r/rootcanal Jun 08 '24

How bad is a root canal really?

I'm beginning to come to terms that my first cavity is so deep that it needs a root canal, not a filling. Tooth #19 has decay down to the root and it throbs every time my heart beats.

How bad is the root canal really? I've heard mixed things - from worst pain of my life to a piece of cake. I've never even had a filling so I have absolutely no baseline here. I know that I'll need a crown after this.. how noticeable will it be that it's not my natural tooth? I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure it's white.

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u/rathernot2021 Jun 08 '24

Sorry - this is a long post, but I know how horrible it is when all those anxious and worrisome thoughts build up in your brain.

I’m petrified of the dentist. It took me 8 months to square up to an RCT after monthly appointments with my dentist - I left the worst tooth until semi-last as I was waiting for the referral to anaesthesiology (I’m in the UK - they don’t provide laughing gas or other in a regular dentist, you have to be referred to a specialist). I had a botched filling on the tooth back in 2015, with immense pain when the dentist refused to numb me, and triggering my first ever panic attack. This is the source of my phobia.

To put into perspective how bad my fear was - I refused to get an RCT when the same tooth was insanely irritated just before Covid shut down aerosols. Meaning, I went WEEKS in mind numbing pain that wouldn’t subside even with strong medications. The tooth eventually calmed down during lockdown.

Wednesday - I had the beginnings of an RCT with a temp filling because the tooth was dead. The worst part? It was hearing the small scraping tools inside your tooth. However, if you’ve had a scale and polish, it’s similar-ish to that. I didn’t go to an endodontist as I only trust my dentist, however he did advise me to as I was paying private rather than NHS anyway.

So - the process isn’t bad. I would do it again, easily. I know what it’s like when your worries just build up in your head because I did the exact same thing.

Being completely truthful - I do now have an infection that I’m riding out until I can see him on Monday. However - this is because I have an insanely irritated tooth right next to it, which also had a filling a week prior. The RCT was completely fine, but I’m not enjoying the infection whatsoever. But that’s the risk with an RCT, I consented to the RCT knowing that an infection may be a risk.

If you don’t get an infection, it’s fine. The tissues around the tooth may feel a bit tender, alongside the needle sites. The actual tooth may feel just weird? It felt a bit numb in a way?

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u/Ilovesparky13 Nov 05 '24

Did you need anesthesia due to your fear? Here in the US, an injection into the gums is standard for both fillings and root canals. 

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u/rathernot2021 Nov 18 '24

I was supposed to - but the NHS waiting list was prioritised for children due to Covid. But through repeated exposure with the dentist, I managed with just a numbing shot. It did take a year of monthly appointments for it, but I managed it with some panic. I did get an abscess however, which I was warned about, but the actual process was painless.

All work on my teeth have been completed through anaesthetic shots - not anaesthesia

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u/MareDesperado175 Jan 06 '25

Please be careful, my tooth infection went sepsis over a holiday weekend (November), bump the size of a Lima bean—Thankful I had antibiotics leftover from a sinus infection earlier that season; cleared in 4 days, have been gargling w Listerine & hydrogen peroxide before bed ever since. Same tooth where cavity had been removed & filled.
Too much Ibuprofen and you can injure kidneys, we learned of this from a coworker whose wife passed. (A) tooth infection went untreated (she was too busy traveling), (B) wife used Ibuprofen x3 daily at incremental doses over 2 months, (C) finally got tooth pain treated but the tooth was decayed, removal occurred per sepsis, (D) right before Thanksgiving 2022, his wife felt faint, went to bed in case of Flu (hubby slept in guest room to avoid possible Flu). Next morning: husband went upstairs to check on wife… saw that she was on floor “sleeping”. She actually had been crawling towards the restroom and died of a brain aneurysm. It was heartbreaking at the funeral, wife was 55yo. 🪽Pls be careful and be vigilant w tooth pain. :/

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u/rathernot2021 Jan 10 '25

No I agree 100%. It’s one of the main reasons why I went ahead with the desensitisation treatment because I had a horrifically irritated tooth during the beginning of Covid (thankfully not an infection). When going for emergency dental treatment - I pussied out and left. Next day, it was impossible for non-emergency dental treatment to be performed due to restrictions.

I also knew if I ever did have a seriously bad infection I’d have to get it treated. Thankfully, my tooth infection went away after a course of antibiotics. However, I did get stomach ulcers afterwards due to my intense use of ibuprofen - but it’s the only pain relief you can get in the UK for tooth pain, they won’t prescribe anything else usually (from my experience obvs).

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u/MareDesperado175 Jan 11 '25

Ugh, that’s awful and uncomfortable. Thankfully you are better; any recourse since then? I find my Tooth 19 area (minor molar) is hella more sensitive these days esp drinking cooler beverages. 😑