Tell me about your root canal

In My Humble Opinion
1

Last year about this time I noticed I had a cavity in one of my teeth that needed to be filled so I set an appointment with the dentist for the first week in April. On April 1st I found out I was pregnant so I told them that on the paperwork you fill out when you go in for your appointment. They advised that they would clean my teeth but that they wouldn’t take any x-rays or fill any cavities because of potential harm to the baby and that I needed to wait until after the baby was born for all of that stuff. Now that I’m not pregnant any longer I went in last week to a brand new dentist (our insurance switched twice over the last year) to get all the x-rays and set up a time to finally fill my cavity only to be told that time had not been helpful with my situation and that now I have 2 other cavities and the original one from a year ago has since turned into a root canal situation.

Crud.

My dentist made sure I knew that they would give me laughing gas and a topical numbing gel on my gums before giving me a shot to numb me for the root canal which helped a lot but doesn’t undo all of the horror stories I’ve heard all my life about how terrifyingly painful root canals are. Genetically speaking my teeth are less than stellar so everyone in my mom’s side of my family has had at least one root canal and they all love to talk about how painful the experience was for them. My dentist is the polar opposite of Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors but I still worry. I figure dental care must have gotten significantly better over the years so the stories I remember from when I was a kid can’t be accurate any longer but I still can’t help imagining old-timey cowboy dentists giving you a slug of whiskey and yanking out your tooth with rusty pliers.

Has anyone had a root canal done recently? Was it easier than you expected? Is there anything I should know before hand that will make this whole process easier for me?

2

I have had about 4 over the past 15 years, and I had heard all the horror stories, too. Stories about something called dry socket were he worst. I don’t like going to the dentist and I don’t like pain. From my experience, it’s no worse than having a tooth filled. It just takes a lot longer. I don’t often say this, but it was a breeze. They put these small thin rubber sheets around your mouth to isolate the area in which they will be working, and I think I remember that they have something to keep your mouth open. They drill out the old filling, then look at the x-ray and at your mouth to see how many roots your tooth has.

They get rid of the roots, put something in their place, then get you set for your crown. After measuring they will put a temporary crown in and send you home. It’s nota quick procedure, and you will be bored to death, but that’s about it. If I had to have another I wouldn’t think twice about it.

I hope a dentist or someone more knowledgable about this corrects the errors!

3

My root canals were not done recently, but they were not out takes from The Little Shop of Horrors, either. The procedures were not fun, certainly, but they were more boring than painful. Now, my last dentist was always on his cell, talking to someone about his investments, and I didn’t appreciate that. I wanted him to pay attention to what he was doing, dammit!

If you have a way of playing music into some earphones, bring it. Just because the dentist needs to pay attention to what is going on doesn’t mean that YOU have to.

4

I have had several and it takes awhile but is no big deal. Really. I don’t even mind the shot(s). You dentist should tell uou if you feel ANY pain, stop me and I’ll give you more local anesthetic. When you’re done, don’t eat until all the numbness has worn off because you could bite the inside of your cheek. Trying to eat soup before the numbness has worn off is hilarious for others to watch, so if some kid in your family has a birthday, you could hire out as the entertainment to help defray the dental expense.

Dry socket is related to wisdom tooth extraction not root canals.

5

I’ve had two root canals, and I was sedated for both (I’m hard to freeze). I still felt some pain even with the sedation; I have no interest in trying a root canal without it.

6

I’ve had a couple. The only pain I remember feeling at all was when the dentist bumped the side of my mouth with whatever very hot tool she was using. I think once they get the roots out the canal has to be dried before they can put in the stuff to fill the space, and that’s what it was for. Not a big deal, but it jerked me out of my reverie. If it makes you feel any better, I dozed off during the first one I had.
My jaw was a bit sore afterward, from having my mouth open so far for so long, but only muscle soreness. In fact, the root canal was almost easier than a regular dentist visit because whatever device they used to hold my mouth open did all the work. I didn’t have to pay attention at all. No ‘turn toward me’, ‘open wider’, ‘close a little’ stuff going on.

7

Thank you! I’ve had those out, too, and the horror stories must have all run together!

