Mild Freak Out - root canal

[Peach]

Root canal.



I really should stop going to the dentist. Although, not going in 2 years and not having a proper cleaning in god only knows how long got me into this in the first place, I would guess.

I thought it was just a cavity. And it is, but it's a big one and there's a 50% chance I need a root canal.

Couldn't even clean my teeth today - I have sensitive gums (always have) and even with topical anesthetic, it's still too painful. Got half of the lower teeth done.

Going in tomorrow for fillings (they sedate me, with a pill, for that otherwise they wouldn't be getting near my mouth) and will find out then if I need the root canal. If I do, I don't know what they'll do then because I need to have the IV sedation and the dude that can do it isn't available until the 29th (and they'll have already drilled the tooth tomorrow). Chances are, I'll probably just tell them (in my drug-induced haze) to go for it.

I'm still having a mild freak out though.

And yes, I know I posted a while back about wisdom teeth (with a rather funny post-procedure-still-doped-up response). Dentists are a HUGE fear of mine.

I know a root canal doesn't hurt as much as it used to, or so I've been told. I just don't want it to hurt at all. But I guess if I'm sedated and out of it, I won't really remember or notice.

I hope.

*inhales* I need a paper bag.

[NgaiHill]

I feel your pain Peach. Last year I had a tooth ache that gave me a lot of trouble. Living as I was at the time, in a small country town access to the dentist wasn't that great. It took a couple of weeks just to get an appointment - he's only there one day a week. Then when I got to my appointment he'd been called away out of town and it'd be another couple of weeks waiting for an appointment. All up I spent about 6 weeks living within arm's reach of fast-acting ibuprofen.
I finally went to the Dental School at the university about 3/4 hours drive away then practically cried at the receptionist when she said they were booked up for the day. Finally got in & was told I needed a root canal but that would take a few days. "Whats the other alternative?" I asked, it was extraction. As it was a molar right at the back out it came. Tooth wasn't best pleased about parting with my jawbone and the tutor took over from the student - even he struggled to get it out! Still, it healed pretty fast and I've not had a problem since.
Hope yours goes well for you

[Aegea]

I've had a root canal with just local anaesthetic. It was unpleasant rather than painful, even without an IV. Lots of drilling and grinding, ugly noises, etc. but no real pain.

[ceremus]

Yeah, I had to get a bunch of work done last year, including a root canal, due to neglecting to go to the dentist regularly. Partly because I had gone a long time without insurance, partly because I was having difficulty fining a good one that would take new patients. But lesson learned, you will save yourself a whole lot of money and discomfort by just keeping up regular appointments.

Anyway, if you can handle getting a filling you can handle a root canal. As far as the patient is concerned the sensations should be no different, all you ever feel is pressure. Just don't neglect to take your pain meds after the procedure, though. They'll give you that stuff for a reason, no reason to make yourself suffer needlessly.

[mshockley]

Peach this sounds so much like what happened to me about 6 months ago, without the fear of dentist part. It's not that I fear them, I just don;t like them!

In any case, I felt like you as in "it's my own fault for putting off the cleanings for so long" and when I went they said I had 3 cavities, TWO of which were so large they thought I might need root canals! I also freaked out, but mostly because even with dental insurance, root canals then require a crown, which is very costly---at least for me it would be.

In the end I got lucky.

What my dentist did was drill as far as he could and then they put in a temporary filling. He said if I did not experience any pain within the first few days--most likely-- he would be able to finish what he needed to drill out in 6weeks and put in a permanent filling---and that is what he ended up being able to do.

Maybe you could ask about trying that?

But if not, I do think Aegea is right, I have heard that a root canal isn;t really much different then having a cavity filled.

[metallion58]

Peach, you may want to wait until after your appointment to check it out.

[inkista]

Root canals, as a procedure, aren't painful. I've had them done (and redone) with just the local, and the procedure itself has always been much like getting a cavity filled, only it takes longer and is more involved, and then you have a temp crown and have to go back and get the real crown fitted. [Oh, and lucky me. I have a trick metabolism that burns through novacaine like nobody's business, and I've had to get shot up about three times during a simple cavity filling before the newer drugs came in.]

No, no.

