Root Canal - Yes or No?

[Nemo]

After having my teeeth cleaned, yesterday, they said that one of my eye teeth had a hole or decay in it. They've referred me to another Dentist who does root canal work. Have any of you or your friends had this operation? And if so, would you reccomend it or should I be as SCARED as I am about it? The tooth has never given me any pain! Please, I need your opinions. Owen

[etcswjoe]

After having my teeeth cleaned, yesterday, they said that one of my eye teeth had a hole or decay in it. They've referred me to another Dentist who does root canal work. Have any of you or your friends had this operation? And if so, would you reccomend it or should I be as SCARED as I am about it? The tooth has never given me any pain! Please, I need your opinions. Owen

 

I have had three of these done and do not let it scare you one I even had to have one done with a microscope. The doc gave me pain killers and I only took a couple they were not really needed.

[mini-muffin]

Best advice I can give you is check out the doc that is going to do the root canal. We only had one dentist around here that did them and folks had problems after their root canals. I choose to have the tooth pulled, it was a molar and not that important in my opinion. This was a few years back, I'm hoping we've gotten another dentist to do the by now.

Good luck no matter what.

 

Margaret

[BigLenny]

Nemo,

 

Go get it done. I've had two done, and it's a piece of cake. If you leave it the way it is, you will eventually lose the tooth.

 

The next day after you have it done, you will giggle at yourself for ever worrying about it.

 

They need to change the name of the procedure. ROOT CANAL sounds scary. It really isn't.

[Flyinfool]

My first thought is that if there is not and has not been any pain, that the decay is not down to the nerve.

I have had 2 root canals done but I was in extreme pain both times and it really was necessary.

 

I had a dentist once that would do unnecessary work just to get the bill up because he only made about $10 on a filling. He makes over $100 on a root canal or extraction. It might be worth a second opinion.

[wizard]

Ask your dentist how long the tooth will last after a root canal. Mine told me 5 years. I had mine pulled.

[GeorgeS]

I have had 5 of them. If they said you need it, really no other optionn other then looseing the tooth sooner or later.

If it gets infected, later, then lots of trouble.

 

As far as pain, if its done correct, its no big deal, other then its a fairly long proceedure as far as time spent in the chair.

 

Never had much pain after they were done.

[ediddy]

I had a root canal last week. The procedure is not bad but I would get a second opinion or go to an endodontist that is reputable. The endodontist will xray the tooth but I would also get him to look at the tooth under a microscope to make sure there isn't a crack in the tooth that can't be seen with the naked eye. If there is a crack in the tooth the root canal won't do any good and you will still have to have the tooth pulled. Some endodontist and dentist will do a procedure just to get the money when you really dont need the procedure done. Last year my dentist told me I needed a root canal and I let him do it. Three months later my jaw was hurting and my cheek was swelling. The dentist said he was going to have to re do the root canal. I got in the chair but the dentist couldn't get the packing he put in the tooth out so he sent me to an endodontist. The endodontist re did the root canal. Three months later more pain and my cheek was swelling so went back to the endodonist. He looked at the tooth under a microscope and said there was a crack in the tooth. When this happens bacteria gets in the tooth and it gets infected. Only solution is pull the tooth. I believe the dentist that did the first canal cracked the tooth but I can't prove it. Another tooth was causing a problem last week and the dentist told me I needed a root canal. When I went to the endodonist I asked him to look at the tooth under a microscope to make sure it wasn't cracked before I had the root canal. I don't think I would ever let a dentist do a root canal on me again. Endodonist are specialist trained in doing root canals. Good luck.

[Nemo]

Thanks for all the 'positive' replies. I'm feeling better about it already now. My Dentist referred me to the Dentists in Omaha called "Endodontic Associates." My appointment is for tomorrow afternoon, so I'll go ahead, live dangerously and get her done. OH BOY! Doesn't sound like much fun, though. Owen.

[bongobobny]

Yes, I've had a couple done too and other than going thru the procedure itself, which is painless, it's no big deal...

[Godlover]

Go to Mexico it is cheaper there! If you can, save your teeth, you won't regret it! At the age of 60 I finally got braces and it is well worth the expense.

[RandyR]

The reason for a root canal is that decay and/or infection has reached the root(s) of the tooth that go into bone. The root is then drilled out thru the tooth and a filling made and/or the tooth capped. A tooth can have multiple roots, up to three if I remember correctly.

 

The origonal dentist should have explained it and why it was necessary in your case.

 

That said, I've had 3 root canals (by the same specialist) and the procedure was generally painless and not to be worried about. I think that improved anesthesia and techniques and instruments make the root canal less of a worry than it was once upon a time. I still have all three teeth, the oldest root canal was done about 15 years ago.

[leo3wheel]

I've had a lot of dental work done dating back 45 years. Work included root canals and an implant. Nearly all my work was uneventful and with little pain. The endodontist who did my last root canal was on the rough side, and I did suffer some effects. The left side of my mouth drooped like I had a stroke. After four months, the symptoms have lessened significantly, but I still have some numbness. Told my dentist that I never want to go back to that endodontist. Not trying to scare you, but some folks are better than others and things can happen.

[MiCarl]

My dentist wanted to to a root canal on one of my teeth 40 years ago. He was going from an x-ray. I went to a 2nd dentist that actually examined the thing and said no.

 

I still have the tooth - and the nerve. I also never went back to the original dentist.

 

Get a 2nd opinion.

[The Tooch]

I've had 9 (NINE)........Yes I played Hockey!

