How long did your root canal on a tooth in the front last without a crown?

[PinkLemon5]

I've been going down a rabbit hole scaring myself because I had to get my very first root canal in a tooth in the front. Not the central incisor but two teeth away from it. Still one root.

It was my Invisalign braces who killed it (has this happened to anyone else btw?) which has made me really depressed because I don't even know how or why it happened because apparently that's incredibly rare!

I'm scared of the root canal not holding up for long. I'm in my 30s and if I imagine that I will live to 80-100 like my older relatives that means the root canal has to hold up for at least 50+ years!

I'm curious how long it may hold up without a crown (there's no other damage to the tooth structure, it was just the pulp that was inflamed), and also without having to get an implant...

What has your experiences been, and has it discolored? I did get internal bleaching but I know it doesn't last forever. The tooth wasn't too gray before the bleaching though.

There's also a lot of fear mongering regarding root canals online but I don't know if it's only in America that people complain about them? For those that don't understand what I'm talking about: people are saying root canals cause systemic disease and that they always carry some form of bacteria, and many people are reporting that their health problems disappeared after they extracted that tooth. Have they caused any health problems for you guys?

No crown x

@PinkLemon5
no discolouration, and the teeth that are done are much stronger than my own untampered ones. - I managed to snap a tooth this week in half …. On a soggy ginger biscuit. That’s how crap my natural teeth are. I have been told it’s probably due to my mother having both a lack of calcium and chicken pox whilst pregnant with me.
No one can tell I’ve had a lot of dentistry done. Absolutely far better than losing a tooth and leaving a gap for all and sundry to see. (Yes I’m going to get flamed for being an elitist snob which is a fair criticism)
Absolutely no health problem attributed to my teeth. - slightly high cholesterol and bipolar 2 are definitely not a result of root canals or any dental treatment or non treatment.

Just in case you are worried about the actual procedure, they are much easier and quicker than they used to be and these days no pain whatsoever. (Obviously have the local anaesthetic!) Dentistry isn’t in the dark ages anymore.

So sorry you had to go through this! Yeah, the mother's diet could definitely impact the child's health and development. But I'm very relieved to hear that people can't tell that you had dental work done. I also had quite some issues with my teeth and enamel in my life. I have small chips on several teeth that came from out of nowhere and I always have very small cavities when I go to the dentist, despite having a very good oral care routine.

I had the root canal last week. It was more mentally rough/painful than physically, since this entire situation has affected me a lot mentally... I'm a bit worried though that I can feel some sensitivity in the ligament around the tooth. The endodontist said it could be normal in the beginning but now it has been almost 2 weeks in total. I did chew some gum earlier though so perhaps the chewing force irritated the ligament. I'm very fed up with the stress this tooth has caused me... And you are not a snob. I had braces because I wanted nice teeth, not because I wanted to extract one and get a gap!

I would give it longer than a fortnight for it to settle - after all we use our teeth/jaws and associated structures thousands of times every single day - not exactly conducive to rest. If you caused the same injury to say your foot - you would be told to rest, rest and rest! Not something we do with our mouths!
Then there’s the added bonus of your brain being made more aware of it and actively seeking out an issue with it. Which heighten your sensitivity to any niggle or twitch. Our brains lie to us, either to protect us or because it’s looking to validate what you ‘expect’ to happen due to your own research. These days our research tend to be on google …. Which we all know is not the definitive guide to anything.
So it becomes a closed loop - your brain seeks pain/discolouration/failure because your research has told you that’s what happens -( and people are far more likely to post negative posts on the internet!)
so your brain tells you that here’s the pain/failure etc you are looking for, when in actual fact it may well be just inflammation/over use whilst in recovery.
To add to all that, you are coming off the stress of expecting the worst to happen whilst the procedure was happening and finding out it didn’t materialise.
we are our own worst enemy, we seek information, we accept the information for the worst case scenario WILL be inevitable and true, we google for validation of that ‘theory’ and then allow the worry to perpetuate and grow. What we don’t do is listen to the expert who we are paying to do the job, or seek positive stories until we’ve already dug ourselves into a hole.
You are human - and we all do this when faced with something out of our normal range. Cut yourself some slack and distract the old noggin from thinking about the tooth, trashy tv and ironing is my friends go to. I usually do a craft project or go out for a walk. Do something that forces your brain and body to rest and put this particular worry and stress in a box. I’m sure the endodontist gave you a rough timeline of when to come back if it doesn’t settle and other treatment can be then discussed. Trust the professional, as stressing about it will only send your brain in ever decreasing circles right now. Fixating

My last (promise!) word. If it is painful enough to make your reach for otc pain relief, then go back to the endodontist asap.
Sorry for the long post. Unmumsnetty hugs.

