Do root canals suck?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Do root canals suck? (Page 1 of 2)

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:21:17 AM EDT

Broke out an old giant filling the Air Force dental hobby shop put in years ago. My dentist is going to root canal the tooth and build it up then crown the top. What am i in for. Never had a root canal before.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:22:34 AM EDT

[#1]

Not too bad. Ask for the ha ha gas.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:22:34 AM EDT

[#2]

Depends on your dentist. Mine did a great job, I never even took any of the pain killers he prescribed. I was uncomfortable during the procedure, but it was all in my head. No pain at all.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:23:13 AM EDT

[#3]

no they tickle!

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:24:06 AM EDT

[#4]

You get a good dentist, it's not so bad.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:24:30 AM EDT

[#5]

Root canals are not to bad, needing one on the other hand...

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:24:48 AM EDT

[#6]

not to bad ask for nitrous

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:24:53 AM EDT

[#7]

I had 2 done, when I was a kid. Only anesthia used was a couple of shots. Pain wasn't that bad, though.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:24:59 AM EDT

[#8]

Be sure to ask him "Is it safe?" before he starts!

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:25:42 AM EDT

[#9]

Mine wasn't EVEN as bad as everyone made it sound.

I had a very good dentist though, it was a little uncomfortable but I've definitely had to endure worse pain.

I also did not need painkillers after.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:25:45 AM EDT

[#10]

Uncomfortable, but tolerable. The worst part is the smell of powdered tooth as they grind it away.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:26:39 AM EDT

[#11]

I have had a few of them. They aren't so bad. If you have a good dentist, you won't feel any pain.

The part that sucks the most on one of them I had done, the dentist was in the process of doing a filling and decided I needed a root canal instead. THAT hurt like a sumbitch.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:28:34 AM EDT

[#12]

I was doing fine until he stuck that pig tailed soldering iron in there to cauterize it. Of course I find my front teeth to be more sensitive than my rear teeth, like getting punched in the nose as opposed to on the shoulder.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:29:06 AM EDT

[#13]

My nerves were almost dead and I don't like being numb so I opted to have it done without novacaine. It was not bad at all. The worse part is the time it takes...usually 2 hours and your mouth is open the whole time. My endodontist had a nice flat screen that I was given the remote too. It really helps past the time -hopefully your dentist has a TV?

Afterward I never needed the painkillers. Root canals, if done by a professional are no worse than a filling, just a lot longer. I decided to pass on my dentist and go with an endodontist, who does nothing but root canals.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:30:35 AM EDT

[#14]

Shouldn't hurt at all. He's gonna numb the shit out of that tooth, so if you feel something, ask for more lidocaine.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:30:59 AM EDT

[#15]

The worst part is keeping your mouth open for so long. My jaw muscles hurt like hell by the end of it.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:31:13 AM EDT

[#16]

had one done about a month ago.

everyone made it seem like it was going to be horrible... i was worried.

my dentist is appearantly a rarity because I didnt feel any pain or discomfort thoughout the procedure...

...actually i was so comfortable i began to doze off... he had to nudge me and ask me to open my mouth wider

no painkillers afterwards, no discomfort following it either... i am a luckey man

<<< and my teeth look like this now!

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:33:09 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Depends on your dentist...

Very much so!

My first one was torture.

Second, later, one not so much. (different doc)

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:34:14 AM EDT

[#18]

I've had three.

I had one done that was bad. Dentist started out doing a regular filling and then decided to go all the way to root canal. It hurt.

One other only hurt a little, and I needed lots of Motrin afterwards.

The last one I had was done by an endodontist, and it was no biggie. Didn't hurt at all while he was doing it, was done relatively quickly, and only needed Motrin for a few days for the soreness.

Most docs will prescribe Vicodin (or some other narcotic), but I hate them. I'd rather stick with the Tylenol and Motrin. They seem to control the soreness just fine, as long as you stay on top of it.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:35:49 AM EDT

[#19]

I have had 4.

Normally. The Novocaine injections are the most painful part. Keeping your mouth open that long hurts your jaw some.

