Ever had a root canal?

WickedHo · January 10th, 2006, 03:31 PM

I might have to get 2 or 3 root canals real soon. Anybody ever had one? What was your experience??

WickedHo · January 10th, 2006, 03:52 PM

Thanks, MonkeyMix! And you're right about the meds: I will have the scrip filled immediately after leaving the office!

SammysMom · January 10th, 2006, 03:56 PM

I had one and it was a breeze. I had no pain and yes having a good dentist makes all the difference in the world Im told. I had no swelling and actually I only took regular Tylenol. But if you are having two or three Id get the pain meds.

Sojiita · January 10th, 2006, 04:24 PM

I have had two and need two more in about a month or so. they are not that bad at all-never needed the pain meds afterwards(and I am a pain wuss). Worst thing is the shots of Novocaine.

also I have a huge fear of dentists as my childhood dentist was a sadistic fuck who I was forced to go to. When I sit in the chair I literally shake!

but I manage to get through it...so you can too!

WickedHo · January 10th, 2006, 04:45 PM

^^ Thanks, y'all! Particularly, Sojiita, the Pain Wuss (lol). If the worst part is gonna be the shot of Novocaine, then WOO HOO!!! I'm ready for ya, Doc!

I feel much more at ease now.

muchlove · January 11th, 2006, 02:18 AM

I had two at once, and according to the hygenist, she gave me laughing gas "to put out a baseball team". I slept through the whole thing.

buttmunch · January 11th, 2006, 03:56 AM

I've had two and my dentist is a dream. I nearly fell asleep during one of them. The shots are definitely the worst part but once that's over it's not bad at all and it doesn't really hurt afterwards. Good luck...

Glasgow53 · January 11th, 2006, 08:47 AM

My husband has had a few of them and he says the pain is not so bad but they are very boring because they take so long. Maybe you could have Books on Tape while they are working on you?

Dracko · January 11th, 2006, 11:00 AM

i had one recently and was so scared (cuz i hate dentists)...but it was a breeze...my dentist's office has tv's in the ceiling with headphones so i got to preoccupy myself...once i got through the initial freezing it was smooth sailing...took about an hour...then i had a wisdom tooth pulled afterwards! But i had no pain afterwards...though now a couple months later there is some sensitivity in the tooth, which there shouldn't be since the roots were removed...have to go back and see what's up...

unless you have a bad dentist, you should make out just fine...the methods of doing root canals have improved a lot.

WickedHo · January 12th, 2006, 11:41 AM

Thanks, everybody! I had a dental exam yesterday and, yep, turns out I need 3 root canals. Oh, joy! But after reading you all's posts, I feel a whole helluva lot better about it. So, again THANK YOU!!

007mommy · January 14th, 2006, 12:03 PM

definitally ask for the sweet air (nitrus gas)

NurseNoir · January 14th, 2006, 03:46 PM

Ahhh.. extreeeeeme dentistry: a subject with which I have MUCH more than a passing acquaintance! I've had a number of root canals and the one thing I know for certain is that I will never, ever allow anyone but an endodontist to perform a root canal for me. My endodontist knows the importance of sufficient pain control and he is a master of what he does. I can say that, except for the preliminary novocaine shots, the RCs I've had from him were virtually painfree and also over "before I knew it." I'm convinced that when a patient is more relaxed (i.e., painfree) she heals better and faster.
And nitrous oxide? WE NEEEEEEDS THE PRECIOUS! One of the few remaining legal highs!
HubNoir had the opposite experience with an oral surgeon removing his impacted wisdom teeth. We met with the surgeon before the procedure and trusted him. During? A complete nightmare! My husband experienced a massive amount of pain and this wretched bastard was reluctant to "overdo" the pain control. After I got my devastated spouse home, he got even worse and, after a desperate nighttime call to the surgeon (who prescribed a uselessly tiny increase in medication) we ended up with my agonized hub at the emergency room in the wee hours. A hideous experience and utterly unnecessary! We should have sued...
So, um... GOOD LUCK WITH THAT ROOT CANAL, WickedHo! SORRY FOR THE WAR STORY... really!
Oh, and Dracko? I know exactly what you mean about still feeling sensation in a "nerveless" tooth!!!! My dentist doesn't believe me, but I SWEAR, it happens!