Root canal phobia

[jjeenniiffeerr]

I've been to the dentists 15+ times in my life. From having silver crowns put on my baby teeth because the grooves were too deep, to fillings here and there because I was a sugar addict, to getting a back molar ripped out as a result from all that sugar eating.
I now need to have a root canal tomorrow due to a crack in my bottom molar because I grind my teeth in my sleep and have cracked a tooth because of it.

I've read alot of things. I'm scared.
The endodontist I'm going to tomorrow doesn't have happy gas there and suggested I take a valium and two nurophen an hour before my appointment tomorrow to help with the anxiety. That's fine. But that won't cure the phobia of pain I have. I'm so scared. I've been crying since last Saturday. There's a low chance that a root canal will save this tooth if the crack has gone too deep and into my root. If that's the case I will need to have the tooth extracted. But thay doesn't change me getting the first root canal therapy session tomorrow to find that out. She will be removing my roots/nerves tomorrow and I'm so scared I'll be in so much pain, I'm scared the local will not work to that point.
Help me. I need to know the truth!! Can I do this?

 

[famv5]

I have had five root canals over the years and they truly aren't a big deal. It's similar to having a filling done.

Endos are specialists in root canals and so they have the latest and greatest technology and can do it quickly. They will numb you just like if you were having a filling and then do it. You will feel nothing.

I can understand your fear because you have never had one but coming from someone who has had many, it will be just fine and you really have nothing to worry about.

Good luck. Post afterwards because I would love to know how it went.

 

[jjeenniiffeerr]

Jesus. 5?!
Stuff that. The pain. The process. The money omg.
Thanks. I will let you know how I go. My heart is racing and I'm so anxious I'm crying again. Omg. Biggest baby.
My appointment is at 12 today.
Keep you updated.

 

[jjeenniiffeerr]

So... Session one of my root canal therapy was...... Successful. YAY. Turns out the tooth is worth saving, so ima be broke saving this mother F*****.
All the anxiety and crying about the fear of pain was for absolutely nothing, and I have a low pain threshold. Yes I will admit there were a few pinches of pain, but coming from me they were bearable, I had to get numbed up quite alot as it didn't take effect straight away, I got more numbing gel half way through which I could not feel but that helped abit. I had a great endodontist, she asked me if I was okay throughout the whole procedure and her assistant was great, rubbing my arm telling me I'm doing great. (I do get treated like a baby throughout, act like one get treated like one lol).
I'm going back in two weeks for the second session. The first session consisted of removing about 70% of the nerves/roots and a temp filling. Second session will consist of getting the remainder of the nerves and roots removed and another temp filling. The last session will consist of getting a perm filling put in.
All in all root canal therapy 8/10. Pain 6/10 (includes the needles and filing away the nerves. Endodontist 10/10 she was great. So calming and made sure I felt fine every second I was there, she knew what she was doing and I recommend you go to and endodontist to get a root canal as they have latest technology.

Btw valium did shit all for my anxiety and nerves before I went in. In fact I'm only feeling fine and tired now.
Not sore yet but I'm still numb in the tooth area.

I'll post soon with my post therapy pain. Wish me luck.

 

[Aurora10]

So... Session one of my root canal therapy was...... Successful. YAY. Turns out the tooth is worth saving, so ima be broke saving this mother F*****.
All the anxiety and crying about the fear of pain was for absolutely nothing, and I have a low pain threshold. Yes I will admit there were a few pinches of pain, but coming from me they were bearable, I had to get numbed up quite alot as it didn't take effect straight away, I got more numbing gel half way through which I could not feel but that helped abit. I had a great endodontist, she asked me if I was okay throughout the whole procedure and her assistant was great, rubbing my arm telling me I'm doing great. (I do get treated like a baby throughout, act like one get treated like one lol).
I'm going back in two weeks for the second session. The first session consisted of removing about 70% of the nerves/roots and a temp filling. Second session will consist of getting the remainder of the nerves and roots removed and another temp filling. The last session will consist of getting a perm filling put in.
All in all root canal therapy 8/10. Pain 6/10 (includes the needles and filing away the nerves. Endodontist 10/10 she was great. So calming and made sure I felt fine every second I was there, she knew what she was doing and I recommend you go to and endodontist to get a root canal as they have latest technology.

Btw valium did shit all for my anxiety and nerves before I went in. In fact I'm only feeling fine and tired now.
Not sore yet but I'm still numb in the tooth area.

I'll post soon with my post therapy pain. Wish me luck.

Congratulations on getting through it-you did it! How is everything now? Did you have much pain afterwards? I hope everything has settled down for you and that you have given yourself a pat on the back

 

[jjeenniiffeerr]

Thanks. Everything is great. No pain whatsoever... I'm still a tad nervous about going back for my second session next week, but I know what it's like now so I'm not giving myself an anxiety attack.

