Oh no! Need root canal work☹️

As a result of many years on steroid medication I've had more root canals than I care to think about and none of them was painful. OK, you are aware of dentist working there but very painful it was definitely not.

My dentist froze up the relevant nerve and told me, any problem just lift your hand. On one occasion I lifted my hand and he stopped immediately to administer another injection. That was once during perhaps 5 root canals and involving around 12 dental visits.

Tell your dentist that you are very nervous and that you are trusting him to make the event totally painfree.

Thank you coolgran. I'm not a nervous patient as such-just don't want a needlessly painful experience.
Will bear what you said in mind-will practice hand lifting immediately!

Heavens, that sounds a painful fall Newquay. I have had several root canal treatments and agree with Coolgran. I did not find the root canal treatments painful. (The thought of having them done was worse than the actual procedure).

I’m practically phobic about the dentist but I had a root canal a couple of years ago and I felt nothing.

I did ask for extra injections to be certain but it was painless. The most off putting thing was the camera my high tech guy used to make sure he got all the root , which displayed pictures on a large screen tv.

I think you’ll be fine * Newquay*

I had one done about 20 years ago without anaesthetic (because I react badly to Lignocaine, Novocaine etc) and can honestly say I felt nothing worse than mild discomfort and that was mostly due to sitting still with my mouth wide open for such a long time.

I too have had lots of root canal treatment too due to my medical conditions, which affect my teeth. It wasn't really painful at all. The worst bit is the discomfort of having to keep your mouth open for some time.

Poor you, sounds like a very nasty fall! I had root canal treatment a few years ago and I thought the worst bit was paying the bill! As others have said it shouldn't be painful.

Thank you all for your helpful posts. I switched from a private dentist (having helped provide his swanky car and huge house on posh local private estate) to NHS so hope costs won't be exorbitant. Will wait awhile 2/3 months unless anything dramatic happens meanwhile.
It was quite a dramatic fall, second faint while I had this wretched flu. I heard a clang, which must have been my head hitting radiator, then a blow to my face! No use asking, I don't know if it was Australian or not!

I had root canal treatment a couple of years ago and didn’t find it painful - it was just a bit boring and uncomfortable having to lie still for quite a long time. The most painful thing was getting cramp in my right hip - at least that distracted me from what was going on in my mouth.
Seriously though, there is nothing to fear.I used to be a dreadful coward at the dentists but I find that nowadays dental treatment is virtually painless.Good luck, I’m sure you’ll be fine.

Something to bear in mind...you are sitting with your head back, at least i was, and i found it hard on my neck. I took my travel cushion neck support and this made it much more comfortable.

Also, regarding cost.... On NHS there is an upper limit on how much you can be charged. It Can be found by Googling it. My very intense course of treatment .... Many root canals, one extraction, a new false Tooth on my denture (and maybe more). cost less than £400.

I've just googled NHS dental costs and it looks like a root canal in England costs £56. This also includes any other minor work...I think.

£56 not bad then! And would you believe DH came home from his art club last night having had a (large) filling drop out! He is still with our former private dentist. For some reason known only to himself, instead of waiting to ring his dentist at 9am when it opens, he rang 111-as advised on message left on private dentist's phone. They are going to ring him back with emergency dentist number! As we're going to help DD2 on Monday for a week with new born and 4 year old, 3 hours drive away from home, he will at least need a temporary filling.
Anyway thank you all for your encouragement re root canal.

Really hope all goes well for both of you.

Please update after treatment.

I have never has one of these fillings as yet but am terrified of loosing anymore teeth so in the future who knows i may have to.

Well, have asked around and folks have had satisfactory treatment at NHS dentist and nurse there just phoned and talked me through procedure so am booked in for next Tuesday afternoon-gulp! Am not going to tell DD2 unless she specifically asks as she wants me to go to private dentist (well she would, more money than sense sometimes!). Thanks for all your reassurance. I was daft enough to look on Google so now know all the things that can go wrong!

I have a friend who goes to a private dentist.......she gets to sit in a nicer chair in a nicer waiting room.

I look forward to hearing from you next Tuesday, after your appointment.

I recall my FIL being "treated in a private hospital. When I said to MIL about matching curtains and bed linen along with en suite she said "look at the dust under the bed"! And when he became even more ill he had to be transferred to the local infirmary!

Well, had root canal done this afty. The experience itself was absolutely fine. I decided to go with the NHS dentist. He said it is little more than a filling. He said (afterwards) his root canal fillings are 80-90% successful. Gulp! I asked what would happen if it failed and he said it would have to be extracted☹️
So I don't see him again for six months. Thank you all for your kindness and support-much appreciated.

Sometimes there are extra little roots that can't be seen clearly on an xray. If one of these are missed during root canal work it can cause later inflammation. It happened to me.

I had two extractions after nearly six months of checks fillings and antibiotics by the bucket load one extraction was really complex as my tooth had a ball shaped root so he had to chip a piece of bone away it took nearly an hour to get it out he had to go very slowly and carefully to avoid nerves and was very very mindful of this hugely nervous person it all cleared up well and I was amazed that it only cost me £56 I thought it was going to be in the hundreds Thanks to a very kind Greek NHS dentist