Another dental question, please!!

[andee]

Hi Everyone,
Lots of dental stuff so I wanted to add my own. I had a temporary crown done last month, and while I was waiting for the permanent to be made, my tooth was hurting. I was taking ibuprofen every day. My BIL is my dentist so he took more X-rays and determined that I need a root canal. The tooth is dying (???) and I should really have it done before it gets worse.
Sooo, I go on the 8th, like next week.
Questions, has anyone had one and how were you afterwards? That rubber dam they put in your mouth is scaring me, too.
Also, I read somewhere that some dentist wrote a book that basically said that people who have root canals are more susceptible to auto immune diseases, etc. because of the bacteria that can get locked in your tooth. Diseases like arthritis, MS, brain problems....so that wasn't what I wanted to hear. What do you all think? I think I saw it on Google if you put in root canal....what to do, not much choice? Thanks

[tcsarah]

I had root canal work done about 20 years ago after an abscess I had killed the nerve. The nerve was removed and I had the canal work done. All of it was fine, never made me feel in the slightest bit nauseous or anything. I've never had any problems with it since either. The tooth eventually went discoloured because the nerve had died so I had it crowned. I wouldn't worry about what you have read on Google, hey I've been ok!

I'm sure it will all go well and you will be absolutely fine.

[sqil30]

I had a root canal about three years ago. It wasn't bad at all. In fact I was bored while they were doing it..lol. i had no pain during or after and the rubber dam really did not bother me either. I really think you're going to be fine. You know how us emets are, we work oursleves up and then when the procedure is done we wonder why we got ourselves into such a state. I prmoise you will be fine. If I could be there to hold your hand I would!!!

[andee]

Thanks guys, Squil, can you come to CT? ha ha

[aleddon]

I am in the same situation as you. I've needed a root canal for years, and a crown. I had a temp crown and accidentally swallowed it last January. My regular dentist tried to do the RC himself, but couldn't. I have not been to the specialist nor do I have a temp crown.

The rubber dam thing SUCKED. I didn't know anything about that. The assistant was very nice about suctioning often though.

Good luck, and you will be fine.

[madisonsmom]

I have to get one done too. I have never had one and I wondering how it is. I am not scared...

I wonder how long it takes??

[junglemonkey]

Root treatments do NOT make you more susceptible to immune diseases. IF they do I will eat my hat. The funny thing is that if you need a root treatment, your tooth is full of bacteria anyway, it's infected. The point of doing a root treatment is to clean them all out. So I've no idea where he gets that logic from.

I'm a dental student, no expert, but that just defies logic lol!

I've had a couple of root treatments done and I found them no problem, a lot easier than fillings. The rubber dam is okay too, it just takes a while to get used to and if your mouth fills up with saliva it will be suctioned away. Just breathe through your nose and you'll be fine!

I've never felt nauseous with any dental treatment, and I've had looooads!

Hope it all goes well

[andee]

Makes sense to me junglemonkey. But I think he meant that after everything is sealed up, there are tiny microscopic passageways in the tooth that can travel with bacteria. He did a study where a woman had crippling arthritis and they pulled her tooth (with root canal) and implanted cells or something into a rabbit. The woman was cured and the rabbit developed the same arthritis!! Weird!!!! [img]smileys/smilies_10.gif[/img]