I've had about 10 - I find them easier than a filling - if you see an endodontist they take about 30 minutes and voila you are done. Don't have your regular dentist do it- that can take several hours or so I am told.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The worst part is the dry throat/insane urge to swallow when they have your jaw propped open to do the actual procedure. Gah.

OMG yes. I haven't had a root canal but had to get a cavity filled and that feeling was awful. I got really panicky at one point cause i let it get to my head too much that I couldn't swallow.

Sounds like you have issues other than the cavity.

OP, no, they're not bad at all. If you're all there, that is.

Anonymous wrote:I've had 11. Horrible teeth genes! The root canal is not painful. But you will need a crown, which is more time consuming and very expensive. I have 15 crowns, four for cracked teeth that did not need root canals. I should have a line item in my will for my teeth. My husband calls me the Queen of crowns. Ugh.

Me too! I had a lot of root canals and crowns because I grind my teeth badly and destroyed my back teeth and the backs of my front teeth. For teeth that were worn and began to hurt, the root canal provided INSTANT relief, and I felt so much better afterwards. I have some crowns on vital teeth as well, and these were more uncomfortable afterward than the root canaled teeth. Also, I have some teeth that root canals but no crown, just a white filling, which my dentist says is the modern approach (to save the entire tooth whenever possible).

I never had pain during a root canal, but you can have some swelling and soreness after: this is NOTHING compared to the agony of a tooth that hurts prior to root canal treatment.

You will feel so much better afterward.

Of course you can drive. It's not that bad. It's like a cavity being filled, but with a pipe cleaner in your tooth/jaw. Obviously you get novocaine.

Anonymous wrote:The worst part is the dry throat/insane urge to swallow when they have your jaw propped open to do the actual procedure. Gah.

OMG yes. I haven't had a root canal but had to get a cavity filled and that feeling was awful. I got really panicky at one point cause i let it get to my head too much that I couldn't swallow.

I've had 11. Horrible teeth genes! The root canal is not painful. But you will need a crown, which is more time consuming and very expensive. I have 15 crowns, four for cracked teeth that did not need root canals. I should have a line item in my will for my teeth. My husband calls me the Queen of crowns. Ugh.

I dreaded mine but the INSTANT relief you feel when they drain the canal is amazing. You will feel like a new person when it's over. Don't be scared.

The worst part is the dry throat/insane urge to swallow when they have your jaw propped open to do the actual procedure. Gah.

Not bad at all.

They're not bad anymore. I had one at 10 one morning and met a friend for lunch at noon.

I've had a half dozen root canals. You will be fine to drive home afterwards. They are actually not very painful--they give you lots of numbing agent and the procedure itself deadens the nerves. They are uncomfortable--cleaning out the canals is a little awkward. You may have pain afterwards from the swelling. Take the anti-inflammatories they direct you to in order to keep the swelling under control.

I had one that gave me off-the charts pain before, during, and after, but it was due to a nasty infection and not the procedure itself.

I was completely okay to drive. I went back to work. Didn't hurt anymore than a cavity. I did have swelling afterwards and I had to take antibiotics. But the day of was fine.

It used to be bad. Nowadays, nah.

I have driven myself home after 3 root canals. I can't remember if I ate later in the day or not. The root canals were a piece of cake compared to the pain I felt before the surgery.

I'm supposed to have to have one. Will I be able to drive home? Is it really that horrible? Will I be able to chew later that day?