Anyone ever had a root canal?
By craving4more
@craving4more (332)
Philippines
February 21, 2007 1:10am CST
I'm just asking, 'coz my dentist has set me up for one a couple of weeks ago. She made me choose between having my molar tooth extracted or have those three nerves causing me some considerable pain to just undergo root canal.
Now, I'm hesitant because I'll be having a series of job interviews for this week and from what I recall (and having recently rewatched Finding Nemo, that scene in the clinic where the dentist had to do a root canal, made me shudder), undergoing one of those procedures makes you uncomfortable like hell, and I'm worrying that I won't be able to make a good impression on those interviews, even speak audibly and I really, really want to land any of those jobs.
So just share what you had to go through when you had a root canal..was the pain manageable? How long did the pain last?
4 people like this
8 responses
@caribe (2465)
• United States
6 Mar 07
I have had two done and they weren't that bad. They just take a long time. The last one I had done in Costa Rica and I went hiking through a rain forest after I had it done so for me it wasn't really that bad. I took one pain pill and I was fine.
4 people like this
@craving4more (332)
• Philippines
9 Mar 07
That's quite reassuring, thanks a bunch. Did your dentist prescribe an antibiotic that you were supposed to take prior to your root canal,though?
2 people like this
@caribe (2465)
• United States
12 Mar 07
I have a heart condition that makes it necessary to always take antibiotics before having any dental procedure, so my answer would be yes. If they prescribed you antibiotics for this, I am sure it is just a precautionary measure to protect your heart from suffering any ill effects like an infection from the procedure.
2 people like this
@Rana_2007 (235)
• Bangladesh
23 Feb 07
Yes I have Done it.
Pain Is managable and it will take only few hours.
@craving4more (332)
• Philippines
23 Feb 07
Really? That's a relief, since I'm supposed to have three root canals.huhhuh
3 people like this
@greengal (4286)
• United States
9 Mar 07
The pain is only when the canal is being cleaned and yuor dentist will give you pain killers to ward off the pain. It is a long procedure and I hate going to the dentists. But I don't want to scare you more by saying stuff, so to tell you, you will be able to speak and do everything normally between your sittings. The scene in Nemo is obviously too much..LOL I had my root canal a year ago and my hubby has his two months ago. He asked the doctor to give him Nitrous oxide so he was only half awake through the procedure, that helps distract you and it doesn't seem so bad. Ask your dentist for that, it costs extra though. My hubby has a light swelling only after his first sitting, the rest was a breeze.
2 people like this
@craving4more (332)
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
I was prescribed some antibiotics, I'm supposed to take 3 of those daily for about a week prior to the procedure. That hopefully takes care of the pain. Like you, I'm not fond of dentists and having to go back every week makes me just wanna make my teeth rot. LOL Yeah, I know the scene in Nemo is done for the movies, still..LOL As it is, the procedure is already a bit on the costly for me, so I might have to take the pain in the entire time. Ouch! LOL
1 person likes this
@caribe (2465)
• United States
12 Mar 07
I just now read about the antibiotics to be taken for a week prior to the procedure. That is to make sure you don't have any kind of infection in your gums or teeth when they do the root canal. Because having an infection when you are having the surgery could be dangerous and could cause major problems for all of your teeth. They want to make sure you don't have any infection in your mouth.
2 people like this
@craving4more (332)
• Philippines
14 Mar 07
Thanks for shedding light on that one. Though I'm not the type that's big on popping pills into my mouth, even antibiotics for that matter. I often skip meals and I remember that it's not really good to take some medicine on an empty stomach. So I tend to not regularly follow the schedule when I'm supposed to take madicine, mainly because I'm mindful of the possible side effects of doing such.
1 person likes this
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
9 Mar 07
I know you want to make a good impression on your interviews. But your teeth are forever if you take care of them. If there is anyway to save them, please try to. Nothing looks worse to an employer than someone with missing teeth,unless you have the bridgework or dentures in. Yes, I've had a root canal, and it was hard for me b/c I am terrifed of the dentist. But my hubby just had one done last monday and he said it wasn't that bad. And he is hard to numb, but he said they gave him the nitrous oxide and numbed the area and it was not too bad. He still has to go back to get the crown put on. Good luck with the root canal if you choose that route, and especially good luck with the job interviews! :)
@craving4more (332)
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
That'll be fun to look at though, when you've got a missing tooth when you smile. LOL Anyway, it's gonna be one of my molars, not one of the incisors. Thanks a bunch!
1 person likes this
@janjabu (110)
• Qatar
9 Mar 07
Yikes, three root canals? Are they over yet? Hope you managed well enough. My sister had a root canal when she was 12, and I was the poor 13-year-old older sister who had to hold her head steady while she screamed and tears ran down her face, as well as mine. I love her so much that it pains me to see her cry from such an ordeal. However, it was necessary, if she didn't want to have gaps in her mouth. But then again, she was 12, and you are, as I see, 23. I think you'd be able to manage the pain, for one root canal, but THREE? Wish you all the best.
And I hope your job interviews went well! Ever considered being a Flight Attendant?
2 people like this
@janjabu (110)
• Qatar
9 Mar 07
And on the other hand, I have had a molar extracted. Almost three hours spent with my mouth wide open in the dentist's chair, at the mercy of TWO dental surgeons. I asked why there had to be two of them, and my lovely dentist said that in the event that she is unable to continue with the operation (it was considered minor surgery), the other dentist was there to take over. Imagine my terror when I heard that. And my molar turned out to be so huge that they had to split it into THREE pieces before they could pull each piece out, one by one. The pain was horrific, and my face swelled on one side. Hope you chose the lesser of two evils, whichever one you picked.
2 people like this
@craving4more (332)
• Philippines
11 Mar 07
Hahahhaha..I remember a similar experience that my friend had. It was also a molar tooth that she had to get extracted and she had to bear with the mind-numbing pain for two weeks. The procedure is also going to be done on one of my molars. I'm still hesitant as to which one I should go with, but your response certainly made me strongly consider going for the root canal. hahahha..Thanks for this one.
1 person likes this
@sunshinelady (7609)
• United States
15 Mar 07
I have had two root canals and the pain is managable. You have to have a good dentist. Over the years I have gone to a couple that had turned me against dentist because of how they did the work on my teeth. I have found a excellent dentist and I don't hesitate to let him do the work on my teeth he needs to do. Root canals of course have a certain amount of hurting but nothing that can't be controled.
1 person likes this
@craving4more (332)
• Philippines
26 Mar 07
I think your absolutely right on having a excellent dentist work on your teeth. Got met thinking about my current one, her recent work hasn't seem to be on par with the previous jobs she did on my teeth, maybe it's time to scout for a new one. Thanks for this insight.
@aso322 (75)
• United States
26 Mar 07
I've had three root canals. My first one hurt like nothing I've ever experienced. I ended up jumping up so fast I accidentally knocked the tool from the dentist's hand. It was awful, but my tooth had reached a really bad point. My tooth (one of my front teeth) turned a really dark yellow. I'm supposed to get a crown, but it's so expensive and I just can't afford it. I got a cheap version instead (can't remember the name), but that means I can't bite into anything, so I don't recommend that.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
1 person likes this
@craving4more (332)
• Philippines
27 Mar 07
I'll be sure to ask my dentist then to give me an anesthetic, so I won't accidentally knock some of her tools..LOL We still haven't gotten around to discussing the crown though, as far as expenses is concerned. Oh well, the money you gotta fork up for bad teeth. ^_^
