It was the the #30 tooth (1st molar) on my right side. Part of it had
already chipped off and it was hurting. Real sensitive to hot and cold,
and also gave me sharp pain when I used mouthwash. Anyway they first
get the area numb with local anesthesia. It felt very numb when they
started drilling. But within a minute it started hurting real bad, they
had to give a 2nd injection. I couldn't exactly tell what they were
doing with the rubber dam and all, looks like they squirted some
anesthetic around the tooth. Helped for a little bit before it hurt bad
again. Sharp pain. This time they injected it right into the tooth.
Real sharp pain for one second then finally the pain was gone. They
were able to drill out and clean 3 canals. They use a slow speed drill
when they were drilling into the canals and cleaning them out with a
dental file. Still occasionally had a little pain when they drilled in,
but nothing like before. Then they used this devise with a screen and
was called a Root X. I think it was an apex locator. That seemed to
hurt slightly, I guess because it sends out electrical impulses. The
dentist had some trouble getting at the canals because I had a "pulp
stone". He said it was pretty big too. After about an hour they put a
temporary filling in that looks pink. The hardest part was keeping my
mouth open for the time. I just hope the worst of the pain is over. The
dentist says there may be one more canal left in the tooth. But the
nerve is out, so I shouldn't feel anymore pain, right?
All I know is the tooth feels much better now. There is no pain at all
like before, and hot or cold drinks don't cause anymore pain. So is the
worst over? Painwise?
I have read that most root canals are "painless". Well it was abit
painful for me. Probably because the tooth's nerve was already swollen
and in pain before.