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How bad is a root canal really?
Main Post: How bad is a root canal really?
Top Comment: I had a root canal in tooth #30 so on the exact opposite end of #19 and it wasn't so bad but I think it genuinely depends on the dentist. I avoided the dentist for 10+ years due to a bad widsom teeth surgery. My current dentist is amazing and I did my root canal at a referred endodontist and went back to her for the crown. I did have to get tooth lengthening surgery in between because they took most of my tooth off and there wasnt enough left for the crown to attach to. I got this in Oct 2022. Right now I am dealing with another tooth that needs a root canal and I can honestly say you should get it done ASAP because the pain will get worse. When I did my first root canal I only experienced pain with cold water. For this tooth though I've been experiencing nonstop throbbing pain. Agree with the other comment that it is quite a hassle to keep going back for it. I don't think it will be too noticeable that it's not your natural tooth especially since it's in the back.
How Root canals work
Main Post: How Root canals work
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ELI5: Why do we do root canals instead of just pulling a tooth?
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I’ve had a tooth that’s been giving me problems for a few years. About 2 years ago, it was so bad, and was radiating to my jaw, I went to a dentist and she recommended a root canal. It went very poorly and she didn’t finish, though she said she did. I got a second opinion and they said I needed it redone, but then insurance wouldn’t cover it. I couldn’t get a crown until it was redone. I spent two years on and off trying to talk to insurance and dentists to get it covered. Buying on my left side, because I had a “temporary filling.” I finally bit the bullet and had the root canal redone by an endodontist last week. He was very good, I think. But now my tooth feels weird, it doesn’t feel right. It’s sort of...itchy, and mild discomfort. I’m worried I’m just going to end up getting it pulled in the end, after spending around $4000 that I didn’t have on it, and a whole lot of pain.
TLDR: Why do we even recommend/try root canals? Why not just pull it? Years of anguish, pain, lopsided chewing, sleepless nights, and painful procedures and recoveries...why? Why is it so important to try to keep the tooth?
Top Comment: Dentures are terrible. They flop around, and the bone shrinks away from lack of teeth, making dentures fit even worse as you age. Upper dentures require adequate bone so they can suction against the palate. Lower dentures just kind of rest on the lower jaw with no actual good way to lock on. As the bone shrinks away (due to lack of teeth, as healthy and clean teeth promote bone to stay) the dentures don't fit as well. Implants are better but they don't have the suspension system (periodontal ligament) to promote bone to stay. So they fit for a while, but as the bone shrinks back over the years you need to replace the crown as the implant gets exposed. Enough bone loss, and your implant fails (this takes a long time, thankfully). That said, while implants stick around longer, they look terrible as the bone recedes around it more than the surrounding teeth. It looks like implants are sinking into the bone while the other teeth are still at the same general esthetic level. This is more pronounced and aggressive in the front teeth region, so front teeth implants ever up esthetically failing sooner than back teeth implants. We have a success rate of about 95% of implants staying in the bone of 10 years (depending on the study you read). However, the esthetics of the implant in the front teeth is only about 95% at 5 years, but by 10 years about 50% of the implants look awful due to the bone loss issue (again depending on the study you read). Implants can also not "take" and require a second or third attempt to be inserted. They can get infected (perimplantitis). They often require bone grafts or the bone to be modified. So, they're not guaranteed to work out just cause you need to replace a missing or failed tooth. Bridges may need to have teeth that didn't need fillings or crowns to be cut to support them. They are also difficult to clean and are basically paying for 3 crowns to replace 1 tooth. There are good in certain situations, but that's a very limited set of scenarios to make a bridge a better option than a single root canal and crown. So, if you have a good root canal and take care of it (crowns on them in the back teeth, floss, brush, and eat a proper diet) it'll last you a long time and still preserve the bone as much as possible. If the root canal tooth fails, you just bought yourself all those years of bone preservation and kicked that implant failure issue down the road. If you can retreat a failed root canal with another one, or possibly snip the tip of the root (called apicoectomy) you just bought yourself several more years with the 2nd root canal. Source: dentist/orthodontist that deals with a lot of adults needing to move teeth around to accommodate new implants and failed implants. I also go through all this discussion when dealing with missing teeth and planning things for kids and adults going through braces/aligners. They need to know what to expect should they decide to plan on future implants to address those missing teeth. Fun fact. We should be able to transplant teeth from one part of your mouth to another to avoid implants on esthetic areas, or even avoid them altogether. This stuff is happening, but not the standard of care yet Edit: another comment I posted on the topic here: https://www.reddit.com/r/askdentists/s/kk7UIaSC0K
How bad is a root canal? Is it better to get the tooth removed or get the root canal done?