8

I’ve had much experience with root canals and I can report no problems I wouldn’t have expected. They numb you and get to work, and it takes freaking forever get through things. I’ll assume that getting a root canal for you includes getting a crown, so it breaks into these steps*:

  1. They shoot you with whatever to numb you; 5 minutes to stick you with needles, then add 10-15 minutes or so you to get numb.
  2. They take an impression so a temporary tooth can be made until the crown is ready.
  3. Congrats, you’re numb, so no they drill into the tooth to expose the root, then clean it out. Add 30 minutes. Double-congrats, you have a dead tooth.
  4. Next they shape/wear down your tooth to accept a crown. When done, your tooth will be a stub that a crown (porcelain, gold, whatever) can be glued onto. Add 20-30 minutes.
  5. Next they do some work to push your gum back from the tooth so the next impression can be made. This involves wrapping a string soaked in noxious stuff around your tooth-stub, and pushing it into the gum to make it recede. Good thing you’re numb! Add 15 minutes.
  6. Another impression is made of your tooth in this final state, ready to get the new crown, whenever it’s ready. Add 15 minutes.
  7. Some cleanup work before you go home, but basically you’re finished until the crown comes in in 2-3 weeks.

What can you do beforehand? Bring an iPod and some headphones. And some patience.

  • I may be mixing up the order of some of these steps, but hopefully a dental person will be along to correct me. But this is more or less what happens.
9

Oh, you can get dry socket from ANY extraction, not just from a wisdom tooth extraction. I’ve had a dry socket, and I DO NOT recommend them.

10

I’ve had two and a half root canals. Yeah, you read that right. First one, turned out the tooth was cracked and wound up having to be yanked anyway a few months later.

Second one, I had done just under 5 years ago. Tooth never really got better, first endo suggested redoing the whole thing - for MORE money than the first one. I lived with it for 4ish years, then went to a different endo - who went in via the top as an exploratory, then said I should have a cone-beam X-ray (a sort of CT scan), and suggested going in via the side of the tooth. I’m pissed that he didn’t suggest the cone beam first - as it would have saved me a LOT of disruption (I have to take an oral sedative for these procedures).

So - that was 5+ months ago and the tooth still bugs me some… less than just before the procedure but still not good. In fact I was a little rude to the endodontist last Friday when I went in for a followup - culmination of extreme frustration that nobody could fix the problem but nobody would admit it was time to just yank the fucking thing.

OK - enough venting, more on the experiences themselves. Bear in mind, I’ve got a history of being EXTREMELY difficult to numb, even with multiple shots of anesthetic, so I’ve developed a pretty severe dental phobia. I had one crown done (2 dentists ago) and that was not too horrible, so when that tooth needed a RC, I very foolishly decided to just go for it. The first shot of novocaine was, to put it bluntly, nightmarish. I was screaming from the pain of that, and they offered me a sedative but I’d have to phone someone to drive me home. My hands were shaking so badly that I couldn’t dial the phone.

One sedative later, and the rest of the procedure went similarly badly - the sedative didn’t kick in until after it, and I was in pain the entire time.

So, a year or so later I switched dentists (long story with the old dentist botching something badly and costing my daughter a tooth). I was up-front with the new dentist - severe and well-earned phobia. She suggested a combination of an oral sedative AND nitrous oxide.

And it was beautiful. I don’t enjoy the sensation of nitrous, especially at first, but once it’s been onboard for a few minutes the dissociation is a little bit pleasant. I was in the chair for 5 hours getting multiple teeth crowned etc.

So, when I went to have a different molar RC’ed (same one I’m currently struggling with), I did the initial visit with the endo, confirmed that he did nitrous (different endo than the first disaster), mentioned I’d also have Halcion onboard; he was surprised (said he didn’t use that much), and I assured him he did NOT want me anything close to sober.

And it was fine. Even the novocaine shots were tolerable. He too used a numbing swab - though I don’t personally think that itself helps that much (the stuff doesn’t penetrate to where the needle goes). The procedure itself, I was at one point aware of something sorta-kinda thinking about starting to hurt - then it was over.

I’ve actually since had other dental work (fillings) with just nitrous / novocaine, which is a lot easier logistically than taking an oral sedative (can’t drive yourself after an oral sedative, CAN after nitrous). Of course, novocaine WORKS for him.

Typo Knig just had a root canal a couple weeks ago - without nitrous (which frankly HORRIFIED me) - I did a poll of some online friends who said “meh”, having had them with local and having the local work just fine.