The absolute fucking worst was when the infection was so bad Novocaine wasn't working. I had at least 9 Novocaine injections over a 45 minute period with no effect. I had to undergo 45 minutes of drilling, needle filling, etc. I unbelievably painful.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:36:41 AM EDT

[#20]

One thing I forgot to mention: The tooth will be sore for a couple of days later. This is due to the ligaments that hold the tooth in place having been tugged/stretched during the root canal procedure. It's not the tooth itself, because it doesn't have any more nerves in it. Goes away quickly though.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:38:18 AM EDT

[#21]

few years ago,, maybe 10 or so,,, I was in need of one... I asked the Doc what are my choices.. $600 root canal or $125 tooth yank.. I took the extraction.. never regreted it.. used the other $475 and bought ammo.. had a great weekend..

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:38:23 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:

Depends on your dentist. Mine did a great job, I never even took any of the pain killers he prescribed. I was uncomfortable during the procedure, but it was all in my head. No pain at all.

same here wasn't bad at all although I had to take antibiotics.

getting one pulled is way worse, b/c as soon as the numbness wears off it hurts like a bitch.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:40:42 AM EDT

[#23]

Not if you let the nerve endings in there all die out first!

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:41:53 AM EDT

[#24]

they used.

the last 2 i had <same time> didn't bother me a bit. soon as the anesthetic wore off my jaw more sore than anything else.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:45:33 AM EDT

[#25]

I've had two.

The root canals themselves are nasty but not as nasty as what needs to have the root canal done to it.

Posted: 11/3/2009 7:58:53 AM EDT

[#26]

I have had 2 and it never bothered me.

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:13:42 AM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:

Not too bad. Ask for the ha ha gas.

+1 Nitrous Oxide is a nice thing to have when you get your teeth worked on.

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:17:17 AM EDT

[#28]

With a root that is not inflamed or absesced, I actually hurt less AFTER the root canal than before it. Never took the pain killers. Was like having a big cavity done with my mouth open for a long time.

With an absese (sp?) under a cavity? Great pain before, and it continued after - Vicadin kiiled the pain but I sure didn't like how I felt when I took them (maybe took 3 or 4 before (waiting for the endodontrisistysoundng guy appointment, someone spelled it right above) and after). Had two done on adjacent teeth that time.

My experience? If you hurt beforehand you will continue to hurt while the pencilllin kills the problem. If you don't hurt now? Just a lot of drilling, but not ridiculus pain. The crown will take several followup appointments.

Try NOT to take the viocadin if you can, they made me all

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:19:38 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:
Be sure to ask him "Is it safe?" before he starts!

I think I'd avoid "Marathon Man Dental Associates " like the fucking plague!

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:20:57 AM EDT

[#30]

Yup

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:25:24 AM EDT

[#31]

I've only had one.
Didn't know I needed one until halfway through another procedure. Dentist informed me that it needed to be done. 15 minutes later I asked him if I needed to schedule another appointment to get that done and he looked at me kind of funny.
"I just finished it", was his reply.
It was no big deal at all.

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:28:36 AM EDT

[#32]

I have a infected, broken filling(USN-1992) in a molar. Hurt bad last week, I am on my sixth day of Cipro. I have a very real fear of dentist, so it has been 14 years since I visited last. The years of neglect have caught up. I plan on pre- medicating with 1mg xanax, 10 mg Endocet anything wrong with pre medicating?

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Posted: 11/3/2009 8:50:23 AM EDT

[#33]

My dentist sent me to a Doc who pretty much only does root canals. No pain at all, not during, after or the day after. He even gave me his home phone number and cell in case of problems.

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:55:38 AM EDT

[#34]

My dentist is awesome, and with the help of my iPod and some N20, I actually enjoyed it.

I managed to avoid the dentist for like 15 years, and once I was finally trapped and drug into a DDS office, I found I needed 4 root canals. I was like "this is why I stayed away for 15 years! Nooooo!!!" But it really wasn't bad.

Just make sure you have a young Dentist who got out of DDS school in the last decade or so. They'll know the newest and best techniques...

Posted: 11/3/2009 8:55:55 AM EDT

[#35]

I've had one done - it wasn't bad. The worst part was just how long it took. Wasn't particularly painful. Having my impacted wisdom teeth removed was far, far worse.

