Ask the F-List: Root Canal
So, today's dentist visit was theoretically for yet another bite adjustment, on the theory that things not meeting up right is why my teeth keep hurting and my jaw aches.
After some poking, prodding, a tap test with what is essentially a teeny tiny hammer, and an X-ray, the dentist is pretty well convinced I need a root canal. Maybe two. Maybe a root canal and an extraction. But almost certainly, at least one root canal.
I am far more wigged out by this than the situation calls for. I mean, lots of people get root canals, right? It's unpleasant, but on the grand scale of things that can happen to a body, it's not a big deal. Then again, lots of people get fillings, and don't end up in pain for months from it. My "don't do it!" instincts are going off full-force, convinced that the root canal will only cause a worse problem (as the filling did), and there'll be more pain, and more endless rounds of dental visits, and they'll have taken out something they can't put back. I do not want to do this.
On the other hand, the status quo pretty much sucks. The dentist wants me to attempt to drug my mouth into submission over the weekend, but if that doesn't sort it out, a root canal is the least-invasive next step he has to offer.
So, those of you who've had root canals, can you tell me:
- How much pain were you in before the root canal?
- How would you rate your teeth in general? Better than hardened duralinium, decent enough as teeth go, obviously evolved from an oatmeal-dependent culture?
- How did the root canal work out for you? How long did it take afterward for things to get back to normal? Did the pain go away completely? Any lingering effects or follow-up issues?