So, tell me about your root canal.

[Bunny]

Apparently, I have to get one. Ugh. I've never had one before, and I am not pleased at the prospect. What I'm interested in knowing is if there is as much pain as I've been led to believe (no one says anything good about root canals!), and was it successful or was further treatment needed? :scared:

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. They were successful. Two out of the four were painless...

It's going to be okay. :hug: Good luck and it's worth it!

[lizziegrace]

2. I've had 16

Yes, 16. Several doctors failed to diagnose a cranial nerve disorder and kept taking nerves out of teeth.

There was always some residual pain a day or two later, but just the fact that the aching was gone was so nice...

You'll do fine. Take ibuprofin before you go in.

:hug:

[Pool Hall Ace]

3. Okay.

I had a root canal in October. In preparation, I first had a crown lengthening done by a periodontist. That was not fun, so I went for a consultation with the endodontist on the root canal prior to the actual procedure.

He told me that the procedure would most likely take place over the course of two visits, then went on to describe exactly what would take place. The only sedation offered was a pill called Halcyon that I would take an hour prior to the start of the procedure. He wanted to consult with my psychiatrist before giving me the pill.

I told him he was free to speak with my doctor, but that based on his description, I didn't think I needed to be sedated. I was right!

For whatever reason, he ended up completing the procedure in one visit. Because I take a tricyclic antidepressant, he couldn't use the long-lasting novocaine on me. The only pain I felt was when the novocaine started to wear off. It was very mild. I just let him know, and he dosed me up with some more.

I had a dental dam and a doohickey to keep my mouth propped open. I felt pressure, but only minimal pain. It was a day in the park compared to the crown lengthening! So far, everything is good.

I hope everything goes smoothly for you. Keep us posted.

[Richardo]

4. I've had several.

I get two injections of anasthetic (I'm somewhat resistant, I learned the hard way). I only feel pressure during the procedure, and some jaw pain after the novocaine wears off, but nothing a nice Vicodin can't handle.

It'll be OK. :hug:

[trof]

5. Piece 'o cake. I even assisted.

Dentist was a friend.
I needed the root canal pretty soon and his schedule was full for a couple of weeks.
"Tell you what. Come in Saturday afternoon. It'll just be us. You may have to hand me some instruments. I'll give you a discount."
"Cool."

It was a hoot.
He had a TV set up so we could watch the Alabama game.
Had me scrub.
Arranged an overhead mirror so I could see the instruments on the tray.
"Hand me the silver colored one with the squiggly thing on the end."

And all the nitrous oxide I could snuffle up.
Woo-Hoo

Good luck, Bunny.

[sabbat hunter]

41. laughing gas

when i have had nitrous from the denist i was so loopy everything would have looked like it had a squiggly thing on the end.

[Divameow77]

6. I have had one

and I was sedated, don't remember a thing, it was great ;-) I am extremely nervous about the dentist so that's why I chose sedation. I was little sore for a day or two and when I went back for the crown they gave me gas, but I quickly had them take the mask off because that part was painless.

[gmoney]

7. Not really painful, just tedious...

I've had several, and I don't recall any of them being particularly painful (no more than fillings) but it does seem like you're in the chair forever with your mouth open and the little rubber dental dam in place. Maybe bringing your iPod would help make the time pass more quickly, and if you're concerned about the pain, ask the doc if it's OK to take a couple Advil or whatever before the session. After, you should have no pain in the tooth, but you might have an aching jaw or neck for a while.

[Richardo]

12. I've actually fallen asleep during the procedure.

:shrug:

[MissMillie]

8. lol... I hit the dentist; knocked the glasses right off his face

I had never had a root canal before and didn't know anything about what the procedure entailed.

The dentist numbed the tooth, drilled into it, and then shot the nerve w/ novacaine. When he administered that shot, my hand jerked up (pain and surprise) and knocked his eyewear right off his face.

I've never had any further trouble w/ the tooth--it's not even crowned.

[Lyric]

9. Mine was painless.

If your dentist is good at injecting the novacaine painlessly (like mine is), there isn't even any pain from the injection.

The root canal itself was completely painless. It just took a long time, and my jaw muscles were a bit sore from being extended in the "open" position for that long. However, any reputable dentist will give you Percocet or Lortab after a root canal, so the pain is well-managed.

[Bunny]

10. I must thank everyone for their responses.

I guess it's not as bad as I had thought. I'm going to do this next week (fortunately, I'm not in any pain right now), and see how it goes. I'm glad my insurance covers the cost of the root canal. It does not, however, cover the cost of the crown - that's going to be $1,000! Incredible.

[likesmountains 52]

11. As another poster replied...it's more tedious than anything...sitting

there with your mouth open and numb...mine was successful...good luck!

[DrDan]

13. the anticipation was much worse than the actual procedure

[LynneSin]

14. Take a CD/MP3 player and some headsets

I've had one root canal and the dentist suggested I bring music & headset because he felt it helped relax his patients during the surgury.

