stilover

As above. I've just been informed by my Dentist I need Root Canal treatment to one of my back Molars As someone who is terrified of the Dentist, this is a very scary procedure for me.
Have been told the success percentage for my tooth is about 85%, which doesn't fill me with the best confidence. Having a quick browse on the internet last night, it's amazing the amount of sites/people that say don't bother having it done.

Who on here has had Root Canal treatment ??

How long were you in the chair for (procedure time) ??

Did your tooth fail afterwards ??

What has happened once your tooth failed ??

My alternative is to have the tooth pulled, which not only means swallowing/spitting blood for days afterwards, but also having a huge unsightly gap in my teeth. Plus, having one less tooth to chew with

Oh yes, I've also been quoted about £1000 with a specialist endodontist

Have dismissed having a crown.

SiPie

I have root canal treatment since 6th August 2004 when I thought a tooth had snapped.

I have had 29 appointments as apparently this is a freak tooth with problematic lateral canals that can just not be reached, they just have to die off themselves.

Lots of pain

Luckily I am in Denplan so hasn't cost me (and Dentist doesn't benefit from additional visits, so he's not at it !!)

Probably not the best person to offer an opinion on this...lots of other people have had no real problems.

Mark Miwurdz

Had it done but I now know my tooth was too far gone to save - had it pulled last week.

The treatment's no big deal. I had 2 x 45 minute sessions in the chair. The first session is where they take all the roots out with tiny screw-like implements. It's done by hand and doesn't hurt a bit. During the procdure they use bucket-loads of antipseptic to clean all the gaps out. They'll put a temporary dressing in and cap it. Pop back 2 weeks later and have the premanent one done.

My tooth split from top to bottom a year later because it was fcuked. Ask you dentist for an hones appraisal. If it works and you keep the tooth, it's worth doing. If the tooth is knackered, I'd have it pulled now and save yourself time, grief and money.

Cheers
Kav

Petem95

I to have this done a year or so ago, the quote from my (private) dentist was £800 which I felt was a complete rip-off!

In the end I registered with an NHS dentist - got it done for £50!!!! (and thats normal rate, not low-income rate or whatever)

Ended up having the tooth removed tho as it was too far gone - I basically got nothing done about it for ages - tooth could have been saved had I acted sooner, but I didnt exactly jump at the chance of £800's worth of work.

Having the tooth removed wasnt the nicest thing, but wasnt too bad I suppose.

Also i wasnt keen about the idea of one less tooth, but it makes no difference to be honest - you dont even notice it missing, and you cant see the gap.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Had awful pain while on a short break in Italy, (Rome) over Easter.

When I got back, went to my dentist for advice/help. He told me that he could give antibiotics, but there was no guarantee it wouldn't return.

He could do root canal, but there was no guarantee it would work, nor that it wouldn't return. It was also going to be at least two appointments.

He could pull it. Cost £40

I had it pulled. I spat blood while in the chair, and ONCE at home. The next day it was healed well enough to eat carefully round. I now have two missing, both due to breaks then infections.

In September, I'm having both permanently replaced with bridgework, cost £800, but only 'cos wifey is paying. To be honest, neither bother me. Both are premolars, lower jaw.

Alcazar

AER-SCOOBY

Don't bother. I had to have it done to my front tooth. It has now discoloured giving it a black tint. I am now thinking of having a veneer to replace it, but this it not a cheap option and they drill a lot of the original tooth away in order to bond it on. Since having it done I have become a bit self concious while smiling as it is right at the front and slowly getting worse.

Diablo

Had it done on lower molar.

Hurt like **** at the time and for a while afterwords.

Tooth eventually snapped due to weakening and had crown.

to cut a long story short, had years of intermittent grief with it and got it pulled three years ago.

The dentist will stich big holes and I had no pain after pulling, no trouble since, no blood, no gore no hassle. Just a but tender when eating for a week or so.

Pulled the stich out myself after 4 days as it was annoying me.

Got gap (can't see it) will probably get a bridge sometime, but to be honest its not a hinderence.

With hindight, I'd just have got it pulled - sod root canal treatment.

Glencora

I had one a few months ago - mine cost me £750. I am an extremely nervous person at the dentist and they told me they wouldnt treat me without sedation (I hit the dentist - didnt mean to! but she was about 12 years old and poked the sore bit, it was a reflex govn'r-honest).

