Wellness

[Carmie]

I had one root canal.  It was done by an endodontic dentist  and not my regular dentist. It didn’t hurt at all.

i just sat in the chair with my mouth wide open and he put what looked like picks into my tooth and twirled them.  My mouth got a little tired of being open so long, but other than that, it was a piece of cake.

BTW, my mouth is very small and difficult to work in, and the tooth in question is the last molar on the bottom left, so I really had to force my mouth to be as open and wide as I could get it.

If any dentistry hurts, change dentists.  Sometimes some procedures are a tad uncomfortable ( mostly due to can’t swallow or holding mouth open, etc. ) but they should not be painful.

[wonderfulworld]

Also, you need to wear a bite splint at night so you do not wear your teeth down. You can try one from the drugstore but the best come from the dentist. You will sleep better too because there will be less stress on your jaw. I have worn one to sleep for 35 years. 

[Oznell]

@Julie928, I have had root canal, as well as having crowns done.  Do you know for sure what remedy would be recommended for your particular situation?  Am so sorry you had that traumatic experience at the dentist.  No wonder you are anxious.  I do suspect the treatment for this though will not be as drastic as you might think right now.

I have a cracked back wisdom tooth on the left side that gives me a shooting pain at times when I bite down.  My dentist has recommended that I have it taken out by a dental specialist since it is just a wisdom tooth.

I haven't had major (or much of any pain) involved with my procedures, even root canal.  The worst that happens to me is that my jaw gets horribly fatigued by trying to hold it wide open for long periods while they work.  That was solved by the little "resting" clamp they can put in, which simply keeps your mouth open for you, so you don't have the stress of doing it yourself.

Do talk to your dentist about the best option and what you can expect.  If you don't have confidence in your dentist, it might be worth going to another.  There are some wonderful, sensitive and compassionate ones out there.

Hugs and hope you feel better SOON.

[ScrapHappy]

I just had a root canal last Thursday.  I first went to a dentist who sent me to a specialist, an Endodonist, who only does root canals.  This was my second root canal.  I had my first done over 20 years ago.  I would say my first root canal was more painful than the second.  I don't know if it's because I went to a specialist this time or it's something else.  I did not feel anything this second time around.  They really numbed that area well.  I know sometimes you can get something for the anxiety prior to the procedure, like Valium or Xanax perhaps, but I didn't take it.  I don't like going to the dentist either but, as you know, the pain is horrible.  I wouldn't wait long to get it checked out.  I did for the second one and the roots were necrotic.  With my second root canal, I also chipped the tooth (on the side).  I go for the crown this Thursday, back to regular dentist for that because an Endodonist only does root canals.  I did not have dental insurance with my first root canal and I do remember it was costly.  The root canal and crown was over $2000 and that was a long time ago.  I have dental insurance now and made sure I went to an in network provider.  I paid $75 for co-pay and $225 for the root canal.  The office should be able to tell you what your costs will be ahead of time.  Mine did.  I'll get the exact number next week for the crown but approximate cost of the crown is $1000 and my insurance pays 60% of that.  I used maximum strength orajel until I had the root canal.  It helped.  That and what is called a first aid kit for tooth ache.  It's found in the dental care aisle.  Both worked well for me.  I can't stress enough to get it looked at and fixed as soon as you can.  The longer you wait, the more damage will happen (like what I did with the roots turning necrotic).  It's all about saving the tooth and doing as little work as possible ASAP.  Good luck.

[cherry]

Tell the dentist how frightened you are. They will give you gas to relax you. It will make it so easy  . It will seem like it has only been a few minutes  you were worked on. The gas won't hurt you ,or make you sick..

[QVCFanfromLongIsland]

I also cracked a tooth and it was on a labor day weekend and had to wait till Tuesday to go to the dentist! I personally think dentistry today is pain free.  I had a root canal for that cracked tooth and did not experience any pain at all.  I too was nervous about it but relieved the experience was not as bad as you think.  You will get through this .  Feel better!

[Janey2]

Unfortunately I have had many root canals. Once it’s numb you won’t feel a thing. If you are really nervous go to an oral surgeon that will knock you out. The only thing I will tell you is do not ignore a broken tooth. I had one and it never hurt so I ignored it. Months later I got an infection and that was a mess to deal with. What hurts most is the cost of a root canal. Don’t be so sure you need one until you visit the dentist. 

[Abrowneyegirl]

I completely understand, I hate the dentist- just the sounds and smells in the start my pulse racing that combined with a strange phobia of needles is a bad combo.

I have had root canels done they were done by an Endodonist and I have to say they were EASIER and less painful than having a cavity filled.

Good luck!

[shoppersince1989]

I've lost count.

I go to a specialist.  Root canals is all he does, so he's really good.

He's actually a funny guy, but very informative.  Tells me exactly what's going on.

It takes awhile, and your mouth will be sore from being open sooooo long.  

Last year I had a repeat root canal (through a crown).  

Since the root was already dead, no pain.

I did not have any pain killer.

You'll be fine, don't worry.

[makena]

Putting it off will only make matters worse.

Most of my teeth have had root canals.  I've had very bad teeth all my life.  Toothaches since I was in second grade.  Some hurt, some didn't.  Depends on the tooth.  Some teeth have more than one root, some are deeper than others, and a good dentist helps.