root canal?

[cincy90h22]

So long story short.. I broke a tooth, one of my top rear molars. I went to the dentist and he told me I needed a crown. OK cool, I was fitted with a crown and after my mouth wasn't numb anymore I was in terrible pain. I went back two days later, and he said I need a root canal. I've heard lots of bad things about root canals. How they have to be redone and pain and all that happy shit.

Has anyone had a root canal? Give me your feedback. I'm weighing the options of doing the root canal, or just having the tooth pulled. I've already spent 450 on the crown, and the R.C. is gonna be about 200 more (after insurance ) or I can throw the money I spent out the window and have it pulled.

What Do you guys think I should do?

[deevergote]

I would pay the extra $200 and save the tooth. Better than having a hole in your mouth! Maybe you could talk to your dentist about a discount, since you paid for the crown on his recommendation, and it clearly didn't fix things. He's the expert, after all!

I had a root canal done, but it was on a tooth that was already dead (shady orthodontist did my braces, and managed to kill the tooth... tried to tell me that I must've fallen on it... as if I'd forget falling on a face full of metal!)
My root canal was absolutely painless, and aside from being discolored, the tooth is as strong as any other. I've never had pain.

[accord93racer]

A co-worker just had a root canal last week. He was in so much pain afterwards that he had to take the next 2 days off. However he is also in his late 50s and I don't know his whole dental history, so there are other factors that could contribute to his pain.

I would be hesitant to go back to the same dentist that did your crown. Since after he did your crown you had a lot of pain. I would be worried what a root canal would feel like from him.

If it were me I would have the root canal done.

[JoshM]

Definitely do the root canal.

I've had one once, and the ONLY thing I felt was the needle going into my gum for the numbing agent.... which was not painful. It was actually an awesome feeling.

I was given another, stronger, shot before I left, which left me with no feeling on that side of my face until MUCH later that night. I was prescribed a pain med, but I didn't need it.

They kill the nerve for that tooth, meaning there's no more feeling. I don't understand how people can be in so much pain afterwards. Pulling a tooth, now that I can understand.

[4GAccordH22]

I recently had a root canal and a temporary crown (still need to get the permanent crown), and I haven't had any problems at all. No residual pain or anything, but I have a real good dentist...

[deevergote]

My dad fell asleep during a root canal... He was a tough sonofabitch.

[BurtonRiderT6]

I guess I'm gonna be the odd man out. I had my molar crack from a crappy filling job. Long story short, the dentist told me I would need a root canal before the he could crown it. So after x-rays he said he could do it. After about 45 minutes and a sore jaw (grown man hands all in my mouth) he says "well, I'm gonna have to put a temporary filling in there and send you to a specialist." So when I called this "specialist" he said the prices range from $600 and up. I thought about it and decided that no one sees my molars anyway. So I had them (dentist not specialist) yank it. It saved me a minimum of $600 at the time, and it doesn't affect my eating at all. It will be tender for a week or 2 after the removal, but after that you will forget about it missing. Not to mention root canals don't always work and can have a lot more complications.

Guess that wasn't such a short story.

[wildBill83]

Broke a molar on frozen chocolate, just happened to be the biggest molar in my jaw. It had 7 roots. I guess my Dr. was a pro, the only thing that hurt was the numbing shot and that only hurt for a bit. If you have any tattoos you can survive this, it is much less pain for much shorter time. I drove home from the appointment and went to work the next day. The pain meds they gave had me covered and fully functional. Read reviews on the doc before you go in. Totally worth it!

[toycar]

Ive had all of the above, and my opinion revolves around how bad the damage to the tooth was. Crowns work for making teeth last, if the tooth wasn't fucked up too bad from square one. Generally though they make you get a crown if your shit busted bad.

If like 1/4th of your tooth busted off, id get it pulled. Its going to give you more problems down the road. Crown or no crown, root canal or not.

The shit is going to give you problems down the road( could be like 6 months or like10+ years from now)

I have a tooth that busted with a crown and it has been a pain in the ass over the years. Crown comes loose, instant pain. I mean, instant, outrageous, did somebody just punch me in the nervous system kind of pain.

And, its never convenient when it happens. The dentist is able to adjust and fix it, but still, its bullshit when you happen to be smashing on a BLT and WHAM out of nowhere you have this horrible pain for seemingly no reason. Not only is the dentist going to tell you to come in some other day, you now get to suffer until they can make time to help you.

The other tooth that gave me issues I had pulled. Then they put in a replacement tooth, for about the same money as a crown.

Only difference is my replacement tooth is anchored to a bolt, attached to my jaw bone. Sounds painfull, really wasn't.

If ever an issue was to come up(hasnt yet, 8+ years) they would just take the tooth off, and put another one on. Its covered for life by warranty.