No need to apologize for the long message at all. I really appreciate it!

Mine hurt for ages after. I rang the dental surgery and told them and asked if it was normal. They said yes because there’s been a lot of pulling about etc. Have to say I found the whole process awful. After they did the packing of the tooth I came home and went to bed with the shock. I’m a bit of a wimp like that but I found it really unpleasant being almost upside down in the chair with the dentist pushing so hard on my mouth.

I suppose it might depend on how the trauma happened. For instance, if you fell then perhaps the PDL was also inflamed which made it hurt more. But good thing the pain didn't indicate something serious for you!

I think after doing a procedure we as humans are also hyperaware of every little sensation.

Yes definitely. No external damage to the tooth prior to the root canal. It was just very painful and sensitive; that’s why I had the nerve taken out. Not had a day’s trouble with it since (touch wood ) x

26 years since root canal for mine. I broke the tooth in 1999 and just had composite filling. Root canal a year later. Tooth is now very discoloured, but still managing with composite coating over the brown!

Before putting the bleaching gel inside your tooth your dentist should place a protective barrier over the root filling which stops bleach from leaking down the canal and bacteria from reaching the root so that's definitely not a worry. Previous trauma and decay could def be a reason for the pulpitis, especially if you already had symptoms to begin with, it may not have been the orthodontic treatment but actually just your pulpitis getting worse over time. The most common possibility is heavy pressure such as forcing teeth to move, like if you haven't worn your trays for a while and then wear them when your teeth have moved back - the stress can trigger inflammation within the pulp.

Smashed my front tooth in the snow in 2018 I think. Needed a root canal, didn't have a crown but had composite bonding. Been fine since, slight discolouration either side but really not a lot. I do avoid biting into hard food like apples but I'm crap at dental hygiene too. Brush twice a day and just started using interdental brushes

Thanks for the response! I have no idea if she did that but it was an endotontist so hopefully she did.

The tooth was perfectly healthy before... So I don't know what happened at all :/ I wore my trays around 21h/day and took my treatment seriously.

Do you try not to bite in that tooth because of the bonding or because it hurts?
My tooth/the ligament still feels sensitive when I chew on it but I only had my root canal 2 weeks ago so perhaps that's just it and I won't feel it in the future...

You were advised not to bite into hard foods using a tearing motions decades ago. I don’t know if that’s still the case. So for example - I have root canals and crowns on all my front teeth (accidents with trombones, dogs and pizza, general surgery, face planting on pavements when younger). I was told not to bite and tear into apples and other hard foods like bbq sausages. Instead I was told to use a knife and cut them into bite sized chunks.
newsflash - that lasted approximately a nanosecond ( I was a teenager fgs!).
I di avoid toffees and hard icing - lost several fillings and bits of teeth that way!

Oh dead. Sorry to hijack this thread.
check up and clean today. Anyone want to guess who managed to break another tooth sat in the dentists chair. I only closed my mouth for a second. Apparently even air is harder than my teeth…
Now do I cry or laugh.

Oh noo!! Do you have Amelogenesis Imperfecta or something similar by any chance?

I’ve never asked tbh @PinkLemon5
this time the dentist thinks it’s because I’ve been grinding my teeth - tbf I have been warned in the past about this, and now it has been suggested a bite guard would be beneficial. So I guess a combo of crappy teeth and wear and tear resulting in some ‘lovely’ stress fractures. Which in the bigger picture makes sense, with some big stressors in my life which have resulted in over exercising and a couple of stress fractures in my feet over the last six months and very bad sleep.
I have to say, whoever or whatever designed teeth must have been a trainee, much prefer the idea of constantly growing or replacing of teeth naturally that other species have.

Yeah grinding teeth can really take a toll on them. Sounds like a bite guard would be beneficial, yeah

I'm responding to you again since you have a root canal in the same tooth as me (provided it's your upper canine). I forgot to ask if you feel like it's weaker now after 30 years and if you have any problems chewing on that tooth, and how's the colour?

I had two root canals the first lasted around ten years then needed a crown and still have no issues 12 years on. The second sadly has only lasted 5 years and the tooth has broken so I need either a bridge or implant. Both are pre molars though.

Sorry I know this is late. The tooth does hurt but it certainly doesn't feel as strong and natural as the real tooth next to it. I can definitely feel it when I bite into something hard, it's not a pain as such more like I'm acutely aware of it, and slightly sensitive (not to heat cold) if that makes sense? Hope that helps. I will say I have been cracked in the face many times since then (young children and their big fat cannonball heads are no joke) and it's not moved or broke or anything.