. having the mouth guard in for so long gave me a headache etc.

however, my tooth has never been quite the same, they say RC's are supposed to not feel like anythin gis going on in that tooth i guess but i still get soreness in mine and sometimes it hurts. the dentist says that there are nerves in the BONE under the tooth so those may be sensitive. anyway, it's kind of a pain sometimes but the RC itself was not painful.

good luck and don't be scared! if this tooth is hurting you it will be better after. that's the perk! oh the other thing is it sounds like you don't have a crown yet. i got a crown first then a RC later (we were trying to avoid a RC). so they will probably do 1/2 the procedure to prep the tooth and get the nerves out and stuff and then put a temp crown on for 2 weeks to ensure that the tooth feels okay. the temp crown part was the most frustrating for me...because you can't eat sticky or chewy foods since it might rip it off. then you go back to have them finish up the RC then put the final crown on.

 

[Maria D]

My experience was the same as most here: very tedious but not really painful. My stupid molar, the one all the way in the back corner, had FIVE roots. So it took a long time (had to be done in two sessions) and because it was way in the back my mouth tired from being stretched open.

Recovery wasn''t bad at all. You will be so grateful when your toothache is gone!

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 10/18/2006 11:03:15 AM
Author: Mara

however, my tooth has never been quite the same, they say RC''s are supposed to not feel like anythin gis going on in that tooth i guess but i still get soreness in mine and sometimes it hurts. the dentist says that there are nerves in the BONE under the tooth so those may be sensitive. anyway, it''s kind of a pain sometimes but the RC itself was not painful.

Not sure you will follow what happened to me - but - I was *indeed* sensitive for several months. I talked to other friends about this as well. They all said that a good deal of the sensitivity goes away after time. They were right. For me, it was about a year. I feel nothing at this point (2-3 years out). I''m no dentist - but maybe it''s the crown pushing against the bone & after a while it just settles in there good.

 

[asscherisme]

I was told a crown is not always necessary.

I don''t know if he is thinking crown but I got the impression that he was not.

Anybody have a rootcanal without a crown?? I hate to get a crown if I don''t have to.

 

[Ellen]

I had one about a year ago. I have had this dentist for years, without any real problems. I will spare ALL the gory details, let''s just say I left in tears after the first visit. (Most RC''s are done in 2-3 visits, I''m kinda surprised at those who got it done all at once)

I then made an appt. with an Endodontist, someone who specializes in this, and that man could have dug to China and I wouldn''t have cared.

Bottom line, as others have said, there should be no pain. If there is, insist on another shot, and if that doesn''t work, stop and go elsewhere.

 

[Scintillating]

I've had A LOT of dental work, and I had a root canal a few years ago. They really aren't too bad, don't let anyone scare you.

DO - make sure you go to specialist in root canals, my regular dentist doesn't do them. It's really something a specialist (Endodontist) should do.

Do - Ask for valium ahead of time if you're nervous. It will just help to relax you.

Do - bring an ipod, something nice and relaxing to listen to. It'll help. The noises are the scariest part.

Sometimes a crown is necessary, if it's a molar or a grinding tooth.

Let us know how it goes.

Scintillating...

 

[swingirl]

Make sure you go to an Endodontists who does root canals all day long. They will be the best. I have had several and always by a specialist. They move very quickly. You shouldn''t have much tooth pain after it''s done because the nerve is gone. However, the general area may be sore if there was an infection in the bone or neighboring tissue. Occasionally, you need to return for them to put in antibiotics before they seal up the hole.

No matter what, it will be better than the pain of needing a RC. Good luck. I hope it goes quickly and smoothly for you.

 

[koko]

Date: 10/18/2006 1:22:42 PM
Author: asscherisme
I was told a crown is not always necessary.

I don''t know if he is thinking crown but I got the impression that he was not.

Anybody have a rootcanal without a crown?? I hate to get a crown if I don''t have to.

I''ve worked for an endodontist in the Atlanta area for 16 years.....virtually every "horror story" you hear about root canals were those done by general dentists. Root canals can also fail and have to be re-treated (and at a higher cost than the initial fee), so it''s always best to see an endodontist because we have a higher success rate. A crown is always necessary after the root canal if the tooth is a molar, because of the force applied when chewing. With other teeth, it depends on the amount of filling in the tooth if any. Any sensitivity after the procedure will not be to hot/cold, sweet/sour as those sensations are controlled by the nerve (which is removed). The sensitivity most commonly experienced will be to biting down or to tapping/brushing. Most times having the occlusion ("bite") reduced will help this, because it''s caused by the ligament around the tooth (not the nerve). Sometimes prolonged pain after the root canal is indicative of an internal crack/hairline fracture. We find that new crowns done after the root canal can cause discomfort if they''re left "high" and not adjusted properly (like an ill fitting shoe).....Good Luck!

