Do root canals hurt?

[vanillaskin]

I’ve got a tooth that is being a pain. My dentist drilled down to the nerve and packed with biodentine and I went back to have a filling on top of it
since the filling was added, it’s sensitive again to hot and cold

when he drilled down he said he couldn’t numb it like an extraction? And it was not pleasant!
I am worried the nerve isn’t dead and how much it will hurt if it’s not numbed like last time as I’m not a great dentist patient!

Give it some time to settle down -dental procedures can be traumatic to the whole area. How long has it been?

OP, it doesn't sound like you had a root canal. AFAIK (I'm not a dentist) Biodentine is used when the dentist is trying to protect a living nerve and avoid doing a root canal. That would also explain why it’s still sensitive to hot and cold. Sometimes it settles, but if the sensitivity keeps going or gets worse, you might need a root canal later.
In any case, you have to call the office and let them know what's going on.

Hope it gets resolved soon.

Oh yeah I didn’t, sorry probably wasn’t clear!

he said if this didn’t work it needs a root canal…
the biodentine has been in a while but the filling added on top a couple of weeks ago

start of Dec for the biodentine, filling was added a couple of weeks ago
its intermittent - hot drinks can be unbearable, cold air hitting the tooth today was painful
am using curasept biosmalto sensitive toothpaste

Root canals can be uncomfortable and you will be sore afterwards but are tolerable. Not a big deal in the scheme of things. Better than toothache, that’s for sure!

If you so end up getting a root canal it should no longer hurt as the tooth will no longer have the nerve. Probably best to ask dentist if your pain with biodentine is normal after this period of time

yeah it’s the actual procedure I’m worried about. Having the nerve drilled down I struggled with and they take the nerve out while it’s not dead?
probably sounds dim but I’m like “how the f will that not hurt?!”

If you have to have root canal, a skilled practitioner will anaesthetise you fully. Strongly suggest going to a specialist endodontist not a general dentist.

Yes they hurt. And in my experience, they don’t work. I’ve had 3 root canals. I now have 3 missing teeth. The extractions were way less painful than the root canals!

I had a root canal about 10 years ago. It never hurt while having it done at all, I was completely numb. I’ve not had any further issues with the tooth.

I’ve had a root canal and I didn’t think it hurt in the slightest, though the nerve had died by that point. I actually felt the nerve die, I was in agony and suddenly there was like an elastic band snapping in my mouth and the pain just disappeared. Unfortunately my face still looked like I’d gone several rounds in a heavy weight boxing match due to the abscess.

I had 2 root canals and they didn’t hurt at all. I was well-anaesthetised and the dentist did a good job. Whatever the pain with teeth procedures it’s better than toothache. But depending on the skill of your dentist it shouldn’t worry you.

I can’t afford it unfortunately- I’m on a dental plan so my root canal is free at my own dentist
he is very experienced though

I had an infected tooth while pregnant that eventually needed root canal, the pain of the infection etc was much much much less than the pain of the root canal. In fact I remember everyone telling me how bad a root canal is and then it was literally nothing.

I have had two done. The drilling isn't painful but your jaw can be a bit achy afterwards as they sort of wedge it open. My second one was under an old crown so it was two hours of drilling followed by another hours drilling two weeks later. That made my jaw and back ache a bit but no pain in the tooth area, the bill at the end made me keep though.

My regulare dentist did the first one and a specialist was required for the crown.

ETA weep not keep

Not remotely - you are numb throughout! Your jaw may ache a little as it's 3 long ish appointments, so a long time with your mouth wide open. But no actual tooth / nerve pain.

Yes

I fell asleep during mine, it didn’t hurt at all and I usually have a low pain threshold

I had root canal before Christmas and it didn’t hurt at all, was completely numb. The disinfectant bit was the most unpleasant and having to keep my jaw open for so long. I took 2 ibuprofen afterwards just in case but didn’t need any more after that. No worse than a filling.

Are you able to start saving in case you DO need root canal in the future? I didn't realise regular dentists could do it! Mine referred me to a specialist endodontist who had the specialist equipment and fine drill things to clean the canals.

Mine was on a molar which I think had 3 canals. so required more than 1 visit. She put a giant, silicone type thing over my mouth with just the tooth poking through. I was dosed up and never felt a thing. The 2nd visit, I don't know if the anaesthetic was stronger, or it had got into a capillary and became systemic, but I felt high as a kite when I left. I'm so glad I hadn't driven there.

My partner had almost the same as you, ended up with a root canal. They said it was a dream compared to what they’d had leading up to the root canal.

Not really, that’s why I have a dental plan as it covers all my treatment except lab fees. So a crown would be about £90 compared to £££
it wouldn’t make sense to pay for dental treatment

A root canal shouldn't hurt, you should be numb for it and you absolutely do numb up the same as an extraction

Rarely if the pulp is very angry it can be difficult to numb, but this is the same as in an extraction. (And modern anaesthetics work much better on a hot pulp). In that case you should be able to inject into the pulp to numb (again with modern anaesthetics and good technique this is unlikely) so you should still be numb during the root canal. If you aren't numb the root canal should be abandoned

Essentially no root canal shouldn't hurt, if it does tell the dentist and get them to rebook

OP has a dental plan with covers root canal so she doesn't need to save for root canal? She's essentially already saving by paying into the plan