I had two appointments cant remember anything (the sedation gives you anmesia even though you are awake enough for them to tell you what to do), I had an achy jaw for a couple of hours but have since had no problems.

Drunken Bungle Whore

I've had 2 lots and I hate dentists so much it used to take 2 large valium pills to get me into the chair! (If you have a serious problem just ask the dentist for some - they usually oblige with a nice yellow prescription! )

Have to say it didn't hurt at all. 2 x 45 mins. First appointment mouth was completely frozen and didn't feel a thing, second appointment no injection 'cos the root and nerve were already gone - felt odd, but no pain!

Bit stiff and sore the next day, but otherwise fine!

Good luck!

stilover

Thanks for all those answers.

Still not sure yet. After reading the first 6 reply's I'm inclined to forget it, and get it pulled (Booked in 19th July) but after reading the last 2, I'm not sure now.
I'd really like to keep the tooth, but the first 6 reply confirmed my thoughts and what I've read on the internet.

Sod it, it's getting pulled. Just hope the dentists can stitch the hole.

Cheers for all the reply's

Drunken Bungle Whore

Still worth getting the valium though.....

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Was that in response to my comment about bridgework, or the origianl comment about Root-canal?

Worried Alcazar

weapon69

Have it pulled!!! I had 3 root canal treatments on a back molar and after numerous infections i agreed to have it pulled. Stupid b!tch fcuked it up and i ended up in hospital. However, now i don't have all the pain

stilover

That's exactly why I think I'll have it pulled.

Cheers

messiah

I've had root canal work done - next time I'll get the bugger pulled out and save the hassle of lying with your mouth wedged open for 30 minutes - and thats if it doesnt bleed much.

Pain-wise - its no worse than filling, a needle and bit (I mean a lot) of drilling. The dentist has to drill half the tooth out and there was so little left of mine that it just kept breaking away until there was only the filling left in the middle - a right pain for getting food stuck in the gap.

Get it pulled.

Dream Weaver

My 2 front teeth were knackered in 2003 after an incident back in 1996

After loads of treatment for years, resulting in a huge absess under my nose in 2003 I just had them pulled out, and paid privately to have some aerospace technology bridge put in. Got it at a reduced price of £600 :O

Had no bother since then, though the bridge is getting a bit knackered now.

Have it pulled out.

Petem95

Sounds like your dentist is a good salesman/women!!!

"this bridge was developed by nasa scientists, we're offering it for a special TODAY ONLY price of £600!!!!"

" I'LL TAKE IT!!!!"

Sexy Scots Lass

Had root canal treatment on a back molar about 3 years ago now as well, can't remember how long I spent in the chair but it was a while. In the end though, I had the tooth pulled out anyway as he couldn't save it. Having a gap at the back is no big deal and I don't even notice it now. Was a bit of a shock having it pulled mind you You have to watch out for the wound healing though and be careful with it until it does heal over. I remember having a terrible taste in my mouth for a while until it did heal up.

Adam M

I havent read the above, as I dont have time, but I hope my comments are repetitions of the above.

I had route canal once in my life.

I too was concerned, but without cause. the only minor irritation was the injection which is always necessary. the procedure is nothing more than a deep filling and is nothing to be concerned about.

Then, several months later I start to feel pain in the tooth, sensitivity which eventually leads to what I can only describe as agony.

A route canal treatment is effectively a filling into the root of the tooth that pulls the nerve out at the same time.

I thought no nerve = no pain. I was wrong. The problem was the filled tooth was weak as a result of being more filling than tooth, and cracked. Thecrack supported an infection in the gum beneath the tooth. The tooth may have been dead as a result of the root canal, but the gum certainly was not.

I cried, and I am not afraid to admit it, for 8 hours solidly. It was the most unbearable pain of my life, and I have had some nasty injuries in my time including severing finger tips, and picking out pebbles from my fore arm, scraping away bone from my foreheah in a bike accident.

nothing compared to this pain. a throb that did not ease off except slightly by applying fresh ice every six seconds.

Antibiotics couldcnt work fast enough and dentist subscribed painkillers were not anything like strong enough. I was on full strength nurofen, paracetemol and aspirin at the same time, but they made no difference, In the end some GP presribed tramadol eased me until i could get to the dentist.

By this time the additional antibiotics were strating to work - metronidazole, and the dentist gave me the option of leaving the tooth in place but couldn't gaurantee it wouldn't come back.

