I gotta get a "root canal", my first.

Lancer · March 12, 2003, 16:51

Dentist is going to remove the root and put a bolt or something up in there, then some sorta cap. Piece of cake, right?

Sava · March 12, 2003, 16:53

ick... bad news buddy... root canals suck. Hopefully you'll get lots of Vicadin.

Good luck.

Datajack Franit · March 12, 2003, 16:54

AAAAAARGH!

it's THAT bad but it will end in a cpl of secs, nothing to worry about

The Mad Monk · March 12, 2003, 17:06

A root canal isn't too bad, if you get someone who knows what he's doing. I've had a grand total of one, fortunately from a good doctor. Make sure sure you're numbed up enough, and be aware that there's likely to be two or more sessions, where you're required to keep your mouth open for and hour or more at a time. The doctor I went to used tiny hand files beyond the initial drilling to open things up. I don't know if thats standard or not, but four years in, still no problems. Cost me $800, total.

The most painful part is when they check to see if there any of the nerve left after they believe they're done. They literally have to poke around to see if you feeel anything, and, even under heavy anesthetic, you will if anything's left.

Stuie · March 12, 2003, 17:09

I've had two. Not a pleasant experience, but getting wisdom teeth removed was worse. Then again, the one wisdom tooth came apart during the extraction, so that didn't help anything. That cracking noise was pretty disturbing.

DuncanK · March 12, 2003, 17:11

I've got a bad tooth that will need a troot canal one day soon. Last time I went to the dentist about it he gave me some antibiotics and the pain went away. He wasn't sure what tooth it it is. Now I now what tooth it is so I will probably just get it done next time it gets painfull.

DuncanK · March 12, 2003, 17:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Stuie
I've had two. Not a pleasant experience, but getting wisdom teeth removed was worse. Then again, the one wisdom tooth came apart during the extraction, so that didn't help anything. That cracking noise was pretty disturbing.

They put me out to remove my wisdom teeth. That must have been awefull for you.

Lancer · March 12, 2003, 17:19

They put me out for wisdom teeth also.

I'm getting a happy pill, novo shots, and laughing gas for my root canal. Plus I have 10 narcodic pain killers which I'll auction off to pay for the whole thing.

Actually I have dental through my work.

Stuie · March 12, 2003, 17:20

Quote:

Originally posted by DuncanK
They put me out to remove my wisdom teeth. That must have been awefull for you.

I went straight to a bar afterward and drooled beer all over myself (because of the novacain) whilst trying to forget the experience.

rah · March 12, 2003, 17:21

I had a root canal done, but since the dentist thought the root was dead, no novacaine. He figured the novacaine shot would hurt worse than the root canal. He was right on the first part but wrong on the second part. I've had two wisdom teeth pulled. One was infected. I complained about how much the extraction hurt and the dentist said, he expected that because novacaine usually isn't effective when the tooth is infected. Don't know if I was mad about him not telling me about that one prior. (that one did crack during the extration, ow)

Next time, I want gas

The Mad Monk · March 12, 2003, 17:22

When I said to get someone who knows what he's doing, I mean get a specialist -- someone who does only root canals, and does a lot of them. You will not regret it.

Datajack Franit · March 12, 2003, 17:23

I had three root canals removed but I heard such horrible stories about wisdom tooth

Provost Harrison · March 12, 2003, 17:23

Yeah, I have had two root canal procedures done...one just this Christmas gone, and another one was a seriously knackered tooth which needed three canals treated

That tooth is hanging on by a thread

All I can say about root canal treatment is

DuncanK · March 12, 2003, 17:25

Quote:

Originally posted by rah
I complained about how much the extraction hurt and the dentist said, he expected that because novacaine usually isn't effective when the tooth is infected.

Mine was infected. That's the only way I knew something was wrong. I don't think I will wait until it gets infected again. I think I'll go straight in.

Provost Harrison · March 12, 2003, 17:25

...oh yeah, fortunately I have never had any bother from wisdom teeth except a bit of 'gnawiness' but that has long since passed now. I've never had any bother from my root treatments though, no pain, no more than a bog standard filling or any other routine dental procedure...

Lancer · March 12, 2003, 17:27

Damn rah, get a different dentist! Dentists worth their salt kill the infection first, and make sure the pain is minimal.

