Has anyone had a root canal on a front tooth?

[marmite92]

I've got to have a root canal on a front tooth due to trauma. I'm absolutely terrified it will fail and I'll lose a tooth as google seems to indicate they don't last more than 10 years! It's making me so stressed, is it as big a deal as I'm making out? My tooth is in good condition, it's due to braces it died, I must have banged it years ago or something. The dentist said I wouldn't need a crown.

Can anyone who's had one or a dentist reassure me please?

I have had it on my front tooth due to breaking it and needing a crown. It was done over 2 appointments and with enough local anaesthetic it’s not painful at the time, couple of a paracetamol later in day and wasn’t painful at all.
I’m fortunate my dentist has very small hands 🤣

My DD had a root canal on a front tooth due to trauma. It was done as emergency treatment but failed last year (after 10 years). Her dentist said that there's no reason why this one should fail and that she was just unlucky the last time.

Thank you! Does your tooth look really different now? I feel so worried it's going to make a big difference to the appearance and that it will fail or something

I had a root canal but it was on a Molar not a front tooth. After having one I would never have another. Now it never caused me any pain and it was done in 1 session I was knocked out for it completely but... I hate it, the tooth is filled, it has caused damage to the teeth either side of it but more than anything, I just feel like there is this dead lump in my jaw. If I ever get flu or anything to make me not be able to work for example (which is very rare, maybe every few years), I can feel it and it becomes sensitive and I just feel like I am carrying it around, it almost aches. It's ugly and as soon as they tell me it's run its course and needs re doing or whatever the next step might be I am simply having it taken out.

After this experience, even if it was a front tooth I wouldn't do it again. I would have it removed and a fake one put in. My dad had a front tooth totally removed (he hit it with a hammer years ago and finally got the dead tooth removed about 10 years ago). They put a base in his jaw and his new one screws in. He never had a problem. It came loose once and needed a new screw which we found greatly entertaining. But the replacement was quick and important totally painless and doesn't have a crap 10 year life span

Just my experience I understand why you would be worried especially on a front tooth. At least no one can see my tooth disaster

You can’t tell it’s a crown and it’s rock solid, probably more than my actual teeth 🤣🤣

I had two front teeth root canals and crowns after trauma in 1984. I only had my crowns replaced in 2014! The two teeth are still under there. The two next to them didn't survive they were root canals and crowns at the same time and they were pulled in 2013 - I wore a temporary plate for a while and now have a permanent bridge since 2016 no problems. I fully admit that hanging a ciggie out of my mouth 93-06 then pregnancy was what did for the gap area. So yeah - a good endodontist and a skilled denturist will set you up for a long time.

I had one on my front tooth (upper) due to falling and breaking the tooth, needing a crown.

I was so scared but honestly, it was fine. I was given a local anaesthetic injection then couldn't feel a thing, it was done in two stages and was no worse than any other filling I've had.

You'll be fine op

I've had two failed root canals on the same tooth.
I ended up at a dentist specialised in roots and everything is still fine 10 years later. Third time lucky so far.

If in doubt I would go to a specialist. The final root canal cost me well over 1000 pounds.

I fell over and had to have emergency root canals on my two front teeth 3 years ago. I have never had any problems, the root canals were done in two appointments as she wanted to check for any discolouration. You need a good endodontist, I can recommend mine if you are in London.

I have a root canal and crown on one of my canines. 25 years old now.

Dh on the other hand has one on one of his back molars that he seems to knock out every other year. I’m sure this is because he chews like a horse though.

Thanks everyone, a bit more reassuring! For those that it failed, what happens then, do you end up losing your tooth? That absolutely terrifies me! I have health anxiety and it seems really focused on this at the moment

My husband had one done years ago on one of his front teeth with a crown. At least 30. So far so good.

I had one around 25 years ago on front a tooth I’d cracked as a child. It did discolour and I had a veneer but that has held up for at least 20 years.

OP thanks for this post as I am in an identical position as of yesterday afternoon!! Was told a front (lower) tooth is dying/dead. No idea why, he said past trauma. Now have to decide whether to go with NHS (quicker and cheaper) or specialist (expensive and more of a wait - and I'm already in some pain and worried it will fall out whilst I'm waiting).
I was really upset about this yesterday.
Any recommendations for good private Specialists gratefully received to see if I can be seen quicker - I'm Thames Valley area.

Dd had one at age 12 after trauma to her front tooth. The tooth had died and I was told she didn't need any anaesthetic. Anyway, it was absolutely fine - she didn't need any anaesthetic and it was very straightforward. We weren't told it could fail and all is still fine 5 years on.

Knocked mine out until it was hanging by a string

They shoved it back in and a week later did a root canal (apparently it should have been sooner ideally....) I remember being told it could go black/fall out within a few years, and I should be prepared for an implant, but (fingers bloody crossed!!!) every time I see my dentist he's happy with it and says it could well last many more years.

No colour change as yet. This was all done about 7 years ago.

@1990s did you go private or NHS?

I had both of mine root filled around 15 years ago. The only painful bit is the anaesthetic injections.

1 tooth died and snapped during lockdown. The other tooth is still ok.

I had one about 5 years ago. I had an abscess that ate the tooth! (It was agony and came from nowhere). Happy to say it's been fine and I've had no problems at all, not even discolouration. I was petrified of the procedure but again, it was fine. Hope all goes well.

@Arcadia it was NHS, but someone who was fairly experience in whatever they call root canal thingys as a field - endontics?

I was offered the private route with a specialist but I have to say I think I chose NHS as it was cheaper and I certainly wasn't flush at the time, but also I felt the specific dentist seemed confident in doing the procedure IYSWIM?

I've read your previous post now @Arcadia and unfortunately we're a different area so I don't have anyone to recommend.

It's a tough choice between NHS and private for these sorts of things. I think it's worth asking your NHS dentist what their experience is with the procedure, as some of them are people who do the private procedures too, just depends who you get in the NHS?

But what I would say for OP and anyone else worried about it, I was really anxious about the whole situation, pretty convinced it would be awful/go wrong in some way, and it was absolutely fine.

Not painful or difficult, and anecdotally once you tell people you've knocked out a front tooth lots of others have similar stories the large majority of which have ended positively.

I had a root canal on a front tooth. I smashed into the end of a swimming pool when I was 13 (severely short sighted . Root canal and crown have held up for over 30 years! Absolutely fine.
I’ve never actually heard of a root canal failing (I’ve had a few over the years and never had any ‘fail’. Didn’t realise that was a thing). But a crown or veneer can indeed fail/ break after around 15yrs I’m told.

@1990s unfortunately my (incidentally, very hot!) NHS dentist didn't seem very confident and said if it was him he'd go with the specialist as it's at the front and I'd get a better 'outcome'

I had one on an incisor tooth two years ago followed by a steroid plug to kill a deep seated infection. Apart from a slight increase in sensitivity if I tap it, it looks identical to the rest. Didn't feel a thing either.