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OT - Root Canal

Old 05-25-10, 01:28 PM
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OT - Root Canal

To make this just a bit bike related, I had to go for a ride last night, and every time I inhaled just right, my tooth let me know it was there. I'm scheduled for my first ever root canal on thursday, and would like to know just what I'm in for. How much and for how long should I expect it to be sore? I got a temporary filling two weeks ago and since then it varies from dull ache to roaring headache, unless I drink something less than room tempature, and it hit the tooth. A few time I've been close to tears, which is usually followed by some choice words.
Thank you for your support.
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Old 05-25-10, 03:24 PM
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Root canal is no problem- Just make certain enough pain killer goes in. Takes a bit of time though so put the I-Pod on.

No idea on your cost but Even on our subsidised health service- they are not cheap. Some one has to pay for the dentist's new C.F. Frame.-Or is that a Porsche?
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Old 05-25-10, 03:43 PM
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Originally Posted by stapfam;10864612[B
]Root canal is no problem- Just make certain enough pain killer goes in. Takes a bit of time though so put the I-Pod on.
[/B]
No idea on your cost but Even on our subsidised health service- they are not cheap. Some one has to pay for the dentist's new C.F. Frame.-Or is that a Porsche?
+1
Been there/done that more than once. The dentist wrote prescriptions for painkillers for when I went home and I never filled the prescription. Took a couple of Advil and went back to work. Honestly. No big deal.
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Old 05-25-10, 03:57 PM
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Been there. Make sure you get enough pain killers for the recovery at home.
I don't want to scare you but the tooth that had the root canal split into 3 pieces after about 2 years and had to be pulled, piece by piece.
I couldn't sue the dentist because I had moved to another state when the split happened.
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Old 05-25-10, 04:09 PM
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Originally Posted by miss kenton
+1
Been there/done that more than once. The dentist wrote prescriptions for painkillers for when I went home and I never filled the prescription. Took a couple of Advil and went back to work. Honestly. No big deal.
+1. It will be tender afterwards but that excrutiating pain you have will be gone. Time is based on the number of canals. Normally 45 to an hour. The canals need to heal so you will again have a temporary filling. Pending on the inflamation, the permanent filling will be done one to two weeks later. Advil will do the trick afterwards.
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Old 05-25-10, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by RonH
Been there. Make sure you get enough pain killers for the recovery at home.
I don't want to scare you but the tooth that had the root canal split into 3 pieces after about 2 years and had to be pulled, piece by piece.
I couldn't sue the dentist because I had moved to another state when the split happened.
You would lose anyways. Once the root is gone, the blood supply is also. The tooth becomes brittle and breaks. This is normal unless you go for a crown right away.
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Old 05-25-10, 04:26 PM
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Had my one and only about 3 years ago. No bid deal, not a walk in the park but tolerable.
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Old 05-25-10, 05:46 PM
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How sore and for how long depend on you, the tooth, and the dentist. Some people ae up and about right away and others are in pain and misery for 3 to 4 days. For what its worth, when I had mine done the dentist was quite adamant about I had to get a crown at the same time.
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Old 05-25-10, 06:19 PM
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Gonna be one of the easiest things you'll ever go through, medical wise. I've had four of them..no problems..last just about forever.

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Old 05-25-10, 06:23 PM
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My dentist has me sign a form covering all potential problems. Root canals do go bad and teeth do break. Just a part of life. Root canals are not a big deal, but I just had an old one go bad, and today I had one of the roots cut off, causing five stitches in the gum and I am supposed to take it easy for a day (or 2).
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Old 05-25-10, 06:53 PM
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When I had mine done, I remember being impressed with how anesthetics have improved, of course having your jaw wedged open that long is a pain in itself.