-Mark

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:12:28 AM EDT

[#36]

The novacaine will numb you out during the process, you will feel pressure but not the actual pain, if everything goes along to the plan.
Your jaws will be soar and tired, ask for a bite block. Our jaws are design to bite down not open, a bite block will let you bit e down on the block, and keep your mouth open for the dental work.
The joker: Your nerve refuse to numb out during the nerve extraction part of the operation.
You will actually feel the vibration and translate to pain when the dentist is grinding away the tooth. The only option then is for the dentist to quickly gain access to the nerve and put a shot of novacaine right on the nerve. Ohh what a feeling. Had that happened to me twice, no amount of laughing gas helps.

The worse part if everything goes to plan:
Once the novacaine wears out, you can really feel the soar jaw, and the missing nerve for a day or so, then it should be gone.

Good luck.

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:13:47 AM EDT

[#37]

mine wasn't nearly as bad as i expected. a little soreness (not even worth taking tylenol for) was about it.

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:14:29 AM EDT

[#38]

Depends on the state of the nerve. He tested the nerve beforehand Mine was dead, so no novocaine and I was fine (and I'm no John Wayne either). Actually the test on a tooth with a live nerve hurt more than the procedure.

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:15:55 AM EDT

[#39]

Worst part is writing the check.

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:16:49 AM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:
Shouldn't hurt at all. He's gonna numb the shit out of that tooth, so if you feel something, ask for more lidocaine.

I apperently have a high tolerence to that stuff. After the 9th shot they gased me. I still felt it, but I didnt care

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:29:57 AM EDT

[#41]

Mine wasn't bad at all. Went from the dentists office straight back to work where I had to talk to people the rest of the day. No pain whatsoever and I had to wait until I got home to take the good pain pills.

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:35:50 AM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:
Depends on your dentist. Mine did a great job, I never even took any of the pain killers he prescribed. I was uncomfortable during the procedure, but it was all in my head. No pain at all.

This.

Mine was was an upper molar, so the noise of the file was something else...

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:38:48 AM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
Broke out an old giant filling the Air Force dental hobby shop put in years ago. My dentist is going to root canal the tooth and build it up then crown the top. What am i in for. Never had a root canal before.

Worst part is getting numbed up. No pain at all, don't sweat it.

Honestly, not to freak you out, but the worst thing psychologically is the smell. Burning bone is the best I can describe it

You'll love your crown though. Feels so nice after living with a troubled tooth.

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:39:15 AM EDT

[#44]

I didn't get the gas. It was uncomfortable but not too painful. The worst part I remember was that I wasn't responding as much as normal to the novacaine shots so she put one DEEP in there and that hurt like a mother.

Posted: 11/3/2009 9:45:37 AM EDT

[#45]

the only bad part on mine was when they tried to x-ray to make sure he had gone far enough down.... I hate dental x-rays

Posted: 11/3/2009 10:17:08 AM EDT

[#46]

I had one, not bad at all. I think people make them sound worse than they are.

My Dentist's biggest concern when we made the root canal appointment was that I would go home and "google" root canal and get too scared to come back for the appointment. So DO NOT google "root canal" and you will be fine.

Posted: 11/3/2009 10:38:55 AM EDT

[#47]

I had one a few years ago and it wasn't bad at all right up until the point that he drilled into a live nerve.

Posted: 11/3/2009 1:44:46 PM EDT

[#48]

Quoted:
ask for nitrous

Fuck that shit!

I had a root canal about this time last year; an abscess at the tip of the root was inflamed and hurt like hell... the lidocane shot was bliss. The next day it kind of ached and I was very swollen (to the point it was pushing one of my eyes closed), but it subsided after that.

Of couse, the root canal didn't fix the underlying problem; had to get an apicoectomy. Should have just done that to begin with––it hurt less.

+1 on the advice to go straight to an endodontist––if you're anywhere near Savannah, I can give you a recommendation.

Posted: 11/3/2009 1:48:37 PM EDT

[#49]

They SUCK, imagine shoving a 2x4 in your bellybutton and having it come out your pooper. Use the gas

Posted: 11/3/2009 1:50:28 PM EDT

[#50]

PAIN

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Do root canals suck? (Page 1 of 2)

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