Pain relief afterward: With my first one, and with Typo’s procedure last month, we were given scrips for Vicodin. I may have taken 2-3 of them, Typo didn’t take any. He just took ibuprofen (Advil etc.), as (I think) did I. With my others, I wasn’t offered (nor did I need) anything stronger than Advil or Tylenol.

11

I have had two.

In the first the nerve had actually died and was rotting in my head. The pain was so excrutiating I WANTED a root canal, like STAT (and I am a dental phobic person) and half my face was all swollen up. My dentist took one look at me and started calling in favors all over town to find a specialist who could take me right away without charging me on an “emergency” basis. Which was only one of several tremendously wonderful things about my old dentist.

ANYwho, I’m hard to numb and I found out later that the adrenalin of phobic experiences and the inflammation of the infection can both lead to the local anethetic wearing off too quickly… Which it did; they had to give me another shot in the middle of the procedure. So as not fun as that was, the entire experience was in total, a tremendous relief, because it felt like my face was going to explode beforehand.
Spoilered detail because its gross

When they opened up the tooth – the part where they usually “remove” the nerve – the remains of the nerve dripped out, with the most rank smell you could ever imagine. All I could think was OMG that foul goo was near my BRAIN.

The next one was not an emergency and I used the same office; they scheduled me for nitrous, as well as a series shots of local spaced at 5 minute intervals. That one went without a hitch, There really was no pain at all, I just got uncomfortable/gaggy at one point because it was waaay in the back of my mouth.

OH and “dry sockets” is wisdom teeth, not root canal. The tooth is still in the socket after a root canal; that’s the whole point.

12

I’ve had three, one was done a couple weeks ago (I’m waiting for the crown). The first was done many years ago and took forever, like several appointments. The second was just a few years ago and took only one session (except for coming back for the crown), and the latest was rather difficult, so it took two appointments. The worst part was the bad pain from aching teeth prior to the appointments. Other than being downright boring (I spent the last root canal practically upside down in the dentist chair for two hours), the procedures were (except for the novocaine shots) pretty much painless. (“How are you doing there, Sali?” “Oh, as well as can be expected, can we take a break soon so I can use your powder room?” lol.) I’ve had extensive dental work of all sorts done and will probably have more in the future, root canals, as the old fillings in the molars go bad. But that’s just me. I’ve never understood why root canals are regarded as so horrifying. Now, the cost - THAT is horrifying, and I’m certainly glad we have insurance. Otherwise I’d probably have a cheap set of dentures through the county by now! The dentist gave me an Advil in the office, but I never needed to take anything even with the others. (One dentist did give me a prescription for Vicodin which I had filled, but I saved those for a couple of years to use when my husband or I had real pain, like a wrenched back).

13

I had my first (I hope, only) one last fall. The second-worst part was the aggravation of making the appointments and just how it all dragged out.

The worst part was the endodontist my dentist referred me to. When she gave me his name, I googled him, and his web site said all kinds of stuff about his “spa-like atmosphere” with aromatherapy and mood-relaxing candles and the like.

I called a week in advance and told them that I could absolutely not tolerate any of that and asked for a note in my chart that there be no fragrance products of any kind in the treatment room. The woman I talked to agreed. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about the waiting room, and after half an hour in there, I had to ask them for some alcohol, gauze, and a Band-Aid so I could go in the bathroom and take a migraine shot. Not what you need when you’re going to have a root canal.

So I go in the room, which they have indeed cleared out of all the fragrance stuff, and they’re playing uptempo gospel, and the endodontist must have said “God bless you” twenty times. No exaggeration. Why are they all so religious? Hey, he’s got his hands and a drill in my mouth, so if it keeps him happy, I can tolerate it or use my iPod.

When I went back for my followup, they took me back right away, so no sitting in the waiting room, but somebody didn’t read the note on my file, because there was a giant candle reeking of some kind of floral fragrance, plus potpourri, plus some kind of solid deodorizer thing. I took one step in and said NO. All this has to go and you have to get some ventilation in here – I told you this in advance. They took all the stuff out and brought in a fan, which got most of the stench out but after a few minutes we were all freezing. Serves them right for not reading my chart.

The actual root canal wasn’t too bad.

14

I’ve had 3…the first 2 were pieces of cake, lower teeth…middle of the jaw…no problem!