I can honestly say it was not a pleasant experience but my dentist said I was trying to sing while he was doing the surgery.

[ironflange]

15. Yeah, no pain, just boredom

It was many years ago, and worked for a while, but the tooth finally had to come out. I have a bridge there now. :D <--- See?

[mtnester]

16. I was completely sedated due to my irrational but paralyzing fear of the dentist

But had zero pain afterward and no pain that I can remember during.

Believe me, I was STUPID effed up.

[Deep13]

17. piece of cake

As one might expect, the anesthesia is the hardest part. Obviously the dentist needs to make sure it is really, really numb, so there are a lot of shots. Once that it done, you can just tune out and take a nap. There isn't as much drilling as there is with a cavity, so in that respect the RC is easier. The only caveat is that the RC is a finess operation and I have had a few dentists that just did not get it. A dentist who knows how to do it will give you no trouble. Again, the shots at the only painful part.

[MrCoffee]

18. the root canal itself didn't hurt, but holding your jaw open for that long sucks

one of my molars started literally cracking and falling apart last christmas, so they did the root canal. it didn't hurt, but my jaw was way sore from holding it open.

[flamingyouth]

19. I've only had one.

Mine was more complicated than normal for some reason so I had to take some pain killers for a few days afterward. But in almost every situation nowadays, they are practically painless. After it was all done, I was so grateful because that tooth had been killing me for years! (I don't have dental insurance and yes, I know, I should have taken care of it sooner.)

I find getting a crown to be the worst dental procedure, personally. Good luck - you'll be fine! :hug:

[liberalpress]

20. Ask them for nitrous oxide..

.. that stuff is better than pot and wears off as soon as it's turned off!

[begin_within]

21. Not particularly painful, but long and drawn-out. Ask for extra novocaine. When I

had it done, I had to have five shots of novocaine. I guess I'm extremely sensitive to pain in my mouth. Whenever they went deeper, it started to hurt, and I indicated this, and they gave me another shot - which solved the problem. Tell your dentist before they start that you might need extra novocaine. Make sure you go to a dentist which uses anesthetic gel on the gums before the first novocaine shot. The gel comes in a wide variety of flavors and numbs the surface of your gums so that the first shot doesn't hurt. A skilled dentist will be able to do it without you feeling any pain at any time. The main thing about a root canal is that it seems to take forever. They have to take several breaks while you just sit there waiting. I think it's at least one hour between the time they start and the time they finally let you go, but half of the time you are just sitting there waiting. So bring something to read or an iPod or whatever.

[texanwitch]

22. My root canal was easy.

No pain. It is not as bad as it used to be.

The only problem I had was getting used to the big crown on the back tooth.

The only weird part was that a gentleman came in with a broken tooth and was screaming in pain. The Dentist could tell I didn't like the screaming so she just finished enough so I could go home and come back the next day.

[bleedingheart]

23. I have a dumb question...why do you need root canal???

why does anyone get root canal done??? I know little about them...

[Bunny]

24. Apparently I have an infection in the gum above one of my upper

molars. No pain yet, but some weird sensations when chewing. I guess if I don't do the root canal, the infection will fester and lead to pain, tooth loss, and other horrible things.

[gmoney]

30. could be treatable with antibiotics

I've had those from time to time, and have sometimes avoided the root canal with antibiotics. If you're not experiencing pain, consider asking your dentist to put you on antibiotics first to see if that can clear it up. $20 worth of pills sure beats a $1000 procedure.

[Bunny]

33. I suggested that, and they told me that it could solve the problem

temporarily, but once this kind of thing happens, it tends to reoccur, and I would need a root canal eventually. I have no idea if that is true or not, but that's what they said.

[Deep13]

37. Yes, an infection or abscess indicates mechanical intervention...

...to drain the injection and repair the damage.

[gmoney]

49. Worth a shot...

if it were me, I'd try the antibiotics, and just keep tabs on it, and if it flares up again, then do the root canal.

[texanwitch]

26. I needed one and a crown because I let my back tooth go to long.

I will never do that again.

[Heidi]

25. If you're having anxiety about it, tell your oral surgeon/dentist NOW.

An oral surgeon once told me that he wished he'd known before the procedure how anxious I was; he would have prescribed a sedative for me to take prior to the procedure. This isn't medical advice, but you could save yourself a lot of anguish if you'd pick up the phone and tell your oral surgeon if you're feeling anxious.

P.S. I've had two root canals with no problems whatsoever besides my own anxiety. I've not needed further treatment in more than 15 years.

[texanwitch]

27. Hello Heidi.

I had my root canal on the same day I went to the Dentist, to get it overwith except she couldn't finish and I had to go back the next day.

When the Dentist said root canal I wasn't to happy about it.

The Dentist explained what she was going to do, so the fear was gone.

[bleedingheart]

28. my gum surgeon gave me valium to take an hour before I came to his

office...

I don't remember much about the ride to the office...and I had a gum graft done...

