root canal

ziggy23

Is it possible to get 2 root canals done on the same day ? Need one on each side.
Also pain wise is it that bad? I've had numerous fillings, wisdom teeth removed and the dreaded dry sockets would it be worse than that? Are you given any kind of sedative?
Thanks

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Root canal treatment is usually painless, although some mild discomfort once the anaesthetic wears off is not uncommon. Similar to a filling really.

As for having two at the same time, its possible. I know some dentists like to do one at a time and some like to do them all at once.

EoghanIRL

Re the pain,
I know some people who were ok taking neurofen etc afterwards.
If the discomfort lasts longer, is worse than expected or you have inflammation you might get prescribed something stronger from your dentist/endodontist.

_Whimsical_

Joy Muscular Preschool wrote: »

Root canal treatment is usually painless, although some mild discomfort once the anaesthetic wears off is not uncommon. Similar to a filling really.

As for having two at the same time, its possible. I know some dentists like to do one at a time and some like to do them all at once.

So relieved to read that, I've always heard of the procedure as being torturous. I reckon I could handle something similar to a filling.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Root canals get a bad rap. Lot of pub hero stories
Very comfortable usually, they tend to use a thing called a dental dam which is super comfortable.

Stheno

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

So relieved to read that, I've always heard of the procedure as being torturous. I reckon I could handle something similar to a filling.

It's no worse than a filling just takes a lot longer

MrWalsh

Horrific.

Thought I was going to vomit the whole time from the dental dam, the thoughts of the cotton wool rubbing off my tongue still gives me shivers.

Goes on for so long too. I think I had 3 different 2 hour sessions - just for the one!! I found it hugely traumatising.

Id never do it again. I would far rather lose a tooth.

Not that painful though - just nauseating. And the chemicals leeching into the sinus cavity landed me in A&E also.

Stheno

MrWalsh wrote: »

Horrific.

Thought I was going to vomit the whole time from the dental dam, the thoughts of the cotton wool rubbing off my tongue still gives me shivers.

Goes on for so long too. I think I had 3 different 2 hour sessions - just for the one!! I found it hugely traumatising.

Id never do it again. I would far rather lose a tooth.

Not that painful though - just nauseating. And the chemicals leeching into the sinus cavity landed me in A&E also.

Wow I'd a completely different experience, had to have one done on one of the big back teeth, and I'm seriously dentist phobic

I'd two two hour sessions, but midway through each the dentist took a break, and apart from a lot of drilling I'd no discomfort at all

Didn't have a dental dam, just loads of frequent rinsing

When it was finished I had to go back as a bit of nerve had stayed behind so it pretty much had to be redone, but again it was fine

Amazing the difference!

MrWalsh

Stheno wrote: »

Amazing the difference!

Im reasonably hardy with things like pain, Ive had a few surgeries etc so I am not a wuss generally but I genuinely lost a month of my life on that root canal.

Its lucky I was redundant at the time because each session left me in tatters for the next 2 or 3 days, and finally culminated in landing in A&E unable to walk straight from the dizziness of sinusitis - that was caused from the chemicals used leeching into my sinus cavity.

ohnonotgmail

Stheno wrote: »

Wow I'd a completely different experience, had to have one done on one of the big back teeth, and I'm seriously dentist phobic

I'd two two hour sessions, but midway through each the dentist took a break, and apart from a lot of drilling I'd no discomfort at all

Didn't have a dental dam, just loads of frequent rinsing

When it was finished I had to go back as a bit of nerve had stayed behind so it pretty much had to be redone, but again it was fine

Amazing the difference!

It is amazing. My experience is the same as yours except mine was 3 one hour sessions. Apparently i had an extra root that isnt meant to be there. Exactly like a very long filling.

helimachoptor

I've has 2 on opposite bottom molars, first took an hour and was routine, second one took about 3 hours due to an extra root or 2 maybe and then being tangled up. Both performed by the same Endo all good since

EoghanIRL

MrWalsh wrote: »

Horrific.

