Does it hurt when you get a Root canal?? what do they do exactly?

Question

i have to get a root canal tomorrow and i am absolutely petrified. i dont know what to expect. the dentist said they would num it but can u still feel the pain? what do they do anyways? snip a nerve in your tooth? this is my first root canal. PLEASE HELP!

Answer 1

First things first... don't panic!
There is nothing more terrible than the fear of a dental procedure when there should not be any.
Root canal therapy is when the dentist removes the nerves and the blood supply inside a tooth. To do this, like all dental procedures, he/she will get you numb. If you feel anything, raise your hand and the dentist will give you more anesthesia. No dentist wants to work on a patient when they are feeling pain. It makes the procedure more difficult for them.
After you are totally numb... and I mean totally, your dentist will gain access to the canal are using the drill. The decayed part of the tooth will be cleaned out and the pulp chamber will be revealed.
Then, using files or increasing size, the dentist will remove the pulp and nerve tissue and irrigate the tooth with a sterilizing solution of sodium hypochlorate (smells like bleach). The files smooth the inside of the canal chamber so that the bacteria will not have hiding places. After this is done in all the canals the tooth will be sealed with a medication and temporary filling. This temporary filling can and often flake out so don't freak out if it does. When you go for your second visit, (most root canals are done in two stages), the tooth will be cleaned again, irrigated again and then filled with a rubber type material. Depending on how much tooth structure is missing, the dentist will then decide on what final restoration is needed... a filling or a crown.
If you are not having any pain from the tooth prior to the root canal, you will usually not have too much discomfort during or after the procedure. Your dentist will give you medication in case you do have some discomfort but usually 800 mg of ibuprofen (if you can take it) will do the trick.
Remember, don't panic. It is possible that your fear of the dentist kept you from going for regular checkups and that is why this problem may not have been found out before it became a root canal.
I've had many root canals done... (bad dentist as a child) and they were fine.
Good luck.

Answer 2

You won't feel any pain during the procedure - it is nearly the same as drilling to fill a cavity except that they drill all the way through the crown to reach the nerve canal. After a hole is drilled, the nerve and pulp tissue is removed through the hole. Even though it seems like cutting into a nerve should be extremely painful, it usually isn't because root canals aren't done unless the nerve is already damaged or killed.

The pain from a root canal procedure usually starts a few hours after the procedure, and it typically ranges from very mild to moderate. Occasionally, some people have pretty severe pain.

A person in my office had a root canal procedure in the morning and came back to work the same afternoon, and also the next day. He was prescribed a pain killer, and when using it, he said his gums and jaw ached a little, but it was not nearly as bad as the toothache that sent him to the dentist in the first place.

Answer 3

I've had two root canals, so I can tell you what to expect. They will numb you up, first with some gel at the injection site, so you won't be able to feel the needle, and then with nova cane. So no, you can't feel anything. Then they will take a very small drill and completely drill out all the nerves in that tooth. After the roots are drilled out, the dentist will fill the root with a solid filler and either cap the tooth or crown it. (If its an old school dentist, they might use silver tip wires in the tooth, but that rarely happens anymore). All in all, you won't feel a thing, and if you do, just say something and the dentist will give you more nova cane! Neither of mine hurt at all, and there is no residual pain, because the nerve in the tooth is completely gone!

Answer 4

It's not as bad as some will tell you, the dentist will be extra carefull tonumb you up real good, so when you get out of the chair you will be more numb than usual. He removes the center root. Now if the tooth is very infected, the tooth will have puss and this will rupture when he drills and it stinks when he or she opens it up. He or she will then pack it with a sponge and prescribe anti biotics to clear it up and fill the tooth in a few day's. If it isn't infected then he will fiil it on the same day.

Answer 5

I believe they remove the nerve. But you don't have anything to worry about. The numbing medication works so well that you won't be able to feel a thing. You have already experienced the worst part and that is the toothache that leads to a root canal. So relax it will be over before you know it.

Answer 6

it's not so bad, don't worry. they won't let you feel a thing. it takes a little bit of time, they will drill and use a small needle like file that they stick up the root to remove the nerve. they may xray during to be sure they got it all. it is very nerve racking but you won't feel a thing until after the freezing comes out, you will be more tender then an average filling, it is a fair amount of trama to your mouth to go through, but you will never feel pain in the tooth ever again. it's comparable to the pain of an extraction but is all better in a few days. good luck, hope i didn't add to your fear, it will be better then you imagine.

Answer 7

Don't worry; it isn't that bad. You are totally numb and you won't be able to feel any pain. Once you leave the dentist take some advil or something similiar. It will be sore for a day or two but over the counter pain killers will help.

Good Luck!

Answer 8

i have the worst fear and problems with going to the denist and i had a root canal done about 5 years ago. It was NOT bad at all. jusr relax, close your eye. its just like having a filling.
They will put this rubber over your tooth, called a "dam" then take wires and clean the tooth, then cap it. youll have to go back to have it finished. its super easy, trust me if i had no problems, u wont either!

Answer 9

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Answer 10

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