h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The jag in the gum works just as well and doesn't stay in the body as long as a general one

A general for dental treatment is very rare (in the UK) now since the requirements and qualifications for a dental anaesthetist are extremely high. Hence they cost a bomb. It may even have moved on from there as my dentist was mentioning that all such doings now happen at the hospital with a hospital anaesthetist.

Oh, and be glad it is just those options. There is a third, can't remember the name, where they bung you in hospital and do an operation. The operation is to lift a flap of the gum (ie cut it so it can be folded back) then they drill/cut through the jawbone to release the tooth from the side, thereby extracting it. This is done when a normal extraction would lead to infection/blood poisoning.

I have no idea what it is like and, with any luck, never will!

posted too soon.

Meant to add that a root canal is not guarunteed to work. For example, my tooth had 2 root canals in it, joining about half way up. And the root itself was bent. This meant that a) it took them several goes to get round the bend in the tooth and b) that it isn;t roperly sorted since they couldn;t drill the second root canal at the base. Just hope that it had worked.
This is apparently not uncommon, and the x-rays didn;t show up the full extent of the complications.

I've had all three roots done in one tooth. As others have said, a couple of long sessions in the chair, but with a local anaesthetic, no pain. Paracetamol takes care of the after effects. I'd certainly have that again rather than lose a tooth.

An extraction will leave a gap & unless this is filled somehow, the other teeth can then become misaligned.

I've had several root canals and one extraction. All because of root infections.

The first thing I advise is get it done now before the infection gets worse - at that point it don't matter how painful the solution the infection itself is worse.

The root canals didn't really hurt. For me all the root canals were about half an hour for the first session - drilling, clearing out and packing with antibiotic paste. The second session - clearing out of the packing and filling with proper filler - took about 15 minutes. The only horror story for those was that the first one was done by a student who didn't clear out the nerve properly - my own dentist then decided I didn't need a local for the second stage

After each stage there is the usual getting over the local by no real pain or discomfort.

The reason I got the last infected tooth extracted was because it was an upper molar, it had straight roots and so extraction would be very easy. And I had to be at a meeting in an hours time. It didn't really hurt at the time, but was very tender and distracting for about a week afterwards.

Eating was not fun for those days - and I still spend and inordinate amount of time poking the resulting hole with my tounge. However the other teeth are slowly moving to fill the hole. I also felt physically worse after the extraction than I did after any of the canals.


Next time it happens I'm getting hte root canal. I at least still have those teeth (all my front ones - one of the dentists asked me if I'd ever been punched in the mouth as so many of them have been effected)

It's different for everyone, but I too suggest the short-term pain for long-term gain. But whatever you do, do it soon before the infection gets unbearable.

Zantic (toothless )

i had my bottom wisdom teeth out by the cut a flap n chip the bone out method with just the usual gum jabs n light sedation..doesnt hurt just makes your face swell up for a while after..

I'd opt for root treatment over extraction almost every time. If the root treatment fails you can have an apicectomy and if that fails you are still left with the option of extraction.

Having a tooth extracted is final. And, as other posters have mentioned, it isn't only that tooth which is infected; six teeth are affected - the extracted one + the two on either side + the three opposing teeth on the opposite arch.

Root canal work every time my dentist lets me take my music in with me and when I had root work done on a front tooth it took just over the first 8 tracks of Led Zep II for the first visit and just under 6 tracks of Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap for the second.

Extractions are quicker, but much more painful afterwards and as one who doesn't stop bleeding for quite some time after (my record is 36 hrs)...

I can stand both of these, but fillings

Thank you everyone.

I'm being swayed now & might go for the root canal.
The dentist only said there was a bit of infection. My appointment is next monday for the decision. So i'll keep you all posted.

The really bit about the root canal work is the big illuminated microscope type thingy they use to look at the tooth canal in detail through (or did with me anyway. Also had a dig. camera attached to it). This has a big lense at the bottom of it which is in just the right place so that you can see a reflection of the tooth in it and you can watch what the dentist is up to and see him drilling and filing the the tooth!

Not sure i want to see all the crap they drill out. I'll be sure to close my eyes if i give the root canal the thumbs up.

Had several due to dying nerves in my jaw.They don't hurt at all and the small amount of time it takes to do is a great investment for future eating.Having a tooth out causes bruising that is extreamly uncoufurtable for a couple of days.

But if you don't like the noise, take your personal CD player or whatever. They do help a lot!

Zantic

I had a root canal done when I was about 5... yes, five years old. I don't remember it at all, so it couldn't have been too traumatic.

Also had my wisdom teeth extracted when I was 18 (pretty standard procedure here in the US if they don't quite fit or are impacted, which both of mine were). Wasn't so bad - went under general anaesthesia for it, and it actually didn't hurt too bad. After a week, I couldn't tell that anything had been done to me at all.

I haven't read all the posts here but this is my answer to the original question...

I have had a root canal it is was not at all painful. I have a good dentist so it's no big deal. It never hurt after either.

I have only had wisdom teeth removed and it was the most painful ordeal ever! Of course that is very diffrent that just pulling one tooth...

That's my contribution... Let us know what you decide and how it turns out...

having a tooth extracted increases the risk of decay in the tooth that used to bite against it...apparently....

I had a root canal done, and it wasn't so bad. I think the long drive to the dentist was worse.

My dentist recommends trying to save a tooth when you can, since you never know if you'll need it for an anchor for a plate or bridge in the future. That's why he surprisingly did the root canal in a wisdom tooth.

See?! You can't even tell!!!

Yep i had the tooth removed! Was quite traumatic. All that wiggling & pressure but not painful. Turns out that the infection was very bad & the decay was n't much better & the dentist said that the root canal probably wouldn't have worked & I probably would have lost the tooth anyway!! So thank you all for your comments. I now know that in the future if i need a small root canal (which this would not have been) I'll opt for that, as I was quite traumatized afterwards. My fella said i'd never been so quiet all day!!!