Hi Sadie, Dentists, and specialists for the most part, do NOT tell people the truth about the RC. It is a high end money making adventure for them.
The tiny canals inside the teeth, cannot be reached by any method they use. There is always some infection remaining in the tooth. Dentists may disagree with this, saying their tools and potions get rid of all the infection. They can't as the canals are too tiny. Then you wind up with a "dead" tooth, not getting any nourishment, with an infection deep inside. These RC teeth act up eventually, then you get an expensive re-do. It is a temporary fix to a problem that continues. It is to "retain" the tooth for an indefinite amount of time, that's it.

I have one remaining RC tooth in my mouth. No it doesn't hurt, and has never acted up. However as soon as I get the $ together, I will have it removed.

I have auto immune problems already, and I don't want an infected tooth to put a strain on my immune system.

I am not even sure my own doctor as good as she is, would agree with this. However, just reading the number of posts there are about this, many people have RC's teeth that act up. I had three removed last year. I have a nesbit, which works very well. Implants are out of my price range.

These specialists, that do nothing but RC's ,make a huge profit for a small amount of their time to do this procedure.
I wish you all the best Sadie. ginnie

I had root canal treatment for the first time on Monday. As I was leaving the surgery I was given an explanatory leaflet which stated ‘you may experience slight discomfort for a few days’.

Yeah right! If you wanna see a grown man cry, come round to my place. I am in agony.

I experienced no pain after the procedure on Monday, nor the next day. By halfway through Wednesday I was in agony. I guess the local anaesthetic had worn off by then.

I started taking paracetamol, but it didn’t help a lot. I only got one or two hours sleep that night. I couldn’t do a lot on Thursday except sit there in pain. In the evening I got my wife to drive me to a pharmacy and bought some Paramol, which is a combination of Paracetamol and Codeine. I’d already had my quota of Paracetamol for the day, so I shouldn’t have taken any, but I was desperate so I took a couple. Thankfully they worked, and I fell asleep straight away. After an hour or two I awoke in agony. The pain had radiated to my ear and the side of my head. I massaged gently in front of my ear and the pain subsided. I have no idea why. The pain was now bearable, but not absent. I sat up all night watching TV, without really taking it in because of the distraction of the pain.

At 6.30 in the morning I took another couple of Paramol and fell asleep for an hour or so. The problem is, you’re only supposed to take them every four hours, but the painkilling effect only lasts for a couple of hours at most, so I am in pain for at least 50% of the time.

I phoned the dental surgery when they opened and they said they’d give me a week’s supply of penicillin. I’ve started taking those now. They also said ‘continue taking the painkillers’. As if I could survive without them!

I am well placed to assess the difference between extraction and RCT because my wife had an extraction a couple of years ago. She had been in agony with one of her teeth. The dentist had offered her a choice of RCT or extraction, and she chose extraction. She said as soon as the tooth was out the pain was gone. She now has a gap in one row of lower molars, but she says it doesn’t cause her any problems.

I was offered the same choice. Now I feel like a mug for choosing RCT, especially when extraction would have been a much cheaper option.

Is RCT a scam? Depends on your point of view. Some patients die after heart surgery, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that heart surgery is a scam. Leaving aside the Mercola vs Dental Establishment debate, I find it a little unsettling that professionals can find it within their conscience to conduct a procedure that leaves patients in such excruciating pain.

At the very least I think the professional body for orthodontists should conduct a survey, by getting their members to give patients a questionnaire to be completed say six months after the RCT. The questions should be designed to provide the following data: what percentage of patients experience severe pain after RCT, how long does the severe pain last (minimum, maximum, average). Anyone still experiencing severe pain after six months should be sent a follow-up questionnaire.

It would also be good if RCT patients could be followed up to produce data showing how long before the tooth has to be extracted anyway, shown in groups e.g. less than five years after RCT, five to ten years, over ten years.

Prospective patients could then be given a leaflet with this info to help them decide whether to risk having RCT.

Correction - I meant endodontist not orthodontist

Sorry I meant 'endodontists'.

Hi m0ssman,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here. I will re post some of your thread and answer in bold type to make it easier to follow.

<<I experienced no pain after the procedure on Monday, nor the next day. By halfway through Wednesday I was in agony. I guess the local anaesthetic had worn off by then.>>

THE LOCAL ANESTHETIC HAD WORN OFF A FEW HOURS AFTER IT WAS INITIALLY GIVEN TO YOU. THE PAIN THAT YOU EXPERIENCED ON THE THIRD DAY IS NOT UNUSUAL BECAUSE THE TRAUMA AND INFLAMMATION FROM THE PROCEDURE HAD TAKEN HOLD OF THE TOOTH AND THE BACTERIA THAT REMAINS IN THE TOOTH WAS BUILDING UP WITH INTENSITY.

<<I started taking paracetamol, but it didn’t help a lot. I only got one or two hours sleep that night. I couldn’t do a lot on Thursday except sit there in pain. In the evening I got my wife to drive me to a pharmacy and bought some Paramol, which is a combination of Paracetamol and Codeine. I’d already had my quota of Paracetamol for the day, so I shouldn’t have taken any, but I was desperate so I took a couple.>>

THIS IS UNFORTUNATELY WHAT OFTEN OCCURS AFTER A ROOT CANAL PROCEDURE. THE AMOUNT OF PAIN KILLERS USED TO DULL THE PAIN CAN BE TOXIC IF NOT LETHAL.

<<Thankfully they worked, and I fell asleep straight away. After an hour or two I awoke in agony. The pain had radiated to my ear and the side of my head.>>

AGAIN COMMON BECAUSE THE INFLAMMATION IS BUILDING UP AS THE REMNANTS OF NERVE TISSUE STILL RESIDING INSIDE OF THE TOOTH ARE ON FIRE.

<< I massaged gently in front of my ear and the pain subsided. I have no idea why. The pain was now bearable, but not absent. I sat up all night watching TV, without really taking it in because of the distraction of the pain.>>

THE MASSAGE SIMPLY MOVED THE INFLAMMATION AROUND TO OTHER AREAS. BUT AS YOU SAID, IT DID NOT GET RID OF THE PAIN. SO THE INFLAMMATION IS STILL PRESENT.

<< I phoned the dental surgery when they opened and they said they’d give me a week’s supply of penicillin. I’ve started taking those now. They also said ‘continue taking the painkillers’. As if I could survive without them!>>

THE ANTIBIOTIC MAY TEMPORARILY SUBSIDE YOUR SYMPTOMS AS IT ACTS TO REDUCE SOME OF THE INFLAMMATION. HOWEVER THAT WILL BE SHORT LIVED AS THE ANTIBIOTIC CANNOT NOT KILL THE INFECTION THAT IS BREWING INSIDE OF THE TINY CANALS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HARBOR NECROTIC NERVE TISSUE. THERE IS NO ACCESS TO THESE TINY CANALS SO THE NERVE CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THEM IRRELEVANT OF HOW MANY TIMES OR WHO PERFORMS THE ROOT CANAL.

<<I am well placed to assess the difference between extraction and RCT because my wife had an extraction a couple of years ago. She had been in agony with one of her teeth. The dentist had offered her a choice of RCT or extraction, and she chose extraction. She said as soon as the tooth was out the pain was gone. She now has a gap in one row of lower molars, but she says it doesn’t cause her any problems.>>

GLAD TO HEAR THAT YOUR WIFE HAD A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE WITH HER EXTRACTION. THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THE ONLY WAY TO ATTEMPT TO CURE THE INFECTION IS TO REMOVE THE SOURCE OF THE INFECTION WHICH IS THE TOOTH. ANY OTHER DENTAL PROCEDURE IS ONLY A TEMPORARY MEASURE TO "RETAIN" AN UNHEALTHY TOOTH.

<<I was offered the same choice. Now I feel like a mug for choosing RCT, especially when extraction would have been a much cheaper option.>>

WELL PRICE SOMETIMES DRIVES PEOPLE TO CHOOSE ONE TREATMENT OVER THE OTHER. IN YOUR CASE YOU WERE PROBABLY TOLD THAT THE RCT WOULD CURE YOUR PROBLEM AND THAT IS WHAT YOU OPTED TO DO. IF YOU CHOOSE TO REMOVE THIS TOOTH WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO, YOUR DENTIST WOULD MOST LIKELY REIMBURSE YOU THE MONEY THAT YOU PAID FOR THE ROOT CANAL TREATMENT. IF YOU WAIT LONGER THAN THAT, HE WILL NOT FEEL OBLIGATED.

<<Is RCT a scam? Depends on your point of view.>>

RCT IS A SCAM IN THE SENSE THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT OFTEN INFORMED OF THE RISKS OF THE PROCEDURE OR HOW THE PROCEDURE DOES NOT CURE THE INFECTION PRIOR TO HAVING IT DONE. RCT IS A DENTAL PROCEDURE THAT SHOULD BE OFFERED TO PATIENTS BUT NOT WITHOUT THE FULL DISCLOSURE OF WHAT IT IS, HOW IT'S FLAWED AND WHAT THE SYSTEMIC HEALTH RISKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH KEEPING AN UNHEALTHY TOOTH. EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO BE PROPERLY INFORMED AND ONLY THEN CAN THEY MAKE A DECISION AS TO WHAT THEY FEEL IS IN THEIR BEST INTEREST.

