Roots! Bloody ROOOOTS!

[Kankurette]

I've had toothache since last Wednesday and on Good Friday I got so fed up that I rang the emergency dental service, due to my surgery being closed, and they sent me to Stockport the following day. Went the dentist there, had an x-ray done of my teeth, found out that there is a ginormous fucking hole in one of my back teeth (not an abscess as I thought) and I'm going to need root canal treatment. Which I should be getting this week. In the meantime, the pain's spread into the right side of my face and neck, and I have a constant rotten headache, and I'm not sure if this is tooth-related or not but I feel super nauseous and not as hungry as usual. Like, I had kedgeree last night - it's soft - and was struggling to get it down me. Not a problem I had last time I ate it.

My question: has anyone here had root canal treatment? I would like to have the cunt yanked out but apparently it's worth trying to save it first. I know you have to sit there with your mouth open for at least an hour and a half and I have trouble keeping my mouth open for that long, so I'm wondering if they can wedge it open somehow.

At least I have painkillers. Thank fuck.

[Martin Van Buren Stan]

I've had root canal about 10 years ago and honestly I barely remember it. Vague recollections of sitting there for a while and occasionally feeling a bit of pain but I'm guessing if it was deeply traumatic I'd have stronger memories. Better than losing a tooth. Good luck!

[Dex Sawash]

I've had 2 roots canal. Just like getting a filling but takes ages and maybe it is a bit more medieval. My dentist promises me I need one more but in US (america) you get RC from the endodontist so that's a different place.

[QDRPHNC]

I had a root canal last year, they numb you up real good, so you can zone out. Actually found it less stressful than a filling, and I'm saying this as a very squeamish person who hates having my teeth fiddled with.

[buttgammon]

Question for root canal people: is it like getting a filling where the numbing effects of the anaesthetic differ between top and bottom teeth? I've had about twelve fillings over the years as well as two replacement ones, and have noticed a big difference depending on whether it's a top or bottom tooth.

[The Mollusk]

I know you have to sit there with your mouth open for at least an hour and a half and I have trouble keeping my mouth open for that long, so I'm wondering if they can wedge it open somehow.

Yeah, they chuck one of those clamp things in so that's one thing you don't have to concern yourself with. I was fuckin DONE with it by the end, though; Four separate sessions of them scraping away at bits and fitting  temporary cap and whatnot. Getting a mold of my tooth to get the replacement cap made was absolutely the worst part of it since you have to bite on this thing for a full minute and the position of it felt like a credit card digging into my gums and cheek. Had to be a big bwave boy for that. Everyone's problems are different though and yours might not be that much of a faff.

Otherwise it's really not that bad in terms of being traumatic or grizzly. I used to be shit scared of dentists but it's not painful or anything, just quite a long process which occasionally entails them pushing and pulling your gob about. More of an endurance test than anything. I've extremely squirmy and like to move about a lot so I was glad to get out of there at the end.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Very timely thread as I have an extremely sensitive tooth which I am ignoring. Fully expect to require some sort of horrendous procedure. My (NHS) dentist retired last year and they haven't managed to replace her yet. The only other option is to go private but I really don't want to pay £400 to have a miserable time at the dentist. So I'll just wait until they have a new dentist who will lower themselves to treat total fucking plebs like me, by which point I will be dead from bad tooth.

By the way if you want to see the future of the NHS just have a look at NHS dentistry at the moment.

[Blumf]

My question: has anyone here had root canal treatment? I would like to have the cunt yanked out but apparently it's worth trying to save it first. I know you have to sit there with your mouth open for at least an hour and a half and I have trouble keeping my mouth open for that long, so I'm wondering if they can wedge it open somehow.

They'll have tricks for keeping your gob open.

Think I lucked out with my root canal, one of the best dental jobs I've had. Quick (for what it is), but in a neat, no fuss, knows what he's doing way.

What to expect:

Usual injections with numbing. Drying off the tooth and surroundings to stop germs getting in the soon to be exposed root cavity.

Whole lot of drilling, with occasional stops to use a root apex finder, which is an electronic thing that senses where the base of the root/tooth is. You may feel a slight tingling from that, a bit like one of those TENS muscle trainers, but not as powerful.

Once the root's drilled out, they'll need to fill the hole. This is probably the only point you'll get some pain as they need to stuff the filler out through the base, to fully seal the hole and push out any remaining root pulp. That can irritate the bone. It's nothing compared to the tooth ache you'll be enjoying currently, and wears off after a few days, so not a worry, it's a good sign.

Then topping off with whatever filling/cap you'll be getting. Job done.

Not the most fun time, but better than the toothache. Mostly just awkward, having to sit there for a long while.

[Captain Z]

Althea and Donna leave thread disappointed.

[shiftwork2]

I've had so many done I've lost count, including two that were re-do root canals.  They had a fearsome reputation until a few decades ago but now it's pretty much an extended filling.  Takes longer for a molar (2 or 3 roots) compared to a wee incisor (one).

If you have a good NHS dentist then stick with that.  If you've had to go private then see if they'll refer you to an endodontist.  It may cost a little more but the care taken over it and the specialist equipment they have (the latest microscopes) will very likely pay off.  If you're going to root canal levels of effort to save the tooth then ideally you want it in your gob for the rest of your days.

[Kankurette]

Thanks for the advice. It's mainly the sitting still with my mouth open for ages I'm worried about, not the drills etc. I've had an MRI and the noise from that is worse. CLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGCLANGDRRRRRRCLANGCLANGCLANG etc. I am an NHS patient but I have to pay for this sort of thing, I don't think I'm entitled to free dental care.

Althea and Donna leave thread disappointed.

But not as disappointed as Max Cavalera.

[The Guppy]

Main thing I remember about mine is my gob slowly filling with saliva during the procedure, and not being able to swallow properly and feeling embarrassed about it. I almost drowned due to shame. I finally gurgled for help and they sucked it all out of me.

Pretty boring otherwise. She stabbed me in the lip with the drill at one point, but I was so numb it didn't hurt.

[Glebe]

Yeah about 15 years or so ago got awful pain in my gums and had to wait till after Christmas to see the dentist. Hadn't been since I was about 12, turned out I had infected shit in me gums and needed root canal and everything. Had to borrow money off a friend to pay for it, took several sessions and found it quite uncomfortable. Still, needed to be done. In any case best of luck Kanks hope y'get it sorted pronto.

[TrenterPercenter]

My question: has anyone here had root canal treatment?

Yep had root canal - I will now speak my brains.

Root canal isn't as bad as people often make out, same as most dental surgery you will be novocained to buggery and it works a treat.  You won't feel any pain past the initial injections, what they will then have to drill out all bits of the tooth that will have to go (so a bit of grinding which will feel weird but it's not painful) then take out the infected root and add a new synthetic one (again you won't really notice them doing this), they'll likely then send you away with temporary filling to then come back (to let  inflammation subside but they might do it all in one), then on return they'll cap it and you are good to go.  The thing I remember the most was trying to keep my tongue out of the way which they will do for you if needed.

Now......

That is all well and good, I was told that having an artificial root means that tooth cannot get infected again, but actually it can, well the gum can underneath it.  My root canal failed (the cap came off) a decade after having it done and being a nob I just left it as most of the tooth was still usable, fast forward another decade ("hello my name is TrentPercenter and my head is made of combustible materials") and I ended up with an abscess under my root canal.....this is very bad because the root is sealed there is nowhere for the infection to go.  Normally the infection will however move sideways and rupture your gum, but mine didn't, it went downwards, and crushed my mandibular nerve which meant I lost feeling in lower right side of my mouth which didn't come back until about a year (and in some cases never comes back).  So rushed in for emergency root extraction which was about 8 injections and a dentist literally cracking the roots (there is two) out of my jaw which was, well an experience let's say that. Still infinitely preferable to the pain of the infection and loss feeling in my face.  Hopefully you don't experience this but just be aware you will not have a nerve in your tooth after the procedure so you may not get early warnings of any infections on that site.

You'll fine though I'm sure : )

[dissolute ocelot]

I have terrible teeth, and can confirm that root canal work is mostly just dull ("boring" hahaha). If you speak to your dentist beforehand, they'll be able to help with any specific worries, whether it's pain, saliva, dental phobia, or whatever - including being able to stop for a few minutes if necessary. Also, while you have to sit there a long time you don't have to have your mouth wide open the whole time, as there is time for drying/setting and maybe for additional x-rays to check progress. You might get it done over more than one session as well (with a temporary filling in the meantime), but I'm not sure if that's something you have any choice over.