 

2 of my front teeth on the bottom, I had done when I was 13, I'm now 56 and still got those two teeth. Don't know where a dentist would have come up with they would only last 5 years. All of mine are at least 30 years old. Couple hurt real bad but it had more to do with the smashed in face and the save'n of the teeth, then the proceedure its self.

[syscrusher]

I had a root canal last week. The procedure is not bad but I would get a second opinion or go to an endodontist that is reputable. The endodontist will xray the tooth but I would also get him to look at the tooth under a microscope to make sure there isn't a crack in the tooth that can't be seen with the naked eye. If there is a crack in the tooth the root canal won't do any good and you will still have to have the tooth pulled. Some endodontist and dentist will do a procedure just to get the money when you really dont need the procedure done. Last year my dentist told me I needed a root canal and I let him do it. Three months later my jaw was hurting and my cheek was swelling. The dentist said he was going to have to re do the root canal. I got in the chair but the dentist couldn't get the packing he put in the tooth out so he sent me to an endodontist. The endodontist re did the root canal. Three months later more pain and my cheek was swelling so went back to the endodonist. He looked at the tooth under a microscope and said there was a crack in the tooth. When this happens bacteria gets in the tooth and it gets infected. Only solution is pull the tooth. I believe the dentist that did the first canal cracked the tooth but I can't prove it. Another tooth was causing a problem last week and the dentist told me I needed a root canal. When I went to the endodonist I asked him to look at the tooth under a microscope to make sure it wasn't cracked before I had the root canal. I don't think I would ever let a dentist do a root canal on me again. Endodonist are specialist trained in doing root canals. Good luck.

 

Typically the tooth will become very brittle after the root canal and it requires a crown to strengthen it andc prevent it from cracking. I had a root canal on a molar years ago but didn't feel I could afford to pay for a crown at the time. Later while biting into a piece of grilled steak the tooth split in two and it had to be pulled. If you do the root canal, get it crowned.

[Nemo]

Thank you for the comment about the Crown. I didn't realize that. Sounds reasonable though. I have a brochure showning adding a Crown, but I thought that it was maybe only for adding if the top of the tooth was missing or decayed. So, I will have that done also. Hey you guys, talking me into all this stuff is costing me a fortune you know! But, really, I do appreciate you all with today's chat. Thanks to everyone! Owen.

[Condor]

My first thought is that if there is not and has not been any pain, that the decay is not down to the nerve.

I have had 2 root canals done but I was in extreme pain both times and it really was necessary.

 

I had a dentist once that would do unnecessary work just to get the bill up because he only made about $10 on a filling. He makes over $100 on a root canal or extraction. It might be worth a second opinion.

 

[tz89]

Be sure to tell your dentist how much dental advice you got on your motorcycle forum.

 

Then ask if he has any recommended tires or oil advice for your bike!

[ediddy]

I didn't know you had a choice of a crown or not after a root canal. The two times I had a root canal I wasn't offered a choice. The endodontist told me to go back to my dentist and have the crown.

[Flyinfool]

On the 2 root canals that I have had done, one is 20 years old and the other is 10. neither had a crown and are both still there doing their job. Both were molars so they do get a workout.

 

The ripoff dentist that I went to was a large dental clinic, I have had the best experiences at small places where they get to know you because you always see the same person for everything. They do not have a specialist in the building that needs work to do to refer you to.

[syscrusher]

On the 2 root canals that I have had done, one is 20 years old and the other is 10. neither had a crown and are both still there doing their job. Both were molars so they do get a workout.

 

The ripoff dentist that I went to was a large dental clinic, I have had the best experiences at small places where they get to know you because you always see the same person for everything. They do not have a specialist in the building that needs work to do to refer you to.

 

My unqualified opinion is that you have been very lucky with your teethes and must be on a diet of soft foods. The "nerve" in a tooth is analogous to it's blood supply, it keeps the tooth alive and supple. Once the blood supply is removed the tooth dries out and takes on a brittle character and can then easily crack.

 

My "dentist" at the time may have made a mistake since what I could afford was the clinic at the dental college where students earn a grade working on your teeth. I remember one of the worst parts was when you had a dental dam (big sheet of rubber) in your mouth and tiny files sticking out of the top of your tooth and they'd march you down to the X-Ray machine to verify that they had completely removed the root (nerve). You had to keep your jaw open the whole time and try not to salivate since it was just going to drip down your chin. I had an abscess so bad that the acids neutralized the first four local anesthetics that they tried on me. My student dentist didn't get the whole nerve and so when I returned to have the temp filling removed they typically don't use a local anesthetic again because there's supposed to be no nerve. The dental candidate started to do a little cleaning in the canals and YEEEOOOW!!! that hurt and so we had to do the whole X-Ray thing all over again. Good times.

 

[Nemo]

Just wanted to finallize this topic. I had the Root Canal operation Wed, Nov 4th. Everything went fine, as some of you had indicated. It took a total of one hour and I never once felt a pain. Plus, no pain or soreness ever, when coming home, that night or even the next day. Everything went perfect and the Dentist was very precise and thorough. I see now that all that worrying was really unnecessary. Now, I am scheduled to go back to my regular dentist on Monday to have the filling capped. I'm very happy to have had it all completed, with no problems. Thanks again to all of you who helped convince me. Owen.

[mini-muffin]

Glad all went well.

 

Margaret

[RandyR]

The hole the dentist made in your tooth is where the NSA had the dentist insert the radio tracking device. Not to worry, though.