Root canal or extraction?

I have actually had a root canal earlier this year. My dentist told me never to dr google as that only gives bad stories. I did opt to NOT have the clamp and rubber sheet though, my dentist is amazing and great with mental health and everything! 

Disclaimer: not giving medical advice just sharing my experience 

My first appointment I had all the roots removed but did have an infection and pain afterwards but all I had to do was take anti biotics and alternate between ibuprofen and paracetamol every four hours. My appointment took about half an hour. 

Second appointment I managed to get two of the roots filled but had no pain afterwards. Was there for an hour. 

Third and final appointment had the final root filled and the permanent filling in. I did have to keep my mouth open for longer periods though so my jaw was quite sore but recovered in a few hours if that. Again an hour long appointment.

Do be careful when eating again as now the tooth is weaker it’s more easy to break, so the dentist will probably advise a crown. I’m trying (and failing) to convince my parents to pay for a private white crown as I haven’t got the money but tbh the tooth is at the back so the silver crown shouldn’t be that noticeable anyway and can always save up for the white one! 

My dentist was brilliant and accepted that I didn’t want the clamp, I tried that but I was chocking and worried of throwing up so he took out and I didn’t have to have that or the rubber sheet. Dentist are very skilled in this sort of thing. I was also given numbing cream for the jabs, though it helped when I had a nice nurse to hold my hand when having them. Bear in mind I am on UC so I did get this free on nhs so I don’t know what the costs will be if you go private.

Ironically to help me cope I watch the Kirby RBAY episode “a dental dilemma!” A fantastic episode in my opinion, very funny and relatable and I actually tried not to laugh when the dentist was putting the drill in my mouth as I kept thinking of Dr Yabui and his drill like floating towards the screen with the music in the background 

I have actually had a root canal earlier this year. My dentist told me never to dr google as that only gives bad stories. I did opt to NOT have the clamp and rubber sheet though, my dentist is amazing and great with mental health and everything! 

Disclaimer: not giving medical advice just sharing my experience 

My first appointment I had all the roots removed but did have an infection and pain afterwards but all I had to do was take anti biotics and alternate between ibuprofen and paracetamol every four hours. My appointment took about half an hour. 

Second appointment I managed to get two of the roots filled but had no pain afterwards. Was there for an hour. 

Third and final appointment had the final root filled and the permanent filling in. I did have to keep my mouth open for longer periods though so my jaw was quite sore but recovered in a few hours if that. Again an hour long appointment.

Do be careful when eating again as now the tooth is weaker it’s more easy to break, so the dentist will probably advise a crown. I’m trying (and failing) to convince my parents to pay for a private white crown as I haven’t got the money but tbh the tooth is at the back so the silver crown shouldn’t be that noticeable anyway and can always save up for the white one! 

My dentist was brilliant and accepted that I didn’t want the clamp, I tried that but I was chocking and worried of throwing up so he took out and I didn’t have to have that or the rubber sheet. Dentist are very skilled in this sort of thing. I was also given numbing cream for the jabs, though it helped when I had a nice nurse to hold my hand when having them. Bear in mind I am on UC so I did get this free on nhs so I don’t know what the costs will be if you go private.

Ironically to help me cope I watch the Kirby RBAY episode “a dental dilemma!” A fantastic episode in my opinion, very funny and relatable and I actually tried not to laugh when the dentist was putting the drill in my mouth as I kept thinking of Dr Yabui and his drill like floating towards the screen with the music in the background 

Hi Elfilis - this is fantastically helpful and detailed - thank you so much! I had no idea that it was such an involved process - it’s been very enlightening to read these replies. Can I ask : what is ‘the clamp and the rubber sheet’?!  I’m glad that your dentist sounds so good and is so understanding- that can make a huge difference can’t it? Also I didn’t even realise that it involved multiple visits - that’s so helpful to know. Or that the tooth is weaker afterwards. My dentist did say I’d need a crown fitted about 8 months later - and as I can’t find an nhs dentist I’m sure that all in all it will cost a fortune. I’ve never heard of ‘Kirby RBAY’ - I might search that out! Anything that can make you feel like laughing when you’re in the dentists chair must be pretty amazing! When I go to the dentist I always try to think of something else - some nice or calming - but I can’t never manage it - all I can think about is what they’re doing and how much I want it to stop. I think the length of the treatment time is really putting me off the root canal. Every minute feels like 20 minutes (or more) to me when I’m having dental work done. Thank you so much for sharing your experience on here - I massively appreciate it. People on here are so incredibly helpful and it helps so much to come on here and get such friendly and helpful replies - it’s really comforting to feel such support from people who really understand what it’s like to go to the dentist (and do other challenging things) as an autistic person. Thanks so much :)