[Silver Swan]

29. This country needs better dental insurance...

You said you have an infection. I had a root canal for the same reason.

The procedure itself was painless--the endodontist did not even give me Novacaine. Maybe the nerve was dead from the infection?

The root canal was done in two sessions. What was awful was the period between appointments. The pain was so bad that the Tylenol with codeine that had been prescribed did not help very much. I was alternating with ibuprofen every two hours. I called the office about the pain, and they prescribed more penicillin. Apparently the initial procedure had put pressure on the infected area, which caused the pain. The penicillin did the trick, and the pain subsided.

I had a second root canal when I broke a tooth. That one was painless, but I had to spend over $5000 for additional dental procedures (periodontal surgery) before I finally got a permanent crown for that tooth. So on that basis, it was not financially painless.

[NewWaveChick1981]

31. Nearly every tooth in my husband's mouth has a root canal.

All of them have crowns. Root canals are not as awful as people would have you believe. They relieve pain and eliminate the infection that caused the problem to begin with. I have had one root canal, and it was over in a matter of about 20 minutes with no problems. The worst part of the whole thing was the ice test---YEEOW!!! :yoiks: But other than that, the only pain was the bill.

(My husband has congenital dental problems, and his whole family has issues like his. :cry:)

[Nye Bevan]

32. Painless, and actually quite relaxing

I only had the novocaine- there is absolutely no need for any narcotic type stuff unless you are *really* nervous (which you shouldn't be after reading the posts here).

The dentist put a tube in my mouth for the whole procedure to continually vacuum out the saliva which made the experience much more comfortable (no need to try to swallow every couple of minutes).

Good luck!

[tigereye]

34. no, just uncomfortable when they are messing around in your

mouth - I hate those rubber dams they put in there. (I've had more than one, alas)

It's better if an entodontist does it, they are a lot more efficient and gentle about it.

Don't fret, it's more annoying than painful.

I've only had a problem with one of them, but that was years later.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

35. I had one last month

My first ever.

I was plenty nervous, but the dental assistant told me that if I wasn't having pain before the procedure, I probably wouldn't have pain during it. Evidently, root canals are hell if you already have a painful abscess. Mine wasn't painful and was discovered by X-rays.

In the end, paying for it was worse than the boring procedure of going through it.

[Rambis]

36. Get drugs

I had numbing and gas and when they exposed the nerve I could feel wind on it and it hurt. As soon as he went in I was out of the chair in the corner and I have no idea how I got all the stuff off me but I managed without any trouble. BOTTOM LINE GET AS MANY DRUGS AS POSSIBLE!

[Deep13]

38. They should have done profound anesthesia.

That is injecting the nerve directly. This can be done painlessly by sqeezing the syringe a little as it goes in. That will cause the area imediately in front of the needle to be numb before the needle gets there.

[Rambis]

42. I changed dentists

My new one is better although I really liked my old dentist we used to trade Dead tapes and CD's:(

[sabbat hunter]

39. i had a deep cavity

when i was about 8. a few years later needed a root canal on that same tooth. the nerves were dead so i had no pain for the root canal. in fact the canals had partially calcified over so the dentist sent me to a specialist and even the specialist couldnt get all the way down into the canals.

eventually a cyst formed under the tooth, which was removed. then the cyst came back, removed again. finally the cyst came back a third time, at that point i had the tooth removed, replaced with an implant.

but throughout it all i didnt have much pain at all.

[trogdor]

40. Have it pulled now.

Get an impression and have him put in a bridge instead. You'll thank me later.

My root-canaled tooth split vertically after less than a month. Having it pulled was more painful than the root canal was in the first place.

[Deep13]

44. That's pretty rare.

It has never happened to me and I have had something like 9 RCs. Bridges are a pain in the ass. I have two. They need to be kept immaculate.

[hedgehog]

43. A root canal will solve whatever problem brought you to the dentist.

I've had three or four and the only problem was an achy jaw afterward from sitting there with my mouth open. A couple motrin took care of that.

True story - a root canal involves drilling out the dead nerve with tiny, tiny drill bits. When my dentist goes on vacation, he goes down to Pennsylvania and helps his brothers drill water wells and oil wells. Talk about a bus man's holiday!

[Arugula Latte]

46. Then he goes home to his wife and dri ...

Nevermind ... :D

[Arugula Latte]

45. I've had two and didn't feel pain either time.

I actually preferred root canal to the work I've had on a few molars that had to get crowns. Ugh. I HATE that frickin' grinder thing! x(

[Skittles]

47. I've had six of them, they are nothing

you cannot feel them

[hippywife]

48. Mine was easy, too.

I had developed an abcess over the weekend, called my dentist's office first thing Monday morning and they said come on in now. I got there, they did x-rays and said I needed a RC. Now I had always said I would sooner have the tooth pulled than have an RC. I don't feel that way anymore. He immediately did the RC and I didn't have any problems during or after.

You'll be fine, Bunny. :hi: