Generally this is true. but a friend of mine had such high anxiety, they put her under... the same way they do for people having wisdom teeth pulled. She was groggy and out of it for a while after... and would not have been safe to drive. (She hadn't been to a dentist for DECADES.... and the fear was so overwhelming.)
Dentristy today is so SO very different than 40 years ago. I don't think you run across many people with such high levels of fear any more.
Most people do not have much pain after a root canal; however, in the remote possibility that a complication would occur, then it is possible to be in as much pain (or more) after that procedure. Just in case something like that happened, it would probably be best if someone drove her, especially given the great distance. Even if she decided to endure the pain until she got back home, I think that could distract her and reduce her driving ability. Bev in TX
If I were in your friend's situation, I think I'd feel much less stressed (never mind the pain/no pain) to have a buddy along - just for the company (and "backup driver" - if one is needed). I know I'd get through the procedure with a whole lot less worry - and 'sides, I'd have someone to talk to while on the road. ME-Judy
Most pe> Has anyone had one? How did you feel afterwards? I'm asking because a
Howdy!
Which is why they call it a Crown. So you feel better for having invested all that money. In your mouth. A Crown. Like you should have it on display and charge money for people to parade by your mouth and see The Crown.
On 3/4/08 4:49 PM, in article snipped-for-privacy@h11g2000prf.googlegroups.com, "Sherry"
I have had two root canals in recent months. This is my view. As long as you get adequate local anesthesia before hand, the procedure is not is as bad as so many say. Sure it isn't a picnic, and nothing I would elect to do but it isn't the torture that somehow has been assigned to it. Also, consider the alternative. Searing dental pain that keeps you awake at night and puts tears in your eyes. The worst side effect I had afterwards was being a bit tired.
Molly in Mass.
a bit tired afterwards when you have to drive into the next state is not a good condition to be in. she really needs a buddy with her to do the drive home. then she can sleep some of the pain off during the drive at least. she lives in washington but oregon is cheaper, i'm guessing cuz they have no state sales tax. so she drives there for the savings on the procedure. not sure how far the drive is but its not just across town. j.
The non-horror stories are boring so why mention them? I have had 7-8 root canals. While they weren't any fun they still weren't worth mentioning- other than to gripe about the cost. ;-)
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
Good point Leslie. It's a bit like childbirth - everyone tells you the horror stories and you can easily get the impression it's much worse than it is.
On Mar 6, 8:19=A0am, Taria wrote:
I've had several root canals, and while most were accomplished as you mentioned above, two of them have not been picnics. So, here are my (rather long) root canal horror stories:
The first one I ever had appeared to work okay, but several years later I started having severe cold sensitivity (even tap water would cause shooting pain). By that time I was living in another state, and saw a different dentist. She said that the first dentist had not done a complete job -- he had missed one of the roots. So she set out to do it, and after an extended period of time, said that the root was calcified and she could not do it either. By the time I got home the novacaine had worn off and the vicodine did not cut the pain. I was awake all night and she tried to do it again the next day -- again a failure. I was in pain for over a week before it let up (unless I chewed on it). I then saw an endodontist, who also tried to do that final root, but he failed also. I now had a choice: Pull the tooth or have oral surgery (cut through the side of the jaw to remove the root). Given the tooth's location right next to a nerve, there was a chance that he might cut the nerve during the oral surgery. Furthermore, there was no guarantee that he would get it the first time; he did say that if a second surgery was needed, then there would be no additional cost -- small consolation to me. I opted to have it pulled, and it turned out that there was a hairline crack in the tooth that did not show up on the x-rays. The tooth split into two pieces as soon as it was extracted. There was a week or so between the final root canal and the tooth extraction -- another pain filled period.
I recently had a large cavity under a crown (yes, my fault). My dentist said that he had gotten close to the root and hoped that I would not have to have a root canal. Again, when the novacaine wore off I was in severe pain -- a three-day weekend. I went back to him the following Monday, and he tried to do the root canal. He was not able to get down to the tip of one of the roots. Not only that but one of his tools (tiny file) had broken off down there. From what I've learned that is not an uncommon occurrence and usually it does not cause a problem -- they usually fill it up with something anyway. After another week of pain (waiting to see if it would "settle down", I saw him again and the then referred me to an endodontist. The endodontist was able to get down that tip that my dentist missed. Also, it is not uncommon for this particular tooth to have an additional root, which he found and was able to do most of it. However, that root that he found meets with the one in which my dentist lost the file. So he spent quite a while trying to remove the file -- unsuccessfully. He sent me home for a couple weeks to see whether doing the major part of that root would be successful or not. It's been two weeks now. The severe pain finally let up but it still gets sharp pains when I bite on it. So when I go back he will have to try again to remove the file. If he cannot get it out, then he can cut through the side, underneath and remove the root. Happily this particular tooth is not right next to a nerve., but I hope that I don't have to go through all of that!
I can tell you that technology has advanced considerably in the time span between the two root canals.
Bev in TX
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