In fear, there was no way I was leaving that ******* in my mouth. She pulled the tooth immediately and as it came out I could instantly feel the release of pain. It was one of the most relieving moments of my life.

I decided I would start to save for the £2000 needed to have an implant, as the hole is annoying. But nothing like as annoying as the pain.

If there is any chance of you getting an infected route due to a crack in the molar (mine was also a molar) ask the dentist. If unlikely, then don't be afraid of route canal treatment, no pain at the time and no problematic after effects.

I would rather be kicked in the ***** hard than experience even 1/10th of the pain of that toothache again.

Thats all I can say! thinking about it makes me shake!

stilover

Blimey !!!

I did have an abscess in the tooth/gum a few months ago, and like yourself was (almost) crying with the pain. I nearly got it pulled then, but the anti-biotics started to work, and he drilled it again and filled it with an antiseptic filling. Since then I've had no problem, so thought everything was fine, and all it needed was filling again with a proper filling. How wrong I was. Got told on Monday at my 6 month checkup that it still needs doing, as it will probably come back

That's why I'll have to do something now, rather than later, as the thought of that pain doesn't bare thinking about.

Not sure whether I'd rather be kicked in the nuts though???

Dream Weaver

He offered me a standard bridge for £1400 ish, then this new technology thing for more than half price, as long as I agreed to go back every 6-12 months to have it photographed (which is a pain as its a 50 mile round trip).

Didn't have much choice though, it was 3 weeks before I was due to be married

Dream Weaver

I know exactly the pain you mean - thats what happened when the absess above my two front teeth swelled up for the final time, and that was caused by a cracked tooth under the gum also.

It swelled to the size of a grape under my nose and i've never EVER experienced pain so severe - its the sort of pain that makes you want to get a knife and rip into the gum yourself just to get some relief.

I too had Paracetamol, Aspirin and Ibuprofen, plus soluble Aspirin on my gum to try and help, and a load of whisky but nothing helped.

I'd rather die than have to go through that again.

hades

Yep, absesses and infections in the wrong place do hurt a lot. I got an absess formed under a filling, and certainly wasn't pleasant.

However, I had root canal done on that tooth and one other - after removing the filling, various treatment to cure the absess, anti-biotics and various pain killers (the only time I've taken any in the last 20 years).

Both cases took 3 appointments, totalling about 3 hours in the chair. This was with a private dentist who had some NHS subsidy (can't explain that sentence any more as I don't know any more!). In both cases, she did take some care with making sure the roots were properly drilled and cleaned - x-rays, resistance checks etc - and used some fancier stuff to fill with and build up the holes in the teeth than was available on the NHS. This was ~5 years ago, and apart from a little tenderness for the first couple of days, and severe jaw ache from opening my mouth far enough for her to do the drilling etc on one molar, I have had absolutely no problems at all since. IIRC they cost me just over £300 / tooth

little'un

iTrader: (9)

I've had two this year and am now thinking about having the crowns put on...thought I'd find a cheaper option than ceramic / porcelain (£300) and go for gold (now two for one payment apparently, of £180
Had a bit of pain and my jaw was a bit stiff for a couple of days after - and done on the NHS, £100 each.

Stephb1986

im absoultly terrified of the dentist he's lucky to get his fingers in my mouth also my mum is scared of the dentist and she's had root canal treatment on two teeth she was scared but had it done and was fine after it

mart360

Now can you see why i had all mine taken out


Mart

pslewis

I would say have it pulled ..... most of my root filled teeth are cracking up and will need to be pulled/crowned

I am currently experiencing an abcess under a tooth I had filled last year - it has affected my nasal cavity and my tonsil ......

The NHS allows you to have as much treatment as is required for a MAXIMUM payment of £189 ..... this used to be £384!!! So, I would suggest you get a crown and other work done on the NHS (lots of Eastern Europeans in the UK Dentistry willing to do NHS work now).

Pete

Aaquil

Hello mate I am a dentist what do you want to know? I mean you have had a lot of replies and maybe some of your questions answered?

Scuuby_wrx

All i can say is its very painful

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Just to mention the success rate is 80 odd percent over 5 years.......all the above posts concentrate on the failures..

I root filled a lower left molar at about 9.30 am this morning and hopefully it will still be there in 10 years time

as Aaquil says....... ask away !

Shaun