Problem solved in my book. So I have a metal tooth, so what? Better than a rotten hole/broken tooth being covered up by a crown. Its in the back and you cannot even see it without me opening my mouth all the way and pointing it out. Crowns cover problems and give you the idea that nothing is wrong, when in fact there is a problem festering away unable to be seen.

Some people care about getting teeth pulled, replaced or having a metal tooth. I know I dont give a fuck thats for sure. It doesn't effect my self esteem at all.

[Ralphie]

Ive had all of the above, and my opinion revolves around how bad the damage to the tooth was. Crowns work for making teeth last, if the tooth wasn't fucked up too bad from square one. Generally though they make you get a crown if your shit busted bad.

If like 1/4th of your tooth busted off, id get it pulled. Its going to give you more problems down the road. Crown or no crown, root canal or not.

The shit is going to give you problems down the road( could be like 6 months or like10+ years from now)

I have a tooth that busted with a crown and it has been a pain in the ass over the years. Crown comes loose, instant pain. I mean, instant, outrageous, did somebody just punch me in the nervous system kind of pain.

And, its never convenient when it happens. The dentist is able to adjust and fix it, but still, its bullshit when you happen to be smashing on a BLT and WHAM out of nowhere you have this horrible pain for seemingly no reason. Not only is the dentist going to tell you to come in some other day, you now get to suffer until they can make time to help you.

The other tooth that gave me issues I had pulled. Then they put in a replacement tooth, for about the same money as a crown.

Only difference is my replacement tooth is anchored to a bolt, attached to my jaw bone. Sounds painfull, really wasn't.

If ever an issue was to come up(hasnt yet, 8+ years) they would just take the tooth off, and put another one on. Its covered for life by warranty.


Problem solved in my book. So I have a metal tooth, so what? Better than a rotten hole/broken tooth being covered up by a crown. Its in the back and you cannot even see it without me opening my mouth all the way and pointing it out. Crowns cover problems and give you the idea that nothing is wrong, when in fact there is a problem festering away unable to be seen.

Some people care about getting teeth pulled, replaced or having a metal tooth. I know I dont give a fuck thats for sure. It doesn't effect my self esteem at all.

This is a good attitude to have.

It appears a lot of people disregard dental work, or just assume teeth can last forever with no cleanings/work.

In fact, teeth are made to last a lifetime...they don't grow back like other species....and yet people neglect them and then wonder where they went.


If you have never smelled what a rotting tooth/cavity smells like, your lucky.

Don't just cover it up, get it fixed the right way.

[BurtonRiderT6]

This is a good attitude to have.

It appears a lot of people disregard dental work, or just assume teeth can last forever with no cleanings/work.

In fact, teeth are made to last a lifetime...they don't grow back like other species....and yet people neglect them and then wonder where they went.


If you have never smelled what a rotting tooth/cavity smells like, your lucky.

Don't just cover it up, get it fixed the right way.

While I'm not sure if you're agreeing with him or being sarcastic I will say that since having my molar pulled, there is no cavity from the missing tooth. Your gums will heal over and like toycar you can only see my missing tooth if I open my mouth and show you. Had it been a visible tooth I would have pulled it and had an implant put in there, much like what toycar has done.

As far as dentists go, I find it hard to trust them since the last one told me he could do my root canal no problem then decided to push me off to his specialist (who I'm sure makes killing after this dude probes your mouth for 45 minutes then passes the buck leaving you stranded with a temporary filling). Did I forget to mention the constant talk about how I should be using Scope products because the others aren't as good. Here's a scope starter kit for you. I felt like I was part of an infomercial. I swear there is no patient concern anymore, it's all about how can I make a buck.

[cincy90h22]

That's a lot of good input guys... I'm leaning towards getting the root canal done. A good piece of the tooth broke, well, maybe a 1/4 of What is visible.

Toycar - what you said about a crown Just masking the problem is kinds how I feel, about the root canal too. I don't wanna have problems down the road. Having it pulled, and a replacement tooth is a good idea too. Ill ask them about That too.

[Ralphie]

While I'm not sure if you're agreeing with him or being sarcastic I will say that since having my molar pulled, there is no cavity from the missing tooth. Your gums will heal over and like toycar you can only see my missing tooth if I open my mouth and show you. Had it been a visible tooth I would have pulled it and had an implant put in there, much like what toycar has done.

As far as dentists go, I find it hard to trust them since the last one told me he could do my root canal no problem then decided to push me off to his specialist (who I'm sure makes killing after this dude probes your mouth for 45 minutes then passes the buck leaving you stranded with a temporary filling). Did I forget to mention the constant talk about how I should be using Scope products because the others aren't as good. Here's a scope starter kit for you. I felt like I was part of an infomercial. I swear there is no patient concern anymore, it's all about how can I make a buck.

I was in fact agreeing with him.