Current Events > Getting a root canal tomorrow morning

(+) Yeah! (+)

Not worried at all, supposed to be a painless procedure with maybe some minor discomfort a few hours afterwords. It will be worth it to get this fucking tooth straightened out. Been hurting like a mother for a week now.

Anybody here had a root canal? How was?
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Are you opting for anesthesia or numbing?

I'd imagine numbing, in which case.. do not let them begin the procedure until you are completely numb in that area. If they poke the area and you still feel stuff, demand more.
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yeah had one a few months back, its fine.

they numb the shit out of your jaw.

you will feel pulling and digging a bit but there really isn't much pain.

honestly the other side of my jaw hurt a lot more because of the mouth block they put in while they work on the root.

Had minor discomfort for a few hours afterwards (took some aleve) and it was fine.

You'll have to go back for the crown at a later date im guessing.

I had one attempted once. They couldn't numb it and kept drilling down into the tooth. I pushed them away and walked out bleeding everywere. I went somewhere else and got knocked out and had it pulled. It was a wisdom tooth so I didn't care. But yeah, if things go south, you're in for the worst day of your life.
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It's more annoying than painful. Hopefully it doesn't take forever
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Robin_Dude posted...

Are you opting for anesthesia or numbing?

I'd imagine numbing, in which case.. do not let them begin the procedure until you are completely numb in that area. If they poke the area and you still feel stuff, demand more.

Yeah, numbing. I'ma make sure I can't feel a damn thing. And I'm gonna make sure before we even start the procedure that I'm guaranteed a prescription for vicodin or something with similar strength. I have to go straight to work afterwards and I'm NOT dealing with pain while there.
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JSancton posted...

It's more annoying than painful. Hopefully it doesn't take forever

yeah the time is by far the worst part. they usually take 2 to 3 hours.

I had one about a month ago with two fillings. They knocked me out for it. I don't remember anything except a few mins of the car ride home and waking up in my bed.

Took less than a minute for them to put me under and I didn't feel anything, not even after waking up.
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i had one like 2 years ago and got numbed. it took like 2.5 hours. whole time with some wire thing in your mouth to keep your mouth open and dried up. didn't really feel pain but you do feel them tugging and drilling. expect to see a lot of blood. then after you're jaw is super sore from being held open for so long. it was sore for a few days after. i took a Vicodin or something after that my mom gave me and that helped til it wore off.

i wouldn't recommend going to work after. be better to at least take that night off IMO. i just had the 1 night off after and went back to work the next morning. like yea you probably could work after but you probably won't feel like being stuck there for like 8 hours.

NOM posted...

Robin_Dude posted...

Are you opting for anesthesia or numbing?

I'd imagine numbing, in which case.. do not let them begin the procedure until you are completely numb in that area. If they poke the area and you still feel stuff, demand more.

Yeah, numbing. I'ma make sure I can't feel a damn thing. And I'm gonna make sure before we even start the procedure that I'm guaranteed a prescription for vicodin or something with similar strength. I have to go straight to work afterwards and I'm NOT dealing with pain while there.

If anything the area will just be sore. Over the counter Advil and Tylenol should be enough. You don't want to end up looking like an addict!

ItsYourFault posted...

You'll have to go back for the crown at a later date im guessing.

Yeah don't forget this. Ideally a root canal treated tooth should be crowned within 3 months. Otherwise it can get reinfected and/or the tooth may simply break.
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As said, the only thing that sucks is holding your mouth open. Think mine took an hour, maybe 1 1/2. Longest I had to keep my mouth open was like 25 min.

If you're getting a shot near the back of your mouth, breath in while they do it. Literally won't be able to feel it.
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advances in pain management made the experience better for the shot. they use lidocaine wipe which eases the pain from injection but its still pretty bad in the gum.

though the root canal i had on my tooth only lasted 10 years before it broke apart :( because of some pizza.
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mario masta posted...

Yeah don't forget this. Ideally a root canal treated tooth should be crowned within 3 months. Otherwise it can get reinfected and/or the tooth may simply break.