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I’m a 27(F) and I might have to get a root canal done because I have a cracked tooth on my top back molar. I’m terrified. I keep seeing that root canals are toxic, they don’t last. That getting my tooth pulled would be a better option.
What do I do? I’m scared.
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How root canal treatment works
Main Post: How root canal treatment works
Top Comment: I had one done 2 months ago. They forgot to add the part where they bleach it to make sure all the infection is gone. Trust me, that shit tastes awful. The dentist I went to used the perfect amount of anesthetics , I felt nothing.
What was your experience like getting a root canal?
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Long story short, I have to get a root canal in one of my molars and am currently going sick with the anxiety.
For context, I have struggled with really extreme dental phobia for all my life and am finally getting around to fixing my mouth. I did get a filling done the other day, which went (surprisingly) well, but am so terrified of the RCT. I've seen some people say that for them it was just like a filling that took a really long time, more uncomfortable than painful, is that what I should be expecting more or less? If you have had one done, what was your experience like?
Top Comment: Hey friend! I understand dental anxiety and let me just tell you the worst part is the anticipation. I’ve had 6 root canals in my lifetime and i can tell you it’s really not bad. Getting the initial numbing is the worst part and even that is a 1 second pinch that you forget about. You shouldn’t feel anything, just a lot of noises that may be scary but are not painful! You may be sore around the area for a few days but nothing Tylenol can’t help. I’ve had root canals and gone for a run the very next day. You’ve got this! And you’re so cool for taking care of your teeth:)
Got told yesterday that I, at 26 years old, need a root canal
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Woke up to EXTREME pain in my upper left canine at 3am on Wednesday, thought I just clenched my jaw too hard while I slept but the pain was really strong and didn’t subside. Got an emergency appointment at 8:30am Thursday (yesterday) morning only to be told that I have an infection on a tooth that has NEVER had any problems & that the only solution is a ROOT CANAL!!!
Top Comment: I’m a dentist and that right there is clearly an abscess. Age has nothing to do with needing a root canal. Even kids need it from time to time, it’s just labeled a pulpotomy/pulpectomy. It’s unfortunate that you’re in pain, it’s definitely annoying to have a new pain where there was none. But I dont see a reason to doubt the diagnosis and I feel bad that you don’t feel like you can trust your dentist. I would confirm this with a cbct and treat this. Fortunately with this being a canine, it shouldnt need a crown although you may need to whiten it every few years (internal bleaching, much easier than it sounds, relatively cheap too) As to why you need one, I don’t see decay which means it’s got to be a periodontal abscess (unlikely) or from a trauma-induced fracture (bruxism related). Good luck OP.
What should I expect from a root canal? : r/askTO
Main Post: What should I expect from a root canal? : r/askTO
ROOT CANALS
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My dentist is telling me I need 4 fillings and a root canal on my front right tooth and I’m very concerned on wtf that actually is. I recently have watched a documentary about root canals on all the health problems they have caused and how terrible they truly are , but I have a big ass hole in my right front tooth and if I get it pulled out instead of a root canal I’m going to look very silly. I just want to know peoples personal experience with root canals ?? If you’ve had a root canal please let me know the experience that you’ve had or if you know anything about root canals. MUCH LOVE!!!!
Top Comment: Get the root canal. Or if you’re that scared have it pulled. No other options. Decaying teeth are way worse for your health than a root canal. The whole scare with RCT is silly. I’ve heard so many people who say things like “80% of people who got cancer had a root canal in the past” well that’s cause 80% of the population has had a freaking root canal.
What does a tooth feel like after a root canal?
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I have absolutely horrible dental anxiety. I'm a chronic teeth grinder, and I'll admit that I don't take care of my teeth as well as I could. But whenever I have a toothache, I think to myself "this is the one, this isn't just a cavity". I suppose what I'm most afraid of is losing sensation since I know nerves innervate the tooth. I know how the procedure works, but it looks scary. Isn't the tooth basically dead afterwards?
Top Comment: And after a root canal, you need to get a crown. (You should)