Is a root canal on your front tooth bearable?!


Question: I slipped on the ice and landed on my face... I knocked out my front tooth and the one next to it (#7 and 8). I went to a dentist right away, but they said the break is too severe to just put a veneer on top. I will have to have a root canal, then they will put in a "post." I'm sooo nervous that I actually cry when I talk about it... I'm a huge ninny. Then after thats all done, I will go somewhere else to have a temporary crown put on, then later when its ready * in 2 weeks * a porcelain veneer.

Any advice or shared experiences? Please??? Help me, I'm a pansy!


Answers: I slipped on the ice and landed on my face... I knocked out my front tooth and the one next to it (#7 and 8). I went to a dentist right away, but they said the break is too severe to just put a veneer on top. I will have to have a root canal, then they will put in a "post." I'm sooo nervous that I actually cry when I talk about it... I'm a huge ninny. Then after thats all done, I will go somewhere else to have a temporary crown put on, then later when its ready * in 2 weeks * a porcelain veneer.

Any advice or shared experiences? Please??? Help me, I'm a pansy!

this sounds so similar to my experience.
I have a terrible phobia of the dentist, so much so that I hadn't been in 10 years. But my I broke my front tooth, and had to go. I got a diazepam from my doctor to calm me down on my first visit.
I was so nervous, but the dentist completely put me at ease. She injected me with anaesthetic, and after that I hardly felt a thing. I got a post put in which involves a lot of poking about and drilling but it really wasn't that bad. I can't emphasise enough what a scaredy cat I was, and so if I can endure it - anyone can.
THe root canal itself wasn't that bad either as my mouth was totally frozen and the dentist kept asking if I was ok. She completely calmed me down, and I totally trusted her and felt safe.

Overall, it wasn't the most pleasant expereince in the world, but by no means was it the worst. In fact, I can't believe I have been such a chicken all these years, and I will definitely be going back every 6 months for a checkup.

It is totally bearable and worth it. Please don't worry too much about it. There is no pain afterwards either. Took me a wee while to get used to the new crown, as it felt a wee bit bigger than my other teeth, but I am totally used to it now and am confident eating with it. It just feels like a real tooth now.

So don't be scared!!!!! Good luck

PS - can I just say that the most painful part of the whole experience was the damage it did to my purse.....it was so expensive!!!

poor u!
mine was, O.K. it's bearable, but mine took ages, so save up some thoughts so u've got something to think about!!
it can feel invasive at points, but not painful.
good luck!!
xx

It should be much more than "bearable", quite similar to any other dental procedure (e.g. a filling), if you are numb. If you're not numb, tell the dentist (would be fairly rare...front teeth numb fairly easily). Root canal treatments get their bad name from people that come into the dental office with a toothache and then they need a root canal, but it's oftentimes hard to get them numb because of the pain they already have. Your situation is completely different, in fact, your teeth have been knocked out, which means that the nerve in your tooth has been completely severed. There should be no pain within the tooth itself, even if you were not numbed (the numbing is for just beyond the root canal and for the gums).

A post is after the root canal treatment (RCT) so there are no nerves involved. Also, technically, you're probably going to get a ceramic crown or a porcelain/metal crown...not a veneer from the sound of it. Please don't spend any more time worrying about it, because it will be wasted worry. =] Take care.

Big hug to you.

It is bareable but you could ask for a tranquillizer if your that paniced about the whole situation, he wont want someone in the chair that is going to make a huge fuss.

It certainly won't hurt as much as it did when you fell and broke the teeth. It really shouldn't hurt. You may experience some tenderness after, but it shouldn't bother you too much.

All they need to do is clean the pulp out of the root, sterilize it, and fill it up with a rubber type substance so that it won't get infected. Then the "post" is just a little bar that they screw in to reinforce the tooth to make it stronger and so that there is something they can build up around to be able to put a crown on. Try to relax. If you can sit through a filling, you can do a root canal/crown prep. If you really are too nervous, the dentist may be able to give you a sedative. But ask well beforehand, not on the day of the appointment, because some have to be taken a couple of hours before the appointment to be effective.

Don't worry bout it!! They are very easy to do on front teeth, & almost always successful, very little pain afterwards. Have done hundreds. Dr H W





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