My brother had this happen to him. The dentist forgot to follow-up with him to crown his tooth.

He went in for tooth pain, iirc the tooth had died and exploded when they tried to extract it. That was the first time I'd seen him sobbing in pain in literally years.
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Robin_Dude posted...

He went in for tooth pain, iirc the tooth had died and exploded when they tried to extract it. That was the first time I'd seen him sobbing in pain in literally years.

Extracting root canal treated teeth can be a bitch. They almost always break apart.
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Robin_Dude posted...

mario masta posted...

Yeah don't forget this. Ideally a root canal treated tooth should be crowned within 3 months. Otherwise it can get reinfected and/or the tooth may simply break.

My brother had this happen to him. The dentist forgot to follow-up with him to crown his tooth.

He went in for tooth pain, iirc the tooth had died and exploded when they tried to extract it. That was the first time I'd seen him sobbing in pain in literally years.

yep one is pretty miserable when under tooth pain. cant sleep which it doesn't help situation.
didn't want to deal with anyone as the pain waves started in motion.
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Make sure to get two shots of Novocaine if you're not sure. I've tried it with one in the two times I've had to have root canals done and it just doesn't work for me. I can still feel everything and it's absolutely miserable.

There's the tiny awful drill that you can feel going into the tooth, then the big giant one that feels like your tooth will literally crack open because it feels like it's way too big for it. It's not so bad after those two but those are excruciating.

I don't handle pain well and I actually cried after having one done. It was absolutely horrible and I can vividly remember the pain. Actually, I still routinely have nightmares about having it done and wake up in a cold sweat with my tooth throbbing simply from having nightmares over those bloody drills, even though it's been years since I've had it done.

Just...make sure you have enough Novocaine. One shot works for some but won't numb others. You want to be certain that you're fully numb.
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How did it go?
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dotsdfe posted...

Make sure to get two shots of Novocaine if you're not sure. I've tried it with one in the two times I've had to have root canals done and it just doesn't work for me. I can still feel everything and it's absolutely miserable.

There's the tiny awful drill that you can feel going into the tooth, then the big giant one that feels like your tooth will literally crack open because it feels like it's way too big for it. It's not so bad after those two but those are excruciating.

I don't handle pain well and I actually cried after having one done. It was absolutely horrible and I can vividly remember the pain. Actually, I still routinely have nightmares about having it done and wake up in a cold sweat with my tooth throbbing simply from having nightmares over those bloody drills, even though it's been years since I've had it done.

Just...make sure you have enough Novocaine. One shot works for some but won't numb others. You want to be certain that you're fully numb.

what kinda shitty dentist did you go to?
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nevershine posted...

I had one about a month ago with two fillings. They knocked me out for it. I don't remember anything except a few mins of the car ride home and waking up in my bed.

Took less than a minute for them to put me under and I didn't feel anything, not even after waking up.

I have money saved just for incase i need root canal done in the future. I'm not going to be awake for that, because i have extreme fear of any dental work on me. I think the worst part is that it takes so long, and being even 5 min there is too much for me. I would literally rather take a hammer and smash my big toe with it than get cavity filled.

Hell, i' considering saving enough money to get knocked out and pay for all dental work i need while i'm out. I would need like 2k though, maybe more.

Now, about tc's question. I know four people who had root canal before, and all said it went smooth, no pain at all.
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To everyone saying they're terrified of dental work, if you brush your teeth twice a day, floss once a day, receive your six month cleaning and check ups, and get minor dental fillings taken care of, you'll likely avoid any big treatment like extractions and root canals. Other than wisdom teeth extractions of course, but you're often sedated for those.
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mario masta posted...

How did it go?

Went fine. Most painful part was a sore jaw from having to hold my mouth open for an hour, lol.

I felt little to no pain during the actual procedure. I can feel the big hole with the temporary filling in my tooth with my tongue, and it's kind of annoying. Gotta schedule an appointment with my dentist to get a permanent filling. Along with a ton of other dental work I'm gonna need. R.I.P. wallet :(
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