My jaw from the needles hurt the most, wasn't exactly painful at all, just really really sore when I opened and closed my mouth for the first few days, I had a giggle with my partner about not being able to open my mouth fully to eat haha. But I'm really glad I can eat things on it and drink really cold water without any pain.
I'm not too ecstatic about having a crack in another molar up the top, so I'll have to go through the same process all over again once this one is complete.

 

[Anxious76]

Hooray for you! I’m glad all went well for you!

 

[krlovesherkids777]

Glad you made it through!! Yeah probably thinking about it is the worst of it.. says the gal who chickened out on a root canal three times .. but only because it wasn't my dentist doing it and I didn't know the endodontist. I'm fine once they got my trust but new people i'm just extra anxious with. so good for you for going and getting through this.. Sounds like a very relieving experience!! Hope the 2nd part goes just as well and better ! I had several root canals with my old dentist and it was almost fun i hate to say because he was just a fun person so always a laugh or a few. and no pain. Local anesthetic sure goes along way with way!!

 

[jjeenniiffeerr]

Oh thank you.
I had the worst anxiety but I knew I had to get it done. I couldn't live with not being able to bite on it without a sharp pain or even being able to have a drink of cold water without being in pain due to sensitive pain. I'm glad it went well too I just hope the second session goes just as well. Fingers crossed.. I'll keep the thread updated with each session. Hallelujah for local anaesthetic lol.

 

[jjeenniiffeerr]

Okay, so, session two COMPLETE... I like to be 100% honest. So here goes..
During, no pain. There was one tiny moment where she put the file in and I felt a little pinch. She topped me up and I was fine afterwards.
I almost fell asleep, but my anxiety kept me awake. I was constantly opening and closing my eyes thinking I want to see what she's about to use then thinking no it's probably better I don't know what she's up to.
It was abit tender towards the end. The files are really annoying, not painful at all, but there was probably 15 minutes of her shaping and smoothing my canal walls with those files and I kept thinking geeze when is this part ending? Lol.
Then she put stronger medication inside my canals and temp filled me up.
She explained the tooth area will be pretty tender for the next 3-5 days and not to put any pressure on it and not to eat on that side till its no longer tender. I go back in 4 weeks for the last session.

I will be honest, it's real tender now and the anesthetic hasn't worn off completely yet. It does hurt, I can't explain how it hurts, it just does. So nurophen plus for me.
Has anyone here experienced pretty tender and a little painful tooth after the second session?
Thanks.

 

[Anxious76]

I had a little tenderness after my root canal, but I wouldn’t call it pain. I managed it fine with ibuprofen and Tylenol and by day 3 I was okay.
I didn’t like the sounds the filing and such made so that’s why I wore the ear buds so I could just tune it out, but I’m one who doesn’t want to know anything when I’m at the dentist because I get more anxious.
You came through very well, now it’s just a matter of feeling better day by day. ?

 

[jjeenniiffeerr]

I've been living off panadol and nurophen plus. Man, they are amazing together once it kicks in. It's like I have no pain anywhere!!
I still have a fair bit of tenderness in the tooth especially when I bite down. Tiniest over bite ever but only sometimes? It's weird to explain. Lol. But chewing even on the other side is quite difficult as I don't like to bite hard down on the tooth.
Yeah it's not exactly painful it's just real tender.. But I'm hoping the tenderness or whatever I feel is normal
.. Day two tomorrow. Hopefully feel abit better tomorrow.
Thank you!! I'm pretty proud of myself.. Although I forgot to add I almost fainted during the filing part. I was like silently hyperventilating as I knew what she was doing with those files and things started to go dark and I was dizzy... But I snapped myself out of it and stayed concious lol.
Never thought I could honestly say I've had a root canal done and it went pretty much perfect with minimal bearable bits of pain.
I'm glad I did this instead of go straight for the extraction. I even had the extraction booked in. I cancelled. Lucky me.

I'm actually getting real anxious and scared about the crown getting put on...

 

[Anxious76]

I've been living off panadol and nurophen plus. Man, they are amazing together once it kicks in. It's like I have no pain anywhere!!
I still have a fair bit of tenderness in the tooth especially when I bite down. Tiniest over bite ever but only sometimes? It's weird to explain. Lol. But chewing even on the other side is quite difficult as I don't like to bite hard down on the tooth.
Yeah it's not exactly painful it's just real tender.. But I'm hoping the tenderness or whatever I feel is normal
.. Day two tomorrow. Hopefully feel abit better tomorrow.
Thank you!! I'm pretty proud of myself.. Although I forgot to add I almost fainted during the filing part. I was like silently hyperventilating as I knew what she was doing with those files and things started to go dark and I was dizzy... But I snapped myself out of it and stayed concious lol.
Never thought I could honestly say I've had a root canal done and it went pretty much perfect with minimal bearable bits of pain.
I'm glad I did this instead of go straight for the extraction. I even had the extraction booked in. I cancelled. Lucky me.

I'm actually getting real anxious and scared about the crown getting put on...

