dancer67 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) I have never had a root canal before. My daughter did. She said it hurt so bad she cried. I have a molar on the top right. It is my last molar up top. I already have a big filling there. I now have a hole in that tooth. I went to the dentist today to have another tooth filled and he saw this. He poked it with the metal hook thingie, and asked me if I felt that. I didn't. Said he was surprised I didn't feel that. I didn't. So I know the tooth needs a crown without a doubt. I already have two crowns in my mouth. One lower molar on left, and one canine on top right. Neither one needed a root canal. BUT, the bottom molar that I had crowned needed a pulpotomy and that really hurt. So if that hurt THAT bad, I can imagine what a root canal would feel like. It petrifies me. So this top tooth is my last molar and it may need a root canal. I won't know for a few weeks. I really want to keep this tooth. But all I hear is that root canals hurt really bad. If I had another molar I would just pull this. But I can't. What says the hive? Tell me the truth. Edited March 22, 2011 by dancer67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I had a partial root canal when I was in my early teens. I don't remember it hurting. I do remember that I was doped to the gills since I had (and still have) such a dentist phobia. I had to have Valium just so my mom could get me from the house to the car. So, no I didn't feel a thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitten18 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I had my first root canal in October (have several crowns) on that same tooth you are describing. It was fine, I had ZERO pain. It's a fairly long process, about 2.5 hours I think. I took my ipod and listened to an audio book. My dentist gave me a Rx for a few tablets of Vicodin but I didn't even have it filled. I think they gave me some ibuprofen before I left the office, then I took a couple more doses at home and that was all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) I've had 4 of them. My main problem was my jaw getting tired of being open so long. It wasn't painful. My endodondist game me tylenol 4, but I didn't take it (or anything else). Edited March 22, 2011 by Mrs Mungo changing the mistyped 5 to a 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam Wilhelm Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I've had 4 of them. My main problem was my jaw getting tired of being open so long. It wasn't painful. My endodondist game me tylenol 5, but I didn't take it (or anything else). Ditto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReneTL Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I've had several. Usually the pain is caused by the abscess, not the procedure. It sounds like the nerves have "died", so you shouldn't have too much pain, other than the sore jaw already mentioned. Good luck, Rene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Nope....zero pain. The most uncomfortable part was my sore jaw from holding my mouth open so long. Oh yeah, I did nearly die of boredom. :D Afterwards all I took was one regular strength Motrin one time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Oh, and I forgot to add that I'm the worlds biggest baby when it comes to pain....and I felt nothing. That's saying something for me lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simka2 Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 Afterwards didn't hurt, but during was so uncomfortable...that it hurt. I have TMJ as well so it adds to the jaw pain. I would make sure I was really doped up on drugs if I had to do it again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 I wonder why my daughter cried? Although she said she had tooth pain. I have no pain at all. So if my nerves are already dead, why would I need a root canal? I will make sure I am numbed up good, that's for sure!!! I have had SO much dental work but so far I have been lucjy with the root canal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I can't answer your questions (previous post) but I always have the nitrous oxide when I have a lot of dental work done. No pain at all. I've had 2 root canals and two deep cleanings. I have 3 crowns and need 3 more (and the moral is--make sure your kids brush AND floss....). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 I actually fell asleep during my root canal. The light was so bright, I closed my eyes. No pain at all. He told me I might need to take ibuprofrin afterwards, but I didn't have any discomfort at all. Painless experience. Now, there was some pain to my wallet, but that is another story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 Pain in the wallet. THAT I know about for sure!! As long as I am numbed up well, I don't care what they do in my mouth. Those crowns are big $$$$$. And I have no insurance. This will be my third one, and I still need two more. :confused: Oh, and don't ever let your kids drink soda or sugary drinks. My mother let me do this as a kid and I am paying for it now.:001_huh: Okay, so root canal doesn't sound horrific then. Thanks.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 :grouphug: The first time my dentist said I needed one, I cried, because I had heard so many terrible stories. But it was nothing. Maybe it was because he sent me to a specialist? I don't know, but it was easy peasy. The second one was not so easy, but that was because there was some infection in the tooth. It wasn't the procedure itself that was bad, KWIM? In fact, I felt a great deal of relief afterwards, even though there was some residual infection, which cleared up in a few days with antibiotics. At any rate, I no longer fear root canals, although I would sure like to never have to experience one again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Well, I did experience some pain. I went in for an emergency root canal. I was to get a crown, but as they were getting my tooth prepped for it, they discovered an exposed root. The pain from that was pretty bad so I was sent to the endo. Once I got numbed I was fine, and that first half of the procedure went well. I didn't experience pain from that except for the tired jaw others have mentioned. However, the second half was a bit more painful for me. I think I had to take Tylenol (it works better for me than ibuprofen) and it hurt for a couple of days. Not so much that I was brought to tears, though. And I was more miserable with the exposed root prior to the root canal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Yes, much pain. Not as much pain as I was in before I went in for the root canal, though- that was mind-numbing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I've had two root canals. I'm such a big dental wimp that I went 7 years without going to the dentist because we moved and I was scared about going to a new dentist. I remember my jaw being sore from being open so far for so long, but I didn't have any pain from the procedure itself. After the root canal was finished, I went right out to get a burger and didn't have any problems eating it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 Mine was not bad, but I had it done by an endodontist who does them all day long, so it took maybe 60-90 min. (The crown prep was a separate event at the dentist, a few days later.) A year or so later I had to have a second one, and I wasn't even terrified. I also take very nice meds before major dental work. (2 Xanax + 600 mg ibuprofen.) That means someone has to drive me, but it's so worth it. :) FWIW, my regular dentist told me, "I can do them no problem, but it'll take me 4 hours. . . It'd take Dr. Specialist an hour or so." Given my experience, I'd not have it done at a regular dentist, just at an endodontist. . . I've had crown preps that were worse than the root canals, for sure. Once you're well numbed up, it's no biggie. (That might be the xanax remembering, though, lol. . .I wouldn't try it w/o xanax.) Oh, also, the pain from having a bad tooth (the ones that needed the root canals) was much worse than any pain from the procedures. If you have a bad tooth, you know real pain. The dental work ain't nothing compared to that. . . so long as it is done well. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sugarfoot Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I took something before I got there, I can't remember what it was, but my endodontist prescribed it. By the time I got into the chair, I was very...relaxed.;) Mine used a wedge-shaped thing that fit between my upper and lower teeth on the opposite side of where the work was being done. That let my mouth relax through the procedure, and I didn't have any jaw pain. Good luck with everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funschooler5 Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I was very worried about getting my root canal, but I had zero pain. The dentist gave me 3 shots of Novocaine(sp?) in different areas of my mouth, and after that I felt nothing. And I am a big baby when it comes to going to the doctor or dentist. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted March 23, 2011 Share Posted March 23, 2011 I went through my last one with nothing more than novacaine and it didn't hurt at all. I am a wimp about any pain in the head too. An ear ache or tooth ache is almost as bad as a kidney stone or giving birth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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