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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if a tooth root can be removed without anaesthetic?

56 replies

Nickersnackersnockers · 05/03/2019 05:51

My daughter's boyfriend messaged her to say he couldn't make it to see her as he had been in pain all weekend and was having a tooth root removed. He said it was painful, but he chose not to have local anaesthetic. Also said he had to pay for the treatment but he doesn't have a job.

Is this likely? She believes him of course but I don't think this can be true?

OP posts:
Cosmos45 · 05/03/2019 05:55

Hmmm.. I had root canal treatment last year and there is no way anyone could have that without anaesthetic (local not general). It also cost me £900 for the treatment and the crown that needs to be fitted afterwards. Sounds to me that someone is telling porkies or is confused as to the treatment they had.

ElfrideSwancourt · 05/03/2019 06:08

I'm a dentist - it would be possible but EXTREMELY painful to have a tooth removed without anaesthetic and most dentists would refuse to do it if the patient requested it. I know I have.

It's possible he meant that he had a local anaesthetic, an injection, not a general anaesthetic?

If his dentist is private he would have to pay, regardless of his employment status.

Heatherjayne1972 · 05/03/2019 06:10

Mmm. I would say the pain would make you moves around too much for the dentist to do it safely
It would be very painful- can’t imagine the dentist would do it without anaesthetic

SparklingTwilight · 05/03/2019 06:10

Yes it is possible but it is fuuuuucking painful.

HeronLanyon · 05/03/2019 06:13

I had a tooth removed a few years ago. Good strong anaesthetic (local). Hours later as it started to wear off the pain was awful - whimpered/moaned in agony. Can’t imagine this without anaesthetic and guided by dentist view above.

SparklingTwilight · 05/03/2019 06:13

Posted too soon! It's the worst pain I have ever felt. I was pregnant (after infertility) with a high risk of miscarriage and the dentist told me I could have the injection but it really wasn't very good for the baby. I didn't feel like I had a choice. But omg, it was excruciating.

SuchAToDo · 05/03/2019 06:14

I had a tooth removed without anaesthetic (had an abscess under it) but I was a child under 10 and that was in the early 90's...I didn't know the tooth was going to be pulled (if I had I probably would have panicked and made the dentist job twice as hard) he told me to look towards the right (by turning my head) and as I did he yanked and the tooth was out before I knew what was happening...

Of course If I had to have it done now I wouldn't have a tooth pulled now without anaesthetic, ..

HeronLanyon · 05/03/2019 06:15

sparkling ! Sounds awful.

Jackshouse · 05/03/2019 06:19

I had a wisdom tooth removed with local anesthetic when I was pregnant and had paracetamol as pain relief afterwards. Can imagine not having local anesthetic. Maybe like a PP suggested he is confused by what is local anesthetic?

It was sore and I felt sorry for myself for the rest of the weekend but it was fine.

Original poster
Nickersnackersnockers · 05/03/2019 06:21

Not looking good is it, but I am desperately trying to believe him.

But can't really disagree with the dentist above can l? He also told her he paid less than £90, is that a viable cost pls if unemployed pls?

OP posts:
NotANotMan · 05/03/2019 06:21

He probably does have to pay unless he's claiming the right benefits to get an exemption card but I can't imagine a dentist agreeing to pull a tooth without anaesthetic without good reason!

NotANotMan · 05/03/2019 06:22

The cost of an extraction on the NHS is about £60

Original poster
Nickersnackersnockers · 05/03/2019 06:47

Just to clarify, he said it wasn't the tooth he had removed, just the root. Does that make any difference, would that pain be bearable?

OP posts:
NorthernKnickers · 05/03/2019 06:58

That would be unbearable pain! I had root removal of my front top tooth after an accident. Even with local anaesthetic, I was in a lot of pain...I felt it right up through my nose (weird I know...but it was the front top tooth!). Afterwards it was very painful. The procedure itself is brutal!

InsomniaTho · 05/03/2019 07:01

@sparkling Your dentist is full of shit, LOCAL anaesthetic, the clue is in the name, does not travel to the placenta.

Ridingthegravytrain · 05/03/2019 07:07

@insomnia I needed a filling while pregnant and my dentist refused to give local anaesthetic. So obviously it is something they don’t like to do

EmmaGrundyForPM · 05/03/2019 07:08

Last year I had root canal treatment plus a tooth extracted (different tooth).

I hate the local anaesthetic in my mouth so opted to have the root done without it. It was bearable. The tooth had 4 roots not two so it took ages. It was done under the NHS so I think I paid £56. The dentist was fine about me opting not to have local anaesthetic.

For the tooth extraction I did hand the anaesthetic as I knew it would be too painful otherwise. Again I think it was £56.

mindutopia · 05/03/2019 07:08

Yes, a root canal is basically the removal of the root, not the tooth. It’s horrible with anesthetic, but certainly it’s possible without. I suspect he probably had anesthetic and didn’t know or is too much of a ‘man’ to want to admit it.

Cost wise it would be in band B, I think, so around £60, or at least was a few years ago when I had mine done. He wouldn’t have to pay if he was claiming certain benefits, but not just for being unemployed. So it’s possible.

Is there a reason you don’t trust him? Surely if it’s come to the point you’re investigating whether he’s lying about his dental care, it’s at its natural end?

SparklingTwilight · 05/03/2019 07:13

InsomniaTho he's not my dentist any more!!! I didn't know that at the time though, and when you're petrified of losing a much wanted child and put on the spot like that, what do you do? I've always wondered though what the effect of my being in excruciating pain had on the baby and if it a partial cause or trigger for his SN. I can still feel the pain radiating through my body when I think of it. Weirdly though, I was most upset because everyone always said that giving birth is the most painful thing you go through and I remember sobbing afterwards because I didn't see how I could possibly ever give birth if it was going to be even more painful than that.

chuttypicks · 05/03/2019 07:37

Why is it any of your business @Nickersnackersnockers ? It's not your boyfriend. Why are you getting involved?

SalliSunbeem · 05/03/2019 07:44

I had root canal treatment on a tooth which had previously had root treatment, without anaesthetic so yes it's possible,

SalliSunbeem · 05/03/2019 07:47

@chuttypicks Why is it any of your business @Nickersnackersnockers ? It's not your boyfriend. Why are you getting involved?

Anyone can post ?

BikeRunSki · 05/03/2019 07:49

DM is allergic to opiates or whatever it is anasetics are made of. She had had a lot of Defra work, including extractions done without pain relief.

BlueCornishPixie · 05/03/2019 13:22

I have known of people have extractions without anaesthetic. It looks fucking painful though. I wouldn't do it but I know another dentist in my practice has.

Its possible it was just a fragment of root I suppose? Sometimes small fragments of root can be left from a previous extraction or if most of the tooth has resorbed and that might be possible without anaesthetic. Or he has severe gum disease and there is nothing holding it in. That might be possible.

Or he means he had a root canal? I have known people have no aneastehtic for that. Again looks fucking painful but much less than a full extraction

BlueCornishPixie · 05/03/2019 13:25

Also unemployed is irrelevant if it wasn't an NHS appointment