Thought I was going to vomit the whole time from the dental dam, the thoughts of the cotton wool rubbing off my tongue still gives me shivers.

Goes on for so long too. I think I had 3 different 2 hour sessions - just for the one!! I found it hugely traumatising.

Id never do it again. I would far rather lose a tooth.

Not that painful though - just nauseating. And the chemicals leeching into the sinus cavity landed me in A&E also.

Wow , seems like you had a negative experience.
Just interested to know was this carried out by a dentist or endodontist?
Two people I know recently had root canals and their experience was very different. Took less than an hour for theirs , with a check up then a couple of weeks later.

MrWalsh

EoghanIRL wrote: »

Wow , seems like you had a negative experience.
Just interested to know was this carried out by a dentist or endodontist?
Two people I know recently had root canals and their experience was very different. Took less than an hour for theirs , with a check up then a couple of weeks later.

The initial bit was only 30 mins or so, with a dentist but the roots were too curvy so she referred me on to an endodontist, very respectable practice as far as I am aware. Then followed the 3 x 2 hour sessions. Actually there was also a further short session to put a filling in. The endodontist did that too.

_Whimsical_

Thanks everyone for your experiences, I was expecting it to be hell so feel much relieved. I have one coming up next week, on antibiotics for an abscess while I wait so tonight enjoying some absolutely searing pain that 2 neurofen is only relieving for an hr or so.
My regular dentist recommended a specialist so I'm waiting for the appointment next week, he wouldn't do it himself due to thin and "complicated" roots, its a back tooth. Is it worth waiting for the specialist guy or should I just pick a dentist out of the book and get it over with?

Stheno

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your experiences, I was expecting it to be hell so feel much relieved. I have one coming up next week, on antibiotics for an abscess while I wait so tonight enjoying some absolutely searing pain that 2 neurofen is only relieving for an hr or so.
My regular dentist recommended a specialist so I'm waiting for the appointment next week, he wouldn't do it himself due to thin and "complicated" roots, its a back tooth. Is it worth waiting for the specialist guy or should I just pick a dentist out of the book and get it over with?

No, let the absess heal and wait for the specialist imo.

I'm so afraid of dentists I didn't go to one for a good eight years after a mishap, then I found my current dentist.

Then it took me two years to get the guts up to have the root canal, but I'd a few procedures in between and it really built up my confidence. I had a wisdom tooth out with him, and was literally eating lunch an hour later, then had the root canal, and had the oul complicated roots thing, and it was fine.

If he's recommended (or she) go with them.

Pain wise there are products like clove oil and ambesol that you can use, not sure if that's medical advice they are both over the counter medications, the ambesol is like a local anaesthethic and I use it for tooth pain when I get it. If the pain is really bad, don't be afraid to ring your dentist and say so, if they feel it is merited, they will issue you a prescription, I got one once (this sounds silly but dentists know what painkillers work for tooth pain better than doctors) and it worked a treat for a few days.

Best of luck Don't worry too much, and if the constant drilling the first time gets too much, ask for a break, any good dentist will tell you to signal you need a break, don't be afraid to do it

_Whimsical_

Stheno wrote: »

No, let the absess heal and wait for the specialist imo.

I'm so afraid of dentists I didn't go to one for a good eight years after a mishap, then I found my current dentist.

Then it took me two years to get the guts up to have the root canal, but I'd a few procedures in between and it really built up my confidence. I had a wisdom tooth out with him, and was literally eating lunch an hour later, then had the root canal, and had the oul complicated roots thing, and it was fine.

If he's recommended (or she) go with them.

Pain wise there are products like clove oil and ambesol that you can use, not sure if that's medical advice they are both over the counter medications, the ambesol is like a local anaesthethic and I use it for tooth pain when I get it. If the pain is really bad, don't be afraid to ring your dentist and say so, if they feel it is merited, they will issue you a prescription, I got one once (this sounds silly but dentists know what painkillers work for tooth pain better than doctors) and it worked a treat for a few days.