The third was the root canal from HELL. Upper molar with 4 DEEP corkscrew looking roots. I was in the chair for 2 sessions of 2 hours each. He shot me with so much novacaine my forehead felt numb! AND I still had pain. I could feel the pain in my eye and my ear. Totally sucked!

I hope yours is like one of my first two!

15

I’ve had two. No pain whatsoever. The only discomfort is from having to keep your mouth open for a long time, and the whole saliva pooling thing which is a drawback of any lengthy dental procedure.

The most recent one took at least a couple of hours, as the tooth in question had a long quadruple root. To alleviate the boredom, I asked the dentist beforehand to give me occasional updates about what he was doing. I could sort of see a reflection of what he was doing in the glass of the lamp above my head, too, which was interesting.

You honestly don’t feel any pain, in my experience, other than the slight prick of the anaesthetic. Occasionally you can feel the vibrations of the drill and you start to think “This might hurt a lot if he hits a nerve that’s not blocked!” but that’s never happened to me.

16

The dentist inserted a hard rubber ‘bite block’ on the other side of my mouth to keep it propped open, and the assistant was right on the saliva problem with that little spit-sucking device. Oh, and they had a flat screen TV mounted over the chair! I could have watched ‘The View’ while they labored over my tooth!

17

It was everything I dreamed it would be, and more!

18

“The view” ? Ouch… they gave you novacaine to numb the pain…why would he inflict more on you?

19

Partially recovered dental phobic here.

Three root canalli over past 35 years (that I can remember), one on #18 (lower right middle molar). Also had some dental surgeries.

Apparently, fewer dentists use nitrous oxide (laughing gas) anymore. Something about tightened-up training and certification regulations. I think sometimes nitrous burned peoples brains if it wasn’t used carefully. Given a little xylocaine (well, actually a lot, maybe), I don’t feel any need for any kind of sedation any more.

The one 35 years ago (#10, upper front incisor) they said might last another 10 years before it flat out broke off or something. Wrong. It’s still all there in one piece, no crown needed yet.

I’ll agree with most nearly everything people have posted in this thread already:
– Once you get numbed up, it’s painless, even though it’s somewhat uncomfortable. Xylocaine actually works as advertised. Who’da thunk it?
– Yes, it takes a few hours. I wouldn’t say “boring” is quite exactly the right word. Not really a fun way to spend an afternoon, but not torture either. Just a lousy way to spend a day.
– If you insist on sedation (that is, actually being put to sleep), you will need someone to drive you home, and you will probably feel sick and crappy all day, and want to stay in bed.
– But if you only have nitrous oxide, or not even that, then you should be able to drive yourself home just fine right afterward, although you will probably feel exhausted the rest of the day and want to loaf and take it easy.
– Yes, just keeping your mouth wiiiiide open all that time will leave your mouth muscles stiff and sore. That “bite block” mentioned above will definitely help somewhat, as it holds your mouth open for you. But AFAIK, your dentist might use one only if you ask for it. I recommend it.
– Watching something on the tube, or listening to music through earphones MAY be available options at your dentist. That’s entirely up to you. I prefer quiet, so I always did without.
– They may have this new electronic X-ray-sort-of device that makes an image (on that same TV) in real-time. It supposedly zaps you with much SMALLER doses of X-rays than conventional film X-ray. So every few minutes the dentist stuck it in my mouth to look at the insides of my tooth to check his progress, and I could watch along too. (Kinda like the modern colonoscopies where it’s all there on TV for you to watch in real-time.)

– After you get home and all the xylocaine wears off, you might be sore for some time (like hours or days) afterward. They will warn you of this, and probably prescribe some strong pain-killer like aspirin-with-codeine. In my experience, this was never a significant problem, and I never used those pills. YMMV. (In my cases, two of those root canals also entailed surgery to rip out infected abcesses, which is an even lousier way to spend a day, and then a week with stitches in the gum. But even those cases treatments, it turned out, were no REALLY big sweat.)

Overall, my conclusion and recommendation is like everyone else is saying here: No big sweat, really. Assuming no special problems like sigmagirl and Ma Zappa had.

20

I’ll just make one minor correction to your post, Senegoid - xylocaine doesn’t work perfectly for everyone. I’ve had multiple procedures done without being completely frozen, and I have no intention of ever finding out if a root canal would be one of them.