The pain comes AFTER you have the root canal. And that all depends on how badly a shape the nerve was in. I've had completely painless root canals, because the nerve had rotted out, and there was basically nothing alive left to be scraped out of the canal. In that situation, I'd had a throbbing on-again/off-again tooth for months prior. I've had excruciating root canals, where the nerve was fine and healthy, but I'd cracked the tooth, so they had to scoop out a perfectly healthy nerve.

Those are the ones that are... er... not so pleasant and do the throb-until-you-can't-sleep thing. But. The pulpitis pain lessens steadily over time. The first 24-48 hours are the worst, but it gets better, and over-the-counter pain meds (I use Aleve) can blunt most of it. Avoid temperature extremes (i.e., drink warm/tepid water, not hot water or ice water) for those two days, and you'll be ok.

No, see, the nightmare is after they put a crown on, and THEN you need the root canal.... (yes, I have a filling in one of my crowns, or did, until the crown broke off with the stub, and the dentist had to make a new stub by trimming away my gum). Or after you've gone through all of that, and then it leaks... let me tell you my root canal retreat story... the one with the phrase "if that hadn't worked, they'd have had to peel your palate back..." in it.... Of course, I have coworkers who pshaw that story and begin with the phrase, "let me tell you about the time my implant went bad..."

Woman up. Get it over with. A root canal isn't even near the top in the dental horror story stakes.

[ArmySoldier777]

I need a root canal done too on one of my wisdom teeth. There's no question about it, you can just look at it and tell there's no saving it. An army dentist f'ed it up really bad doing a filling that fell right out. Wouldn't let them even touch my teeth after that. But now that I'm out, I keep putting it off even though it's as bad as it is. Luckily, there hasn't been any pain lol. But this post really hasn't made me want to go in anymore than I already did

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by inkista

Root canals, as a procedure, aren't painful. I've had them done (and redone) with just the local, and the procedure itself has always been much like getting a cavity filled, only it takes longer and is more involved, and then you have a temp crown and have to go back and get the real crown fitted. [Oh, and lucky me. I have a trick metabolism that burns through novacaine like nobody's business, and I've had to get shot up about three times during a simple cavity filling before the newer drugs came in.]

No, no.

The pain comes AFTER you have the root canal. And that all depends on how badly a shape the nerve was in. I've had completely painless root canals, because the nerve had rotted out, and there was basically nothing alive left to be scraped out of the canal. In that situation, I'd had a throbbing on-again/off-again tooth for months prior. I've had excruciating root canals, where the nerve was fine and healthy, but I'd cracked the tooth, so they had to scoop out a perfectly healthy nerve.

Those are the ones that are... er... not so pleasant and do the throb-until-you-can't-sleep thing. But. The pulpitis pain lessens steadily over time. The first 24-48 hours are the worst, but it gets better, and over-the-counter pain meds (I use Aleve) can blunt most of it. Avoid temperature extremes (i.e., drink warm/tepid water, not hot water or ice water) for those two days, and you'll be ok.

No, see, the nightmare is after they put a crown on, and THEN you need the root canal.... (yes, I have a filling in one of my crowns, or did, until the crown broke off with the stub, and the dentist had to make a new stub by trimming away my gum). Or after you've gone through all of that, and then it leaks... let me tell you my root canal retreat story... the one with the phrase "if that hadn't worked, they'd have had to peel your palate back..." in it.... Of course, I have coworkers who pshaw that story and begin with the phrase, "let me tell you about the time my implant went bad..."

Woman up. Get it over with. A root canal isn't even near the top in the dental horror story stakes.

WTH do you do in your spare time? bare-knuckle boxing?

[Doug Pardee]

I've had three root canals, all on lower molars, and never had a problem. The procedure is much like a filling, except that it takes a lot longer. I do get tired of holding my mouth open far enough for the dentist to reach the molars, but no big deal.

All-in-all, a root canal is pretty worthwhile in the long run. Unless it's for a third molar (wisdom tooth), which probably would best be removed instead.

A philosophical note: "Everything's temporary." There is no dental work that will last forever. Your goal is to make your teeth last as long as possible. Proper dental care is really the key to that. [Interestingly, it seems that it's also the key to prevention and to early detection of an increasing number of non-dental medical issues.]