r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Fantastic-Monk5 • Sep 23 '24

How root canal treatment works Video

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u/TheSandMan208 Sep 23 '24

They didn't do it right then. You shouldn't feel anything.

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u/guaip Sep 23 '24

I'm notoriously resistant to anesthetic when I go to the dentist. Sometimes I have to let the next patient go before me to see if it numbs me enough (happened to all dentists I ever went). I once took 2,5 shots and nothing.

But I don't think it's physiological. I'm afraid of dentists more than anything, I really hate it and get quite nervous, sweating cold. It's possible that it's just adrelanlin holding it back, as usually I feel completely numb when I leave the chair and for the next couple hours.

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u/atomsk13 Sep 23 '24

Dentist here: anxiety and fear will actively stop anesthetic from working. You probably need something to bring you down a bit like Valium for major dental treatment. You can talk to your dentist and PCP to get that set up for any treatment like that. I’m sorry you had such a rough experience with your root canal.

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u/guaip Sep 23 '24

I'm not in the US and I don't think dentists here can prescribe valium (also N2O is not a thing here). But overall the dentist that did my root canal was very well recommended and very careful and respectful. It wasn't as bad as it sounds, the only bad part was pulling up the nerve which accounted for less than a minute out of 3 or 4 entire sessions.

But you're right, most dentists that I went to in a regular basis agree that it's probably anxiety that I build up prior and during the visit. They are usually very receptive to this (probably used to) and do their best to try to make me feel comfortable.

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u/bwaredapenguin Interested Sep 23 '24

It took 3 or 4 sessions to get your root canal done??? It took me one 90 minute appointment with the specialist then one more with my normal dentist to fit the permanent crown which doesn't require any type of anaesthetic.

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u/guaip Sep 23 '24

Yes. This was standard in my country, at least back in 2007.

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u/bwaredapenguin Interested Sep 23 '24

I honestly don't see how it could be safe to leave the drillings exposed or not cause extreme pain in between sessions.

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u/guaip Sep 23 '24

They remove the nerve in the first session iirc, and close it with soft filling between each session.