An make sure you have some soup in the cupboard for supper!
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Old 05-25-10, 08:08 PM
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I've had them and don't remember any big deal; the fear and pain are overrated. My guess is that all the fuss is being carried over from the days when dentistry was far less advanced.
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Old 05-25-10, 08:31 PM
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I hate the dentist.
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Old 05-25-10, 09:15 PM
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I've had a bunch (defined as way too many) crowns done in the last few years. One of them turned out to need a root canal. It wasn't really any worse than the other crown procedures except that it took longer. I've had no severe pain with any of these procedures - ibuprofen has been all that I needed for discomfort.
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Old 05-26-10, 07:03 AM
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Thanks for the advise and support.
Since I'm a "Z" rider, maybe I can get some extra.
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Old 05-26-10, 10:05 AM
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I had so many of those I'd like to forget it. In any event the full upper solved everything. Just remember don't ride your bike under the influence.
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Old 05-26-10, 10:45 PM
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Relax. I've had a couple RCs and pretty much agree that it's no big deal. You will not be in much pain at all afterward and the novacaine (or whatever) completely kills pain during the procedure. Allow about an hour for the procedure. The needle used to inject the painkiller may scare you a bit if you are phobic about that stuff. It is a big one.
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Old 05-27-10, 07:36 AM
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Originally Posted by billydonn
Relax. I've had a couple RCs and pretty much agree that it's no big deal. You will not be in much pain at all afterward and the novacaine (or whatever) completely kills pain during the procedure. Allow about an hour for the procedure. The needle used to inject the painkiller may scare you a bit if you are phobic about that stuff. It is a big one.
Super, I usually let out a little girl scream when I see a needle with my name on it. I hate needles. I could never understand how drug addicts could stick themselves.
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Old 05-27-10, 07:42 AM
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Almost always less traumatic than the alternate - extraction. If you are apprehensive, consider pre-medication or nitrous oxide.
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Old 05-27-10, 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by pennstater
Almost always less traumatic than the alternate - extraction. If you are apprehensive, consider pre-medication or nitrous oxide.
There seem to be plenty of Pleasant Dreams/Feel No Pain dentists advertising their services. That's a good thing if they are helping people get the care that they otherwise would avoid.
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Old 05-27-10, 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by leob1
Super, I usually let out a little girl scream when I see a needle with my name on it. I hate needles. I could never understand how drug addicts could stick themselves.
My dentist uses a small dab on local at first, then the needle. Needle doesn't usually hurt, this way. I had a root canal week before last, they are doing the concrete work on it this afternoon. I think it's like another one that was done about 10 years ago, they put in a form and then fill it with filling material, harden it with a UV light, take off the form and give it a nice polish and it's done.
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Old 05-28-10, 06:55 AM
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I've had my share. The procedure is simple and painless if the dentist numbs you up correctly. Ask for more novocaine if you aren't numb enough. The doc will be happy to oblige. And if you fon;t like the looks of needles, close your eyes.

The pain you feel now is caused by the inflammation of the nerve. When the nerve is extracted, pain is gone! May have some residual discomfort, but nothing dramatic at all.

In any case, as some of the other folks here may say, just HTFU....'k?
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Old 05-31-10, 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by pennstater
Almost always less traumatic than the alternate - extraction. If you are apprehensive, consider pre-medication or nitrous oxide.
I recently had a tooth extracted due to having a microcrack in it and it was amazingly easy. I was done and back home in less than one hour's time and the drive from my house to dentist is about 15 minutes. Soreness afterward was a little worse than with a RC though. These dentists have gotten very good at what they do. I hate to think about living 100 years ago or more. Whiskey and pliers anyone?
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Old 05-31-10, 06:49 AM
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I had one five years ago and found it to be one of the most pain free dental experiences I've ever had. I thought it would be bad going in but it wasn't anything. I should mention that it was done by someone who just does root canals, no other procedures.
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Old 05-31-10, 10:55 AM
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Well now

1985, 31 year old. Brit teeth - not good. Eastern Sumatra, oil camp - building a training centre - starting with cutting bamboo with a chain saw powered by a Honda generator that I'd smuggled in a cigarette boat across the Malacca Strait from Singapore, to build the walls. Curriculum stuff came later!

Little gum lump. Turned into a big gum lump, like a golf ball - clearly visible to others. No little thing. Helevac to PekanBaru - not the biggest town or most equipped dental faculty, but I was under the care of the specialist.

Dark. No power. No steriliser. Drill bits sterilised in a gas flame beside the chair. No power drill. No anaesthetic. Drill bit powered by a treadle, like your grannies sewing machine.

"Please to relax now, because many are screaming which makes difficulty", as she dug in to the root.

Oh, and I've still got the snapped off drill bit up there somewhere.

You know, I've never had the slightest fear of dentistry since. The worst anyone has done to me since feels like a ride in a Lexus - and I hope your experience will be just as easy!
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