root canal treatment - NHS and private costs & pros and cons

welshdent

cleaning in my experience does not cause any problem. It can be blamed for it but usually its just uncovering an existing one

rubyrobot

Hi guys - I hope this is the right place but i'm worried about my forthcoming root canal!

I went to have it 2 weeks ago, but when he started doing it, the pain was so bad, I jumped out of the chair! He said it was because the nerves were still alive, put something on them to kill them, then put a temporary filling on. I went back today, and had 3 other fillings done - on one side of my mouth, the pain was awful while he was doing it and I needed an additional fair few injections - 4 hours later I still can't feel the side of my face / neck / ear. It still felt quite sensitive when he was doing it, even with all those injections. Now i'm terrified that the root canal will cause me loads of pain when I go back for that! Does anesthetic just not work very well for me - is that even possible? I was also worried as when he first went to do the root canal, he didn't use a dental dam, and i've read in various places that this is really important! Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as i'm terrified!

brook2jack

Speak to your dentist about taking some painkillers (they will tell you most appropriate ones) about an hour before your appointment. It's very effective for "hot pulps" ie teeth that need root treatment but have some nerve left that's difficult to numb up.

I suspect that maybe you haven't been for a while to need so much treatment and if you are nervous the body interprets every bit of pressure etc as pain and that can also make your fillings feel sensitive even though you are very numb.

There is a small group of people with Ehler Danlos or hypermobility syndrome that are difficult to numb up and special measures need to be taken for them.

Finally , yes rubber dam should be used for root treatment. Whether many nhs dentists do use it given the derisory amount paid by the nhs is another thing.

**dancingbutterfly**

hi guys,


I need some advice from toothsmith and/or welshdent and any other knowledgeable people if possible please

Im booked in for a root canal this friday on the NHS and im not sure whether to go ahead with it or have it pulled.

the tooth is the 3rd on the left from my left front tooth upper (apologies for not knowing correct name!)

history - 14 months ago had it filled (large, deep filling) no pain previously, now pain, pain from eating, wind blowing and cannot drink anything cold on my left side for love or money. Had it refilled june this year. Still in pain, i need root canal im told. Sent away in july with antibiotics as small grey area on xray. Clear it up a treat.

If this was a back tooth id have it pulled no problem, but as you can see it if i smile fairly wide id rather keep it. However its mostly grey from the fillings and misshapen

I am a massive panic'er' when it comes to the dentist. So my last fillings were all done under sedation - fantastic. However rct is really, really worrying me. Im wondering as its not guaranteed and been a real pain for a long time should i just get it pulled? This may happen if it fails i take it? Can i get a false tooth or something as a gap at 26 years of age wont look nice....my dentist also will fill it with amalgam, not a white filling as that's more likely to fail he said which will look carp as well!

I looked into going private as my consultant recommended (had wisdom teeth out under general august this year) but it was £600 + which we don't have.

I just dont know what to do....im so scared about having the rct. but i want my teeth! argh what shall i do?!

so sorry for the waffling

any advice is very much appreciated.

brook2jack

Root treatment is really not any worse than a filling despite the horror stories. A denture or replacement tooth is never as good as your own tooth and need replacement in a regular basis.
Can you not ask for sedation for root treatment if it worries you as I presume you would want it fir an extraction.

26 is a young age to be having teeth out ,particularly where it shows. The main thing whatever you decide is to change your diet and cleaning habits now so you don't have to make this choice for other teeth in the future.

**dancingbutterfly**

hi Brook2jack,

Thank you for your advice. I will be having sedation either way!

With regards to diet and cleaning habits- I brush twice daily with durophat (sp?) 5000 toothpaste and use corsodyl mouth wash. I dont drink fizzy drinks, i drink sugar free squash and occasionally diet drinks. I don't eat sweets or sugary things, i dont drink tea or coffee.

The dentists and I are dumbfounded as to why my teeth are like this. Its really upsetting. I had perfect teeth till i had my son 6 years ago, since then ive had probably 12 fillings and now the root....

I really would like to know why they're like this and stop it happening to my other teeth, else im going to have none left by the time im 30....

My dentist says my teeth are really soft and I grind them very badly in my sleep. My lower back tooth is down to its last 3 ml or so I have a mouth splint but i find it hard to sleep with it in without gagging. But im getting better every day.

Thankyou again.

brook2jack

Teeth don't decay without sugar or acid. The other things to look at are do you suffer indigestion, sickness heartburn as stomach acid can cause problems.

There is no such thing as soft teeth just teeth damaged by acid/sugar /grinding.

Try doing a three day diet sheet with everything you eat and drink,even just a mouthful, and the times you ate/drank and discuss with your dentist. There are alot of things with hidden sugars that are fatal to teeth like smoothies, dried fruit, fruit juices, sweetened yoghurts , soya milk,oat milk,crisps etc etc etc. Eating or drinking things before bed also causes problems.

Medications that cause dry mouth like antidepressants can be a problem as can poorly controlled diabetes etc.

Finally stop using corsodyl mouthwash. For duraphat toothpaste to work you must spit but not rinse after brushing, otherwise the fluoride doesn't have a chance of sitting on your teeth and doing good.

**dancingbutterfly**

brook2jack wrote: »

Teeth don't decay without sugar or acid. The other things to look at are do you suffer indigestion, sickness heartburn as stomach acid can cause problems.

I do suffer with bad heart burn - even more so when i was pregnant.

There is no such thing as soft teeth just teeth damaged by acid/sugar /grinding.

Sorry, it was his explanation re-soft!

Try doing a three day diet sheet with everything you eat and drink,even just a mouthful, and the times you ate/drank and discuss with your dentist. There are alot of things with hidden sugars that are fatal to teeth like smoothies, dried fruit, fruit juices, sweetened yoghurts , soya milk,oat milk,crisps etc etc etc. Eating or drinking things before bed also causes problems.

Will do this, great idea thanks.

Medications that cause dry mouth like antidepressants can be a problem as can poorly controlled diabetes etc.

Finally stop using corsodyl mouthwash. For duraphat toothpaste to work you must spit but not rinse after brushing, otherwise the fluoride doesn't have a chance of sitting on your teeth and doing good.

I wish my dentist would have told me that. will not rinse from now on.

thank you brook2jack

brook2jack

Forgot to say putting duraphat toothpaste inside your splint is also a good idea as the tooth is bathed in fluoride overnight.

Diet drinks particularly fizzy ones can be very acid and cause problems so should be drunk sparingly. Plain milk and water are safest bets.

**dancingbutterfly**

that's great thanks!