Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

Root canal in 2nd trimester?

20 replies

SlightlyDoolally · 08/10/2008 19:07

Hi all

I'm 15 weeks pregnant and had a really deep filling about 10 days ago. My dentist said that the tooth was likely to be sensitive after the treatment (because the filling was really deep) and that I might need a root canal. Anyway, since the treatment my tooth has been really sensitive to both hot and cold food (and drink) and now I'm really worried that I will need a root canal.

Does anyone have any experiences of root canal in pregnancy? Is it best avoided? I've looked online and most sites seem to suggest that the 2nd trimester is the time to have it if you really need one. Not sure whether to go back to my dentist and get the ball rolling, or wait and see if it gets better. Even if it gets really painful, I don't want to risk any harm to my baby. Anyone had any experiences (good or bad)?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ephrinedaily · 08/10/2008 19:10

Right. Firstly you might not need one. Call dentist and see how long you should leave it. If dentist thinks you should come back and get root canal, get it done now! I had one done at 28 weeks and everything absolutely fine - bled a bit more than usual that's all. Imagine if the tooth gets totally fecked and you're nearly going into labour or have just had baby - nightmare. Newborn screaming baby + sore tooth.

hazeyjane · 08/10/2008 19:13

I had to wait until I had had dd1 when i was half way through a root canal, before my dentist would finish it(I think it might have been because it needed x-rays). I had to go in every couple of months to have a sort of antiseptic wodge(!?) put into the tooth. I would go to the dentist (or phone) and ask him what are the best options. Good luck.

Original poster

SlightlyDoolally · 08/10/2008 19:22

Wow - speedy responses. Thanks! I will call the dentist tomorrow and go back for a consultation to see what she thinks. Good to know that some people have had root canal and everything has ended up ok.

OP posts:

Juliette108 · 09/10/2008 12:47

Depending on where the tooth is, I would seriously consider having the whole tooth out and forgo trying to sort the root out to save the tooth. I had it done and did not appreciate that in most cases it is not a permanent or lasting solution. After having it a some expense, it lasted four years and I had the tooth removed anyway. I may have it replaced at some stage. It is not visible. I wouldn't be talked into root canal necessarily.

Whiteybaby · 09/10/2008 15:46

Help! I am having the same problem. Half of one of my bottom back molars has dropped out and the dentist seems to think that I might need a root canal or extraction. However, I can't find a dentist that has a lead apron to do the x rays. My dentist has told me that they will do it and x rays fine when pregnant and without lead apron I have also been told to just have it patched up for the moment but am worried it will flare up in the third trimester and that I will be stuck. I am just coming up 16 weeks. Ephrinedaily how did you manage with X Rays? Did your dentist use a lead apron? Sorry to hijack someone's thread but completely confused as to what is right..

Original poster

SlightlyDoolally · 10/10/2008 11:56

Ok, so I went to the dentist yesterday and she is not prepared to X ray me while I'm pregnant (apron or not). So she gave me 3 options: have the tooth extracted; have a partial root canal, where she takes out the nerve and does a temporary filling then finishes it off after I've given birth and can have an X ray; or have the complete root canal work but done "blind" without an X ray to help.

Now I'm confused - I had a horrible experience 10 years ago with an infected root canal filling so am reluctant to start back down that road again. However, she said that an extraction would possibly lead to problems with the surrounding and opposing teeth later on.

Basically, she said there is no good solution - it's a really bad time to need a root canal filling!

Anyone had more helpful advice - perhaps from a private dentist?

I'm planning to start the root canal treatment, but can't get an appointment for 2 weeks so still have some time to think about it. Confusingly, the tooth is hurting less today, so not sure whether just to wait longer and see how it goes. Aaaarrrgghh.

OP posts:

Whiteybaby · 10/10/2008 12:59

Slightly Doolally I am seeing a private dentist this pm. Recently had her first child so understands my issues. She said she wouldn't xray me at all as well. I am having a check up and then going to let her suggest a plan. I think she is going to reccomend cleaning it all out and patching it up for the moment. I will report back later on after my appointment!