That's why I am on anti-biotics for the next week, and am getting all the happy stuff. I could get IV happy stuff if I wanted. My dentist cares. In fact, I'm a little worried.

Kidding

CivGeneral · March 12, 2003, 17:28

Ugh, Luckly I only had two crowns put in my mouth.

rah · March 12, 2003, 17:32

Quote:

Originally posted by Lancer
Damn rah, get a different dentist! Dentists worth their salt kill the infection first, and make sure the pain is minimal.

The tooth was in bad shape. (shame on rah for letting it get that bad) and didn't want to wait.

The funniest was trying to smoke a cig right after. (despite being told not to but what the heck, If I could choose not to that easily, I wouldn't be smoking in the first place

) Anyway, with the hole in my jaw, I couldn't get any suction going without blocking it with the cotton. The nurses were laughing hysterically. (they've see it so many times I had to wonder why they think it's so F***ing hilarious)

RAH

Provost Harrison · March 12, 2003, 17:34

Lancer is right, the root canals that I have had done have been fine because they have treated the root and then plugged it up for a week and then done the full procedure, with a good shot of novocaine there is no pain whatsoever (that stuff works well on me though, one shot can take out half my face

)

Lancer · March 12, 2003, 17:38

You guys ever had laughing gas? It's great...

Provost Harrison · March 12, 2003, 17:42

Nah, never had laughing gas...I don't think they are allowed to administer that stuff outside of a hospital over here...would be interesting to try though

Lancer · March 12, 2003, 17:55

It's really something, a great attitude adjuster. First time I got it was back in Jersey. Dentists make me nervous because I had a real torture artist w/ a drill when I was a kid. Anyway, as an adult it took alot to get me to go. So I went, nervous as hell. I'm in the chair and the dentist asks me , "do you want laughing gas" with a conniving look. I said, "ok". So he puts this tube on my nose and commenses poking around in my teeth with the pointy think, looking for cavities. Well, he finds one, and it hurts. However that's ok, everything is ok. In fact it's rather funny because I'm so relieved that it hurts and it doesn't bother me. So that's funny and I smile and it drives the point thing into my gum, more amusement.

So he stopped and took off the tube, and asked if I was ok. I said sure, but the gas is too much. The solution? He said "just alternate breathing between your nose and mouth, to contol where you are at".

The stuff really is something. Ask for it!

Provost Harrison · March 12, 2003, 18:06

You mean it could even make Sagacious Dolphin's puns funny?

Lancer · March 12, 2003, 18:11

It will make intense pain funny, but some things are impossible...

Provost Harrison · March 12, 2003, 18:32

N₂O

Inverse Icarus · March 12, 2003, 20:27

interesting lancer, i got one today actually, my first.

it's not really that bad if you can take a little pain. most of the time during the procedure is just small times of a quick, sharp pain. clench your fists and take it like a man.

right now though, the novicaine wore off, and my jaw hurts like a mofo. i popped some tylenol and i hope it works soon.

nothing unbearable though. you'll deal.

Nubclear · March 12, 2003, 21:43

I can't take the pain of any dental procedure. (I have VERY bad memories of it).

So I did chooes to do laughing gas to get a filling in (or something). All I remember was sitting in the chair, someone coming up to me saying something, putting a mask over me, and I was wisked away to another land....A land where pain is funny, tickling is funny, talking is funny, light is funny, sounds are funny......

It was great

Zkribbler · March 13, 2003, 11:58

My root canal was a breeze...compared to all the horror stories I'd heard before hand.

But mine, was just like a majory tooth filling. No biggie.

I'm a champion gagger, so I have to have nitrous everytime I go in, even for X-rays

to kill the gag reflex. But although it gets me high, I've never got the giggles like you guys.

I just feel loopy, and a couple of times I've come close to passing out.

Hmm, maybe I should get my dentist to change brands.

Caesar the Great · March 13, 2003, 12:47

whenever i have anything done on my teeth i need multiple shots of novocaine, it just doesn't seem to have much of an effect on me. once i needed 5 shots of novocaine!! i'm not sure if they're even supposed to give me that much

but in general pain killers knock me out (probably cause i only weigh 65 kg) I had morphine once after surgery and I can't remember anything from the following 8 hours, although I am told I angered many in the hospital that night.

Bugs ****ing Bunny · March 13, 2003, 14:10

Doesn't this thread rather subvert the stereotypes of it being the Brits who have crap teeth?