Best of luck Don't worry too much, and if the constant drilling the first time gets too much, ask for a break, any good dentist will tell you to signal you need a break, don't be afraid to do it

Thanks a million, I really appreciate that reply. I've got clove oil and it is helping a bit, strangely taking a bit more of the edge off than the neurofen tonight. I'll get the Ambesol tomorrow and I'll hold out over the weekend though tonight I feel like my face will explode! Hopefully the antibiotic will kick in soon. At least I'm pretty sure that nothing the dentist will do will be this painful.
Thanks a million again, you're a star. I feel more reassured.

Stheno

_Whimsical_ wrote: »

Thanks a million, I really appreciate that reply. I've got clove oil and it is helping a bit, strangely taking a bit more of the edge off than the neurofen tonight. I'll get the Ambesol tomorrow and I'll hold out over the weekend though tonight I feel like my face will explode! Hopefully the antibiotic will kick in soon. At least I'm pretty sure that nothing the dentist will do will be this painful.
Thanks a million again, you're a star. I feel more reassured.

Ah no problems, delighted to be able to help someone, given how much I hate going to the dentist

Don't just put the clove oil on where you think the pain is, slather it on as much as you can, I usually cover the gum and teeth to the extent of two teeth either side of the sore tooth Regular gargling with salt water also really helped me a while back when I'd an absess, lukewarm water with a teaspoon of salt.

And don't be afraid to ring the dentist tomorrow if the pain is still bad, ime they genuinely do not want to see patients in pain, and you don't want a weekend of agony when a scrip might help.

I'm about to start a plan to get my much neglected teeth into good health and get braces, so I can empathise

Big_G

Stheno wrote: »

Ah no problems, delighted to be able to help someone, given how much I hate going to the dentist

Don't just put the clove oil on where you think the pain is, slather it on as much as you can, I usually cover the gum and teeth to the extent of two teeth either side of the sore tooth Regular gargling with salt water also really helped me a while back when I'd an absess, lukewarm water with a teaspoon of salt.

And don't be afraid to ring the dentist tomorrow if the pain is still bad, ime they genuinely do not want to see patients in pain, and you don't want a weekend of agony when a scrip might help.

I'm about to start a plan to get my much neglected teeth into good health and get braces, so I can empathise

I'm sorry, I'm going to have to contradict the advice about the clove oil. I've had two patients in with chemical burns to the gums from using clove oil, which were much more painful than the problem they were using the clove oil for. I tend not to recommend this remedy too often as it is usually used incorrectly. The best bet is to see the dentist.

Pink11

I think pain from root canals are grossly over-rated. Please don't worry at all.

The worst of it is the pain you have BEFORE the root canal. From the injection itself! I was actually just relieved to get it done. Obviously it's not fun sitting there with your mouth open for a long time but it's painless as you're totally numb. Just time consuming. When the anesthetic wore off of course it hurts I mean they've been working deep into your tooth, but some simple panadol sorts it out. I much prefer the soreness of the dentist being at my tooth and the uncomfortable feeling of a numb face/mouth over the pain of the infection itself.

Honestly feel bad for anyone who is anxious about this.

Dentistry has come a long way and dentists are great to make you feel comfortable. If you're nervous, tell the dentist before hand so they will talk you through things. A good dentist will make you feel calm and relaxed.

I have a bit of a fear of the big drill. The thought of them drilling away at my teeth sends a shiver down my spine - the sensation of it goes through my head! and I'm worried I'll pass out but I simply tell the dentist this before hand and it's totally normally to be scared so don't worry about feeling silly. I think if you're REALLY nervous you could ask to put in some headphones perhaps and listen to some calm music on low volume to distract you?

helimachoptor

Gotten a couple of PMs lately, but it seems the guy i've used and have referred people to is now closed