Root canal fear

[Michelle2]

Help!! Ive had pain in a bottom molar on and off..it really hurts again and have appointment tomorrow.. I have horrible anxiety and terrified ill need a root canal..does it take long to get done?? Can I take breaks if needed?? Do they have to always use a dental dam?? I can't do this

 

[facingthefears]

Morning Michelle,

I can share my experience with you, I'm from the UK I pay private for my dentist, I assume you pay privately in America?

I'm having my root canal done currently over the space of 4 appointments, got a couple left I think...

My first appointment they numbed me, opened up the tooth and cleaned out some of one canal. Then they filled it with medication as my nerves were still a bit sensitive, I just raised my hand if I felt anything and they stopped - no major pain at all.

2nd, they numbed me and opened it up took out the padding inside the tooth, and they tried to redo the other canals but still very sensitive, filled up with meditation again and left it alone.

3rd appointment same again, they managed to clear out half of another canal, another canal was still sensitive so did the same again.

last appointment they managed to do all the canals, and then I need to go back for them to fill in the canals and shape the tooth and get moulded for a crown!

all the way through never felt any pain, just like a long filling!

I was very nervous about the dentist, I'm not a fan at all, but i'm definitely getting better, getting it done over a long period of time definitely helped me personally!

Lisa

 

[Gordon]

Can I take breaks if needed?? Do they have to always use a dental dam??

Of course.
Yes.
You really, really want them to use a dam, for several reasons:
1) It keeps horrible nasty tasting chemicals away from your mouth (and those chemicals are needed because otherwise the root canal will likely fail.
2) It keeps your tongue/cheeks/lips etc away from the sharp, pointy things that the dentist needs to use to do the root canal
3) It stops said small sharp pointy things going down your throat if the dentist drops one
4) It stops saliva getting into the canal system and causing secondary infection, so the root canal will be more likely to fail

If you ask on here, you'll find that most people who've had treatment done under dam actually preferred it...