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

fran_from_willesden

Well I've had the first part of the RCT - wasn't as bad as I thoght!! Only bit that hurts is where I had the anaesthetic in the back of my jaw. Only thing is the temp filling I had put in came out so the dentist suggested I buy some temp filling and put it in myself. So now I'm qualified to give myself temporary fillings! Nice!

ronaldmacdonald

yeah i remember this, i had it on a tooth right at the back. in the chair for 2.5 hours and it only hurt during one bit ( i think where they prodded down into the hole with the pipe cleaner thing). gave me neck ache laying down still for so long but worth it i guess in the end

Toothsmith

fran_from_willesden wrote:

Only thing is the temp filling I had put in came out so the dentist suggested I buy some temp filling and put it in myself. So now I'm qualified to give myself temporary fillings! Nice!

I really don't like the sound of that.

The success of a root filling depends on there being no bugs left in the root canal system.

You have no way of knowing if the canal is clean before you put in your temporary filling, or if you are sealing in a stray bit of toast & marmalade! Along with a bucket full of saliva & bugs.

Get back and have him do it.

fran_from_willesden

Toothsmith wrote:

I really don't like the sound of that.

The success of a root filling depends on there being no bugs left in the root canal system.

You have no way of knowing if the canal is clean before you put in your temporary filling, or if you are sealing in a stray bit of toast & marmalade! Along with a bucket full of saliva & bugs.

Get back and have him do it.

Quick question - how come the procedure is done in two parts? I know my dentist put some stuff in that filled the tooth up to the gum line and then put in this white stuff until my next apppointment which then fell out. The filling I put in is only in the upper part of the tooth...if that makes sense?

Toothsmith

fran_from_willesden wrote:

Quick question - how come the procedure is done in two parts? I know my dentist put some stuff in that filled the tooth up to the gum line and then put in this white stuff until my next apppointment which then fell out. The filling I put in is only in the upper part of the tooth...if that makes sense?

Yes it does - and is probably OK then.

First part, finding root canals, shaping, sterilising and dressing so the sterilising stuff has a chance to work, and settle down the tooth.

Second part finishes it off with the root fillings put in place.

Can be done in one visit if the tooth isn't too infected in the first place, or the initial bits go really well and quicker than planned.

It can often be a long time for the patient to have their mouth open wide, so that is another reason for 2 visits.

fran_from_willesden

Well...I've got a month to go before my second appointment. Hopefully won't have to go back before then!

fran_from_willesden

YAY!!!!! I've had it done! Root Canal treatment is finally done and I am pain free! Took ages though, I think the dentist removed the temp filling he put in and put other stuff in. I kept seeing syringes and stuff...scary! Anyway, it's nice to be able to eat without any pain!

Toothsmith

Well done!

movieman

I had one last year after I got an abcess under my tooth when it cracked (the part above the gums was about 20% tooth and 80% filling as a result of decay when I was a teenager) and it was no problem. Worst part was having to keep my mouth open for 45 minutes so they could clear it all out and fill it up.

Having to live with a temporary filling for a couple of months until they could fit me in to do a crown was a bit of a pain though: there wasn't enough tooth left to put a filling in there so it needed the full treatment.

lisadupreez

Just wondering in the interests of money saving if there really is a difference between getting a root canal done via the NHS (£42) or privately (£240).

My dentist said that they can use a lot of different and better tools if done privately, but can't use them if doing on the NHS.

And by the way - can anyone tell me how (ona weekend) to dull the pain of an infection under the said root canal tooth - I'm taking co-codromol and ibuprofen 400 3 of each every 4 hours??