I hope you’re feeling better today.
I know it’s not easy to sit in the chair and be
Aware of what’s happening which is why I opt to be sedated for the heavy stuff, extractions etc. I’m surprised I was actually able to be awake and alert for both my root canals, but they really weren’t bad at all. It’s a good decision you made to save your tooth instead of having it extracted. Take it from someone who knows first hand it is far better to have your natural teeth and prevent things from happening.

I’ve never had a crown but I was with my daughter while she was getting her tooth filed down two weeks ago and her temp put on.
Seems that was the filing you had done in addition to your root canal? Luckily her broken tooth wasn’t to the point where she needed a canal but there were still some uncomfortable injections and the filing which she frankly didn’t like. Do you have a temp now? I would avoid chewing there if it’s sensitive. My daughter goes back in a week for her permanent crown. The dentist said there will be a couple injections a tiny bit of filing and then the permanent crown will be fitted. Hers is a molar so she is having a white gold crown if it were in the front it would be poreclain. After she gets it the dentist said it should last for years which is good since she’s only 15. Just think once it’s done you won’t have to worry about that tooth anymore and can just keep your cleaning appointments and be good to go! ? You’re doing very well pushing through!

 

[jjeenniiffeerr]

I'm still feeling the pressure pain. If I bite down with nothing in my mouth it gives off a bit of pain. No sensitivity pain, no lingering pain just after I bite. I feel like sometimes when I bite down I will feel the tooth first and sometimes I just feel all my other teeth first. I feel like there's a little bit of an over bite which there can't be as I've had the tooth filed down heaps lower than my other teeth previously by a dentist and the temp filling the endodontist put it is low and not high. So I'm a little lost. I feel like I shouldn't have any pain but then again I've read stuff saying the surrounding nerve endings will be sore and inflamed which is normal. My endo said I will feel tender and bruised for 3-5 days but I don't know if she meant the tooth itself will be or my jaw. I don't know. I tend to stress myself out and think it failed and I've wasted all that money for the tooth to be extracted anyway.
I just want someone to comment who has felt this biting pain and to tell me it goes away in a few days.
Because if it doesn't I will seriously quit life and pull out my entire teeth and be done.
Ugh.

Thanks. I'm still very proud of myself hahaha.

I still have my last session to go where she will put in the permanent filling then refer me to the dentist for my crown fitting.
I hope your daughters one goes great. Keep me updated on that.

 

[FearfulInMA]

Some soreness like that is normal from my experience. I’d suggest that you stop ‘testing’ it by biting down because each time you do that it can re-aggravate the ligaments/tissue around the tooth. What you really want to do if you can is to avoid biting down or chewing on it entirely for a few days so that it can settle down. Easier said than done, I know.

 

[Anxious76]

I'm still feeling the pressure pain. If I bite down with nothing in my mouth it gives off a bit of pain. No sensitivity pain, no lingering pain just after I bite. I feel like sometimes when I bite down I will feel the tooth first and sometimes I just feel all my other teeth first. I feel like there's a little bit of an over bite which there can't be as I've had the tooth filed down heaps lower than my other teeth previously by a dentist and the temp filling the endodontist put it is low and not high. So I'm a little lost. I feel like I shouldn't have any pain but then again I've read stuff saying the surrounding nerve endings will be sore and inflamed which is normal. My endo said I will feel tender and bruised for 3-5 days but I don't know if she meant the tooth itself will be or my jaw. I don't know. I tend to stress myself out and think it failed and I've wasted all that money for the tooth to be extracted anyway.
I just want someone to comment who has felt this biting pain and to tell me it goes away in a few days.
Because if it doesn't I will seriously quit life and pull out my entire teeth and be done.
Ugh.

Thanks. I'm still very proud of myself hahaha.

I still have my last session to go where she will put in the permanent filling then refer me to the dentist for my crown fitting.
I hope your daughters one goes great. Keep me updated on that.

I think your endo meant your jaw from the site of the injections. I didn’t have any “biting pain” after my root canal but I was avoiding chewing on that side altogether and didn’t bite down on my teeth either to check it. Are you a tooth grinder? I would suggest to leave the area alone entirely for as long as you were told to so it can heal.

My daughter actually lost part of her temp crown yesterday and needs to have it fixed after school today because she’s sensitive. Probably chewed something she wasn’t supposed to with it, although she says otherwise. Ha! Kids.

 

[jjeenniiffeerr]

Okay.
The only way I can stop biting on it is if I wear my mouth guard every minute of every day haha.
Okay. I'll try really hard not to bite down on it. It's really hard.
I hope mine went all good.
Yes I grind my teeth really badly. I have a mouth guard that I have to wear at night now.
I'm not even sore from the needles or holding my mouth open for so long. The only thing giving me pain is the tooth itself. Which I'm taking pain killers for.
I'm abit nervous that my endo used the files too much and went past the roots and irrigated the nerve ending and tissue which takes alot longer to heal.

Oh no your poor daughter. Yeah kids haha