Root canal questions

od244051

Never had root canal before. Got two appts 8 days apart. What do dentists do with the tooth between appts? 

Do I have to eat no chew and soft foods for 8 days? If so I’m running out of ideas like tinned rice pudding, soup, pasta (small), smoothies, yoghurt, scrambled eggs etc.

Anything else I can eat to increase fruit n veg? Hate bananas 

Spoonie_Turtle

Mine was just filled while waiting for the crown (about 3 weeks), and I don't recall any exact instructions but I made sure not to eat hard or crunchy stuff on that side of my mouth. Otherwise I ate my usual diet, just trying not to chew on that side of my mouth.

You might be best off phoning your dentist to ask though, to be sure exactly what they will do with your tooth and any precautions or instructions.

Floss

I've had 2 root canals... the first appointment will be to remove the old nerve roots from the problem tooth and have a temporary cap put on the tooth. The second will be to put in the filling / fit the crown to that tooth.

I'm sure @Toothsmith can help if my memory has failed...

od244051

I know that it will be capped by temporary filling. As NHS isn’t doing crowns at the moment. My dentist does private work not paying £400-500 for a private crown

Floss

Mine were both done privately, but not crowned. They both had a rough seal over the tooth between the two appointments, then had white fillings sealed with UV at the second appointments.

You won't need to avoid much except toffees once the anaesthetic has worn off, 

Toothsmith

Floss is correct. A temporary restoration will be placed between appointments, either a temp filling or temp crown.
Your dentist should give you full instructions on what you shouldn't do on it, but it's usually just pretty obvious sensible precautions. Normal eating should be fine, but don't give it anything too challenging.

malenkaa20

Hi all, I have a question re root canal (didn't want to make up a new post but please feel free to delete/point me into the right direction should you feel new post would be more appropriate). I'm struggling a bit with the understanding of my dental treatment from a dentist...It seems like all what I do is pay ( mix of NHS/private treatments)  and although I'm happy to do so I feel I slightly overpay... My last plan is for £900 (last week visit, the previous one in March, regular dentist ’goer’, no major problems, few filings now and then) so I'm simply concerned. I always ask about white fillings which I understand I need to pay extra for however can I not have a root canal done on NHS with extra payment for white filling? Your support will be greatly appreciated. Thank you ☺️

Undervalued

malenkaa20 said:

Hi all, I have a question re root canal (didn't want to make up a new post but please feel free to delete/point me into the right direction should you feel new post would be more appropriate). I'm struggling a bit with the understanding of my dental treatment from a dentist...It seems like all what I do is pay ( mix of NHS/private treatments)  and although I'm happy to do so I feel I slightly overpay... My last plan is for £900 (last week visit, the previous one in March, regular dentist ’goer’, no major problems, few filings now and then) so I'm simply concerned. I always ask about white fillings which I understand I need to pay extra for however can I not have a root canal done on NHS with extra payment for white filling? Your support will be greatly appreciated. Thank you ☺️

I am not a dentist but as I understand it a successfully root canal treated tooth generally needs to be crowned as the remaining (and now dead) tooth will become brittle. If it cracks all will be lost. 

Although a few months is sometime left before crowning, to make sure the RC has been successful, surely it hardly matters what colour filling is visible for a short while?

So the RC can be done as part of a NHS Band 2 treatment, assuming the dentist feels it is not so complex as to need specialist treatment. A NHS crown is Band 3 but would generally be shiny metal (unless at the front). A tooth coloured porcelain crown would be private only unless near the front of the mouth.

Sadly a lot of NHS dentists try to dodge around doing even basic RC treatments as they lose significant money doing them due to the way in which they are paid. However, they are obliged to do it unless it is outside their capability, but might need "help" to remember that!

Spoonie_Turtle

Undervalued said:
A NHS crown is Band 3 but would generally be shiny metal (unless at the front). A tooth coloured porcelain crown would be private only unless near the front of the mouth.

Really? Mine (most definitely NHS) are colour-matched crowns, one mid-molar from this year and one back molar from ~15 yrs ago. The filling in between having the root canal and having the crown was also white this time (I didn't notice for the first one).

Floss

Mine are colour matched composite & UV-sealed, done privately. If it helps, I used to pay £35 a month (£420 a year) on Denplan level 2, had several fillings over 6-7 years & 2 root canals within 2-3 years, plus a check-up & polish every 6m and hygienist visit every 6m alternating with dentist. In over 12 years of being with that dental practice I was never asked to pay any more.

Undervalued

Spoonie_Turtle said:

Undervalued said:
A NHS crown is Band 3 but would generally be shiny metal (unless at the front). A tooth coloured porcelain crown would be private only unless near the front of the mouth.

Really? Mine (most definitely NHS) are colour-matched crowns, one mid-molar from this year and one back molar from ~15 yrs ago. The filling in between having the root canal and having the crown was also white this time (I didn't notice for the first one).

Well I think you were lucky then! That was not my experience and is not the normal NHS offering as explained by the dentists that post here regularly. 
Metal crowns are stronger and do not involve removing as much of the original tooth (but obviously don't look as nice)! The stated NHS policy is to get you dentally fit as cost effectively as possible with little regard to the cosmetic aspects. Although they do, as I understand it, provide tooth coloured crowns if they are highly visible.