Original poster

SlightlyDoolally · 10/10/2008 18:26

OK, great! Sounds like what my dentist is recommending, so it would be good to swap opinions. Look forward to hearing from you

OP posts:

RosyBelle · 11/10/2008 16:21

Slighlty - I lost a large filling around 15 wks pregnant. It hurt like hell!! My dentist says the tooth is dying anyway and flatly refuses to x ray me while pregnant. He says I need either the tooth removing or root canal - both of which need an x-ray to perform. So he cleaned the tooth out under a local anaesthetic (lidocain?) and temporarily filled it with what looks like a plaster of paris in my mouth.
He says the temp should last at least 2 months and I'm now 27 wks with no sign of it falling out.
Good luck
Rosy

Original poster

SlightlyDoolally · 11/10/2008 18:21

Rosy - thanks for your message. Looks like a few of us are unlucky enough to need root canal while pregnant. Good to hear that your solution is working for the time being - I think I'm going down the same route.

OP posts:

Forensica · 11/10/2008 20:21

I had a root canal done last year (was not pregnant then) without x-rays since they had the machine broken that time. Since then I did not have any problem, no one checked if it was correctly placed but no pain.
So why would they let you suffer I do not understand. They should just do it, under a local anaesthetic without x-ray. Also, I am thinking that when you are maybe 35+ weeks, there should not be a problem for the baby if it was exposed to the little amount of x-rays because if it was born and got something broken, they would x-ray anyway I reckon.

captainbarnacle · 15/02/2011 21:51

Just bumping - had bad toothache over weekend. Went to see dentist (private) today and he confirmed it's a root canal job. Am 15 weeks pregnant.

Am booked in for the root canal to be done on thursday. He said I dont need an xray - I think that's because he xrayed it 6months ago and can go off that?

Anyone else had root canal treatment during pregnancy?

sparklytoes · 15/02/2011 23:36

I'm 16 weeks and was suffering from horrendous toothache. Went to Dentist to be told I needed root canal treatment but wouldn't be able to have it done as I was pregnant. I had a local anaesthetic and a clean up job with a temporary drssing on it that does look like a plaster of paris (!). It has totally worked, no more pain and I'm delighted. Dentist has told me to come back after baby arrives for the full treatment.

captainbarnacle · 16/02/2011 07:43

I find it strange that dentists say totally different things! Mine is quite happy to do the root canal as I'm 2nd trimester now. The tooth had a massive filling in it 6m ago to delay the root canal being done... I don't think anything other than that will stop the pain!

tlise · 16/02/2011 19:16

Depends on how much of the tooth you have left.Hubby was told to have one recently but I told him not to be so daft and just have the tooth out as it was the same as mine, more filling than tooth. I haven't had RCT while pregnant, but have had teeth out. 2 weeks before my son was due and it still didn't set him off lol.
I would get them to do something, its bad enough being in pain, worse when you are pregnant xx

TobyLerone · 17/02/2011 10:03

He can definitely use the previous x-ray from 6 months ago. It is only used to see the anatomy of the tooth and where the apex (bottom of the root) is, so that they know how deeply to file.

theonlyhb2 · 17/02/2011 11:47

i am having a root canal re-done on wednesday. they have to take the cap off (as its not fitting right now either, it was done 12 years ago!) and get right down to the bottom on the root.

I don't cope well with the dentist, and am a bit worried I will puke on them. Plus it never matters how many jabs they give me, it still hurts.

But it is all free now so......

saffy85 · 17/02/2011 17:49

I had a root canal at 21 weeks pg and it went ok. Did need 2 doses of local though as my tooth was so sensitive. Only problem I had was afterwards as I obviously couldn't take anything stronger than 2 plain boring paracetomol. Would have killed for something stronger!

Hope you get your tooth fixed soon, one way or another!

CuppaTeaJanice · 17/02/2011 18:00

I had root canal at about 8 months pregnant. They had to do it without an x-ray, and afaik she just put a temporary filling in the top bit of the tooth so she could check if the root fillings were all ok and redo if necessary after I'd had the baby. It was fine. She did the permanent filling while I had newborn DS lying on my tummy!

You might need to have the chair in a more upright position as it can take quite a long time and be uncomfortable, but tooth pain is so hideous that you'll feel much better when it's done.

captainbarnacle · 17/02/2011 18:36

Well I'm back - the dentist was superb. He used a special local anaethestic which had the least bad stuff in it and wore off after 90 mins! It didn't hurt at all.

He also used this sonar beeping thingy to tell he was at the end of the root, rather than an xray.

I cannot fault it at all :)

I'm back in a week's time - I assume to get this temporary filling replaced with a proper one.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread