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I have had 2 root canals. Neither were painful at all. Before the first one, I had a badly abscessed tooth. Now that was painful, but the root canal was nothing.
I've had several over the years. Ther first one took like four trips years ago. Now days its usually two trips with the last only to put the permanant filling or if a cap is involved three. I had one that was a so called hot tooth which had to be packed to kill the nerve and then was finished the next trip. My wife just had her first awhile back and she frankly said that people have way over stated the procedure as being bad.I agreee taht the open your mouth that long is the hardest past but the dentist can give you time to work the jaw it really helps.
My mother has had two root canals and went to a regular dentist and said it took 3 or 4 visits and that it took a long time each visit, but then for the next one she went to an endodontist and it was done in one visit and only took 45 minutes.
I will definitely be going to an endodontist. I'm just still kind of scared, mainly because I'm just worried about not being able to swallow and then panicking. I'm also worried about swallowing or aspirating the bleach.
To put your mind at ease, you are probably more likely to aspirate bleach at the swimming pool or cleaning your bathroom than you are during a root canal. When I worked for an endo, we filled the irrigating syringes with a solution of 3/4 water and 1/4 bleach. You get about 25 cc in one syringe. The dentist uses what is literally DROPS of the diluted solution. You'll be okay, really.
As far as not swallowing, I understand, because I was worried about the same thing... I would recommend NOT asking for a bite block (the rubber wedge). It's harder to keep your mouth open without it, but much easier to swallow.
Root canals all depend on the person doing it as well as the patient.
I always have problems. The dentist will never totally close it up, he uses something temporary that I can pick out to relieve pressure. I usually always get an infection/throbbing.
I've never had the dental dam and I'm not sure how I'd like that as I slightly gag when having work done.
As for tasting stuff, that also depends how good good the assistant is.
I've had some nasty tastes in my mouth from root canals as well as getting a post & crown. One taste was very bitter, like putting car battery acid in my mouth.
Fact is that you need this done either now or later.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kibblesandbits
But my biggest fear is the whole swallowing thing. I remember about 5 years ago when I got my upper wisdom teeth taken out with only local--the scariest part was after the injections my upper palate was numb so my swallowing got all messed up, and I started to panic. I am worried that the injections they will be doing for my lower molar will cause me to not be able to swallow--because when this happens I start to panic.
I guess I'm also worried about not being able to swallow during the procedure in general--because then I start to panic.
I'm also pretty concerned about my TMJ--I have really bad TMJ.
I am definitely going to an endodontist.
My molars were all trashed by the time I was an adult due to lack of dental care as a kid. I had large fillings in them, the teeth eventually fell apart. It wasn't worth root canaling them so I had them all pulled.
I know what you're talking about with not being able to breathe as my throat felt like it closed up when I went in last time. The dentist did the shots different. Tell them about it.
Definitely go to an endodontist--not your regular dentist! The endodontist will do it in less than 45 mins---with the dentist, it takes several visits! There's a price difference, but, Oh MAN, is it worth it!
It doesn't hurt---they numb you.
I agree, my first was my regular dentist, the next was an endo...much better.
To put your mind at ease, you are probably more likely to aspirate bleach at the swimming pool or cleaning your bathroom than you are during a root canal. When I worked for an endo, we filled the irrigating syringes with a solution of 3/4 water and 1/4 bleach. You get about 25 cc in one syringe. The dentist uses what is literally DROPS of the diluted solution. You'll be okay, really.
As far as not swallowing, I understand, because I was worried about the same thing... I would recommend NOT asking for a bite block (the rubber wedge). It's harder to keep your mouth open without it, but much easier to swallow.
25CC syringe?? We use 10CC syringes and I thought those were big!
I agree with the previous posters about seeing an endo. Just last year my regular dentist did a root canal and it abscessed and had to be removed. Over a grand later and multiple courses of antibiotics for a hole in my head, not my idea of money well spent.
I have been through 'root canal hell' recently ... I was involved in an accident and ended up with some problems with my teeth ... 1/13/09 rear molar ... 2/11/09 tooth #9 my front tooth ... 2/24/09 tooth #7 ... one more to go next week ... they all have temporary fillings as I will go back to my regular dentist to complete the work.
I am seeing a great endodontist that my dentist recommended. I have had no problems whatsoever. I didn't use the bite block and I was able to swallow. Just don't panic ... stay calm ... that is what I have to do.
No pain for me in any of the three I've had so far ... the lower molar took longer over an hour but only required one visit. The second visit took 45 minutes and the last trip was one hour.
There was a bitter taste for a minute but it passes ... I did have an awful taste in my mouth after the last one ... but that went away later in the evening.
The rubber dam isn't bad and he has used them on each tooth ... it's better then something accidentally falling in your mouth.
I was really dreading the whole ordeal ... I had a root canal a long time ago and it took 4 visits which was aggravating but this endo is great. If your dentist recommends someone ... check them out ... talk to friends and co-workers. Of course you can always go the nitrious route and it won't really matter what the endo does.
Is it as bad as everyone says? Can you comment specifically about:
-having to keep your mouth open that long
-can you swallow throughout the procedure
-pain
-rubber dam--is this scary
-the use of bleach to irrigate the canals--did you taste this?
-x-rays taken during procedure
-how long did it take (mine will be lower molar)
-are some teeth worse than others in terms of pain, time, etc.
It can be horrible! There is no pain, really. It's scary-but of course that's created in the patient's mind.
WARNING! I had two horrible experiences, 1 20 years ago and the 2nd just last year.
This is why- a root canal only works when the root is canal-ed. My dentists did not canal the entire root either time. Thus excrutiating pain-enough for an extraction.
I had an extra root they didn't know about and the xray didn't pick up. Something about 3 roots on the lower-which is rare for the lower. So only 2 roots were canal-ed, missing the third.
OUCH!
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Now that was painful, but the root canal was nothing.