 

[Mara]

koko yes when i went in last time my dentist (who is not a specialist but he''s very modern with technology and is always showing me some latest dentist magazine picture or something...hehe) told me that he might need to adjust where my crown meets my gumline, because i was having some sensitivity there, like irritation. but it went away. i had some sensitivity to hot/cold for a little bit and he thought there might have been a tiny tiny hairline nerve that went off from one of the main canals that none of their machinery got. but the tooth doesn''t hurt or bother me like it did BEFORE i had the work done, it''s just obvious to me that it''s not my same tooth. it''s kind of like ''always there''. but i can eat on it, it doesn''t hurt to bite on it, chew nuts, whatever. just sometimes it gets a bit sore and hurts for a day or two then goes away. it''s only been 8 months i think so maybe it will take a few years to settle down, who knows. i do have to say that now that i have this one crown and RC (it''s a huge back molar that i also grind on, so any pain could also be my bone being upset that i''m grinding on it) that i TOTALLY want to take much better care of my teeth so i don''t have to get another one for a LONG TIME. some of my friends have like multiple crowns and RC''s at their age, so i am hoping to prevent that. BUT my dentist also says our teeth are not really prepared to live as long as we are living today, he said teeth really only have a lifespan of 40-50 years, maybe more with great care but now people are living til 80/90/100! interesting to think of it that way, our teeth have seemingly not evolved much!

 

[koko]

Mara, interesting point your dentist made about the life span of teeth! I think he was talking about an "accessory canal" when he told you that you may have a tiny nerve canal left....also, did he mention how many "regular" canals you had in your tooth? A molar usually has three, but can have four. A specialist is more likely than a general dentist to find the fourth canal..... Also, sometimes we have patients swear that a tooth remains sens. to hot or cold after a root canal, but when they come in and we take an "ice pencil" (sliver of ice) and touch it to the root canal tooth while they hold a mirror, it turns out it wasn''t that tooth at all, but one next to it! If you want to do your own "cold test" take a sliver of ice and a mirror and be sure to touch one tooth at a time!

 

[larussel03]

My dad is a dentist, and while I have not had a root canal personally, I've seen him do them on relatives (mainly out of boredom while working in his office in high school and subbing for his secretaries during xmas vacations and things like that where I'm home) and he's had them himself (likely why he became interested in dentistry, haha). I've always heard that though it sounds scary, when done properly and quickly, as he does them (his patients are usually out in 20 or 30 mins tops) they are not so bad.

My Fi has had root canals before (one by my dad) and he seems to think the pain isnt bad...I've never had one, so I can't give firsthand advice, but it seems from working in my dad's office and talking to patients, it's not as scary as it sounds.

I hope this makes you feel a little better.

ETA: it seems as though some root canals take longer than others--hopefully yours will be quick and you'll feel more releif than pain!

 

[AdaBeta27]

I second "get someone great, not good." I had 2 done by an oral surgeon. One tooth was shattered in an auto collision and was a real mess. The RCs were painless and there were no complications or infection afterward. The worst thing was the scorched flesh smell during the process.

My ex had the dentist do his. He didn't get all of the nerves. He left one partially live. A serious infection developed. It was very painful and very difficult to cure. He had toothache the whole time they were trying to clear up the infection so they could go back in to get the last nerve. He ended up losing the tooth and was going to have to get an implant to prevent the rest of his teeth fom shifting.

 

[asscherisme]

Thanks for all the posts. I do have faith in my dentist and like I said I do know a friend that has had a root canal with him. He has lots of experience.

My appointment is this afternoon. My husband is coming home early from work to watch our kids.

Wish me luck!!

Oh, and he does have a TV in the office exam rooms so I''ll make sure I get the remote in my hand!

Hopefully I''ll be back tonight to report something good and hopefully NO pain! I''m sitting here drinking my coffee cringing at every sip from the heat on my tooth and this is after I left it out for 1/2 hour it would not be so hot anymore. I have not chewed on that side for months!

I think some of you are right. HOpefully the pain of living with this tooth and the fear of anticipation is worse than the actual procedure.

So think of me this afternoon in the dentist chair!

 

[pearcrazy]

I''ve been a hygienist for over 20 years and I''ve seen a lot of endo and even assisted in some procedures. Most people with horror stories about root canals are the ones who come with acute infection that hasn''t found a way to drain. They are nearly IMPOSSIBLE to get numb for the procedure because the infection around the root of the tooth keeps the anesthetic from reaching the nerve. Those people understandibly are in for a very rough ride. A lot of dentists and endodontists will put the patient on a course of antibiotics first to abate the infection around the tooth and then go in and do the procedure.

I''ve seen people that need to be re-treated endodontically who have had their procedures done by general dentists but I''ve also seen a good number who had a specialist do the job. There are just a lot of things that can go wrong and I agree with Koko, an endodontist is much more equipped to handle the "what ifs". On the downside, a procedure done by a specialist usually runs almost double the cost of the one done by the general dentist and a endodontist will usually not file with your insurance company but rather, ask the patient to pay in full up front and then file for reimbursement from their company themselves. If that''s not an issue for you then I would advise seeking out a good endodontist in your area.

The dentist I work for now no longer does root canals. He simply doesn''t have the time or the patience for extensive procedures on molar teeth. He occasionally would do a front tooth with just one large canal, but he''s even stopped doing those.

Good luck with your procedure. I think you''ll find that it''s not as bad as it''s made out to be.