On the other hand, getting a tooth pulled without a general anaesthetic is something I don't recommend. I had a young cocky dentist who insisted I didn't need to wait for the dental hospital.

[Claude the Racecar Driving Rockstar Super Sleuth]

I assume "Root Canal" is a NSFW term in Australia.

[Pink Gregory]

REFUSE tooth pain
RESIST not going to the dentist

[Jasha]

Beneath the remains (of your rotten tooth)

[Alberon]

Root Canals aren't fun, but they're just boring. Getting a crown fitted seems to involve weeks in the chair and it's hard to ignore while they're working because they are, obviously, right in your face.

It's the sexual molestation while you're in the chair that most annoys me about the whole procedure. I don't really understand why all that is necessary.

[Pink Gregory]

Beneath the remains (of your rotten tooth)

tooths of doom


yeah that's probably it

[Kankurette]

Trenter, that was one thing I did worry about, the possibility of it not working but apparently yanking the tooth out is a last resort.

Can they put you to sleep for it?

[Alberon]

I've had a couple of teeth out. You're numbed to any pain, but the crunching sound through the jawbone as they grip it and pull will stay with me forever.

[Kankurette]

I might ask if I can bring my iPod/phone in. If only to alleviate the boredom somewhat.

Another question: is it normal to feel a bit shitty in general if you have toothache? I feel a bit nauseous atm and I was out playing Pokemon Go earlier, there was a raid in a local park, and I came home feeling like I was made of wet tissue paper and couldn't wait for a lie down.

[Jasha]

tooths of doom


yeah that's probably it

Septic (inflammation) Schizo

The Abscess

[shiftwork2]

I might ask if I can bring my iPod/phone in. If only to alleviate the boredom somewhat.

Another question: is it normal to feel a bit shitty in general if you have toothache? I feel a bit nauseous atm and I was out playing Pokemon Go earlier, there was a raid in a local park, and I came home feeling like I was made of wet tissue paper and couldn't wait for a lie down.

That's a good idea, why didn't i think of that?  Dentists are really into Heart for some reason.  I'm sure they will let you do that if you can take the earbuds out when required.

Toothache is draining and always gets worse.  You need to get this done and out of the way.

[Tony Tony Tony]

Had root canal work approx twenty years ago and much of what is posted above resonates with what I remember. My abiding memory is that the dentist IIRC packed the hole with some plastic spikes which I see whenever I get an X-ray these days. I also have a horrid memory of the stink of the gunk that he drained from the abscess that was the root cause of the problem (see what I did there?). The dentist was a voluble Aussie who told me he was really proud of the resulting work and that I could open beer bottles with the cap. I can. 

Nowadays the cap serves to remind me that in the intervening years my 'real' teeth have become progressively more stained by the tea, coffee and red wine I guzzle on account of it being whiter.

Enjoy your treatment, think of it as a bit of a lie back for a one sided conversation about your holidays. The most painful part will be payment, even NHS, bringing tears to your eyes.

[Blue Jam]

Maybe try asking your GP if you can get a one-off prescription of a low dose of valium? I've done that three times now, before minor procedures for wimmin's troubles, and I believe you can get it for other things like dentist appointments and fear of flying. The last time my GP said "We don't really do that anymore" but she was a sympathetic female GP who prescribed me a dose anyway. I guess the rules vary as they do in different NHS trusts but if you know a nice GP and can request an appointment with them maybr give it a go?

[madhair60]

walking into dentist and going "tooth's fucked"

[Cerys]

Main thing I remember about mine is my gob slowly filling with saliva during the procedure, and not being able to swallow properly and feeling embarrassed about it.

That, for me, is the worst thing about visiting the dentist.  Luckily my current dentist is lovely, and understands that I'll semi-regularly have to signal for a pause so I can swallow (quiet at the back, please).  I suspect I'll be having two molar root canals done over the next few months, so I'm glad of this.

[Kankurette]

One bit of good news: no abscess. Which is just as well cos my ex-girlfriend had one a while back and was in absolute agony.