Getting a root canal done tomorrow & I'm terrified 😭

As title says.

I've never had one and it's on the upper front tooth so will need a crown fitted too.

I'm already planning on taking earphones and just blasting music so I don't hear dentist drilling 😭

Anyone had one before?
What are your experiences?

Reply 1

Ghostlady

Yes i've had one done before. had a reoccurring infection, so needed it doing. Its not too bad. There is a bit of drilling which no-one is really a fan of, but the filing part is ok. It doesn't hurt, and once I had it done i was glad I know it wouldn't be infected any more.
As your going to have a crown done (ive also had this done) make sure you look after it. If your crown is your front tooth, don't go biting into toffee apples, popcorn kernals or anything like that as it can break it. You can have things like crusts on pizzas and that so its not all soft food, but don't go for thing too hard.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

Yes my one has an infection and it's being performed by my regular dentist, not am endo specialist :frown:

I'm scared my dentist will mess it up :frown:

Also, could I ask for laughing gas beforehand to help with the anxiety?

@DrTSR any advice? :frown:

And could I ask for numbing cream before he puts the numbing injection in?

Reply 3

Ghostlady

To be honest im not sure about laughing gas, i've only ever come across it when i had my girls, not in a dentists. Mine was performed by a regular dentist too, they should be more than qualified to deal with a root canal. If your so worried, im sure they can put something to numb cream wise. I've found when they numbed by gum with an injection the best painful way is the breathe through the mouth, not the nose.
Try not to worry, its not that bad. you will have so much relief when its done and glad you no longer have to suffer.
I used to pace at night in pain numerous times and no amount of pain relief would help, so now ive had it done, ive never had an issue with my tooth again, not once :smile:

Reply 4

Anonymous #2

never had one done but have had a filling and the dentist usually tells you that the injection is considered the worst part to most patients but honestly the injection is not painful at all. i mean i couldn't even feel it going on. my mum is the same, she has overly sensitive gums and even she couldn't feel the injection. i think its more uncomfortable than painful. drilling is not painful either, it just feels weird cos you have what feels like a mini power drill in your mouth and so naturally your mouth vibrates a lot. just feels weird but not painful. don't worry it'll be fine

Reply 5

Anonymous #1

Thank you for your replies.

I'm the only one freaking out. People who've had it tell me it'll be fine but I'm here anxious af :afraid:

It's just I have never had it and I'm anxious when it comes to my mouth area, always have been.

Reply 6

Anonymous #1

Update: currently at dentist. Just had the numbing injection so waiting for it to set in

Reply 7

Ghostlady

hope its all gone well x

Good luck

Thank you for the support :smile:

I've been home for a while, numbing has gone & I'm starting to feel the throbbing pain a little.
Is that normal @Ghostlady?

The dentist said I have to go in for 2-3 more visits to fully finish the root canal procedure (to remove all the gunk/infection). He's put in a temp filling.

Reply 10

Anonymous #1

@ARCDN any advice? I saw you post about root canal in the other thread. :smile:

Right now it's just a throbbing pain. I have a couple more appts to go within the next week or 2 to completely finish the procedure.

So I'm getting a RCT on the upper left central tooth, but one other dentist said that the upper right central looked like it may need one too. My dentist kept asking me if I feel any pain there but I don't. Maybe a little sensitivity here and there. I'm freaking out, what if I need a RCT on that one too??

Reply 11

ARCDN

Don't worry. Needing a RCT is not the end of the world - but it could mean the end of your tooth decay if you look after it correctly!
I hope you coped okay with the injection and the drilling. The majority of the appointment will be spent with the dentist using fine tools to clean out your canals, and medicine in a tiny syringe to flush it out. This process is repeated over a couple of appointments until the dentist is sure they've removed all nerve tissue and decay that they possibly can, before filling the space they have created. If you coped okay with the first appointment, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about with the next couple. Even if your other front tooth needs a RCT, don't worry! Front teeth only have 1 nerve canal in, so you've drawn a good straw there. Some molar teeth can have 4-5 canals which require a lot more time and effort to clean and fill!
With such extensive dental treatment, perhaps it might be worth investing your diet and lifestyle habits. Tooth decay is caused by 1 thing - sugar! Try and reduce your sugar intakes per day. It's not the amount of sugar that is harmful, but the frequency of which it comes into contact with your teeth. This means that it is more harmful for your teeth to have 20 tiny sips of Pepsi over an hour, than it is to down it all in 1! Be clever about the times you eat sugary things, if you eat them straight after main meals they won't damage your teeth - it's when you eat sugar between your meals that causes deep tooth decay and needing a root canal. :smile:

Reply 12

StriderHort

Generally i'd be taking a few Ibuprofen around the time the injection wearing off to deal with the throbbing and swelling.

I'm about at the end of my visits (due to get it properly filled next time) and it really has just been a series of fillings, when he did the actual inside canal cleaning i was just a bit confused, all i could feel was one of his fingers rubbing on the outside of my tooth, felt like he was trying to smooth a rough edge or something, I had no idea he had wee tiny finger saws inside the canals the whole time, it really was a 'Right you're done' 'Eh? what? You started?' deal.

Crowns aren't bad, the drilling just gets a bit nerve wracking. BTW dunno if headphones/blasting music are practical, they will NOT drown out the drill, as you will hear it in your bones, and the dentist will often need to give you some kind of instruction

Reply 13

Anonymous #1

Original post by ARCDN

Thank you! Are you a dentist?
I actually have started reducing sugar / being more alert when it comes to sugar.
I reduced intake of sweets/choc, no cereal, no fizzy drinks/soft, no sugary foods/snacks in general either :smile:

Electric toothbrush, flossing (need to stay on top of this) & brushing tongue.

Reply 14

Anonymous #1

Original post by StriderHort

Thank you

Yeah I was worried sick beforehand and he did his best to reassure me once we started. He didn't talk much, every few mins he asked if I was okay - which I was thankful for!

Yeah, the music didn't block out the drill, BUT it did help my anxiety. I just blasted it and focused on the music instead of the drill/my shaking body :tongue:

Reply 15

pizzachic

Just think to yourself the semi-pain you'll feel now is better than keeping it in and waiting months until you think you are ready it'll be worse!

Reply 16

ARCDN

I'm an experienced Dental nurse and qualified Oral Health Educator :smile:

it sounds like youve made some great diet and lifestyle changes. Brushing twice a day for 2 minutes and using floss or interdental brushes should be keep the decay away and prevent you having to go through this again, well done. All the best :smile:

Reply 17

Anonymous #1

Thank you all, very much! :smile:

Reply 18

Ghostlady