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Original poster

How painful is a root canal?

51 replies

sarahj1986 · 12/10/2020 20:34

Im due to have a root canal next week which I have been told will take 90 minutes. Is it painful after the treatment? Im worried about been in a lot of pain after.

OP posts:

KaleJuicer · 12/10/2020 20:36

Compared to the pain of the abscess I had before the root canal it was nothing! Completely managed with paracetamol and I couldn’t have anything stronger because I was breastfeeding. Good luck!

blacktiger · 12/10/2020 20:36

I've had it twice and it's no where near as bad as I expected. I wasn't sore after numbness wore off. You'll be fine. Good luck though.

OnCandyStripeLegs · 12/10/2020 20:39

A friend of mine fell asleep during hers - it was the first time in ages she'd not been in pain so when the anaesthetic kicked in, that was it, she was snoring away.

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FoodieToo · 12/10/2020 20:40

Totally fine, no different to a filling.

Ilovesausages · 12/10/2020 20:41

I had a root canal and then I had a temporary filling for a couple of weeks.

Mine was pain free throughout the procedure and it was nowhere near as scary as I thought. It’s like a really long filling.

But mine was sore afterwards - I couldn’t bite
On it and when I did it was incredibly painful. Then once my crown was fitted there was zero pain.

I think my issues were due to my temporary filling though.

Overall though it was not scary at all.

modgepodge · 12/10/2020 20:42

I didn’t find it painful at all at the time (bit achy/sore after but managed with painkillers) but I did find it unpleasant, just the filing right in your head...I am a but dentist phobic though. Genuinely didn’t hurt.

Prokupatuscrakedatus · 12/10/2020 20:43

I had a lot of them (DM was scared of dentists, so we were kept away from them and inherited the fear) and none were painful, not during and not after. The most unpleasant thing was the injection and even that was OK. And the most boring was the cooling I had to do after.

Beamur · 12/10/2020 20:43

Tons of Novocaine during - shouldn't hurt.
Might be slightly sore after, take pain relief.
Will hurt much less than an abscess!

Original poster

sarahj1986 · 12/10/2020 20:44

@Ilovesausages

I had a root canal and then I had a temporary filling for a couple of weeks.

Mine was pain free throughout the procedure and it was nowhere near as scary as I thought. It’s like a really long filling.

But mine was sore afterwards - I couldn’t bite
On it and when I did it was incredibly painful. Then once my crown was fitted there was zero pain.

I think my issues were due to my temporary filling though.

Overall though it was not scary at all.

Im not sure if I will be having a crown, were you told that after the root canal or before?

OP posts:

FrogsSpawnofSanta · 12/10/2020 20:45

I've had two; no pain from the work during it and I can't remember any pain after, maybe just slightly tender for a day or two. It is a very long time to be worked on though and my jaw did start to ache during it.

Hyperion100 · 12/10/2020 20:47

I smashed 3 teeth out in may...had to have an extraction and 2 root canals in one sitting.

It was unconfortable but at no point was it painful.

SillyCow6 · 12/10/2020 20:47

I didnt find it painful at all. I was told to take the strongest nurofen just before I went in (as you cant eat or drink for a while after) and the only thing I felt was an achey jaw. I had no pain after at all

WarmSausageTea · 12/10/2020 20:48

Mine was fine. The dentist did it with no anaesthetic; he said that I could have it if I needed it, but I didn’t, so he carried on and did it all without. I don’t remember it being painful afterwards.

Try not to worry, hope it goes well.

mintyt · 12/10/2020 20:48

I have a lot, and a brilliant NHS dentist, they have been pain free but uncomfortable. You don't feel pain but feel pressure, and having your mouth open for so long can ache, but no pain.

AnnaMagnani · 12/10/2020 20:49

Mine wasn't painful at all. Boring because it went on so long and my jaw ached because I really really wanted to close it and I couldn't but it wasn't painful ever.

LarryUnderwood · 12/10/2020 20:50

I've had 2, just like a filling that takes a long time. The first one, the dentist told me that she couldn't numb the nerve so would have to drill to expose it then inject it directly. I was then shitting myself for the rest of the appointment. Actually it was fine - a little twinge then done (the nerve was dying anyway). The fear was a million times worse, wish she'd said nothing!

Ohdoleavemealone · 12/10/2020 20:52

It's no more uncomfortable than having a tooth removed.

Yippeeforme · 12/10/2020 20:58

Honestly the worst is the injection! Once you're numb, it's no worse than any other procedure. I just found it really tedious lying there while they spent ages cleaning the canal over multiple appointments 😩

2 things: 1) ask them to do the injection slowly if you're worried about pain. My dentist for a bit hasty in the final appointment and hurt me by administering it too quickly. 2) If you feel they didn't give enough anaesthetic, ask for more. They don't want you flinching on the table any more than you do.

If they're a decent dentist, it'll be fine 🙂

WildRosie · 12/10/2020 21:05

Not in the slightest painful. Even the anaesthetic jabs were meh. The job took the best part of two hours (mine was a bit of a fiddly one apparently) but it was very laid back. I admit I did suffer a little jaw ache after about an hour so we all (me, dentist and nurse) all took five to nip to the loo and stretch our legs. Nae bother.

Amortentia · 12/10/2020 21:07

I’ve had it done a few times, no problem at all. I had it done recently after breaking my tooth a litttle bit and getting an infection. It was a blessed relief, even the injections before didn’t bother me. But, this time I did get a weird sensation for a second when the nerve was being removed. I’ve had the same dentist for 20 years and he said it was a bugger of a nerve and he wasn’t surprised I felt something, but that it was unusual for that to happen. Felt a bit battered the next day but it was a big molar at the back and I’d had my mouth open for ages.

My advice, if you need root canal get is ASAP, there is nothing more debilitating than tooth ache. If you need root canal you’re at risk of infection and decay getting in and causing pain.

zatarontoast · 12/10/2020 21:12

I had the first stage done as an emergency procedure during lockdown, can't have it completed until my dentist resumes NHS services. It took a good month to settle and I was very tempted to get it extracted, but glad how I didn't.

JorisBonson · 12/10/2020 21:13

I've had 2, uncomfortable but not painful. My last one was because a filling was pushing against my nerve, the relief was like nothing I've ever felt before

Stinkyjellycat · 12/10/2020 21:15

I’m the biggest wimp ever when it comes to the dentist. I didn’t feel a thing during the procedure and had no pain afterwards!

Cally70 · 12/10/2020 21:16

The worst bit is the injection. Once that's kicked in, it's ok. If I had one again, I'd perhaps take AirPods so I didn't have to listen to it

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 12/10/2020 21:25

I’ve had 2 root canals, one with a crown. No pain at all during or after either of them. It just takes a while.

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