<< Some patients die after heart surgery, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that heart surgery is a scam.>>

WELL.... HEART SURGERY IS ACTUALLY IN A SIMILAR CATEGORY AS RCT IN THAT PATIENTS SHOULD BE INFORMED OF THE FLAWS AND RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROCEDURE. THEY SHOULD ALSO BE GIVEN INFORMATION ON OTHER TREATMENT/DIET/LIFESTYLE OPTIONS BEFORE CONSENTING TO THAT SURGERY.

<<Leaving aside the Mercola vs Dental Establishment debate, I find it a little unsettling that professionals can find it within their conscience to conduct a procedure that leaves patients in such excruciating pain.>>

IT'S BEST TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND SEEK INFORMATION FROM REPUTABLE, WELL ESTABLISHED PRACTITIONERS/EXPERTS WHO ARE WILLING TO TALK ABOUT THOSE TOPICS OF DENTISTRY THAT ARE OFTEN NEGLECTED TO BE MENTIONED BY MANY IN THE DENTAL PROFESSION.

EVERY PROFESSION, HEALTHCARE AND OTHER, HAVE SITUATIONS THAT LEAVE PEOPLE THINKING.......HOW CAN SOMEONE DO THAT TO ANOTHER PERSON? DENTISTRY IS NO DIFFERENT.

<<At the very least I think the professional body for orthodontists should conduct a survey, by getting their members to give patients a questionnaire to be completed say six months after the RCT. The questions should be designed to provide the following data: what percentage of patients experience severe pain after RCT, how long does the severe pain last (minimum, maximum, average). Anyone still experiencing severe pain after six months should be sent a follow-up questionnaire. >>

THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AND FOR ONE REASON. THE ANSWERS TO THOSE QUESTIONS ARE IRRELEVANT AS EVERY ENDODONTIST ALREADY KNOWS THE RCT PROCEDURE IS FLAWED SIMPLY DUE TO THE ANATOMY OF THE TOOTH NOT ALLOWING ACCESS TO THE HUNDREDS+++ OF TINY CANALS AND THE FACT THAT AN INFECTED TOOTH CANNOT BE MADE HEALTHY AGAIN. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE PATIENT WILL HAVE PAIN EITHER WITHIN A FEW DAYS OR SOME TIME DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS EXPECTED THAT THE TOOTH WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO BE EXTRACTED. SOME ENDODONTISTS RECOMMEND RE ROOT CANALING TEETH EVERY FEW YEARS UNTIL EITHER THE PATIENT SAYS NO MORE OR THE TOOTH IS SO DECREPIT THAT IT CRUMBLES.

<<It would also be good if RCT patients could be followed up to produce data showing how long before the tooth has to be extracted anyway, shown in groups e.g. less than five years after RCT, five to ten years, over ten years.>>

THIS FOLLOW UP WOULD BE USELESS AS THERE ARE TOO MANY BIOLOGICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL VARIABLES THAT THE PATIENT IS UNAWARE OF WHICH WOULD RENDER THE COLLECTED DATA INSIGNIFICANT.

<<Prospective patients could then be given a leaflet with this info to help them decide whether to risk having RCT.>>

DENTAL PATIENTS SHOULD BE INFORMED BY THEIR DENTISTS OF THE ORAL AND SYSTEMIC CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH RETAINING AN INFECTED TOOTH SO THEY CAN MAKE A PERSONAL DECISION AS TO WHETHER THEY ARE WILLING TO RISK THEIR HEALTH FOR THEIR TOOTH.

I hope this information answers your questions.

Thanks Bryanna, the info you provided is very useful.

Update
Friday night I took some Ibuprofen. Slept quite well. Saturday I didn't need any painkillers until mid afternoon. I am no longer in agony - just discomfort / mild pain. I don't know if I'm out of the woods yet or if there will be a flare-up. I'll post updates from time to time.

It's now a week since I had the RCT. Yesterday (Sunday) was my first day without any painkillers. No pain, just some discomfort in the jaw. I'm still taking the penicillin.

I'll post updates from time to time in case it helps anyone else who is going through the same experience.

Hi, I just have done Root canal #14 by a DMD this was Saturday and today my upper cheek is swollen, Dr said my molar has 3 roots but during procedure he found a 4th one and all of them were calcified, so took a long time for him to finished, I couldn't sleep last night because of swollen feels hot and it was pulsating is this natural or anything is wrong. I also feel a bump on top my gum.
I will appreciate an answer please. Thank you.

Hi tricia,

I am in the dental field and can offer you some information here.

It is typical to have some swelling and pain after a root canal procedure. However, this does not mean that the tooth is okay. A root canal does not make the tooth healthy again. It is a procedure that is done in an attempt to "retain" an unhealthy tooth. This is not my opinion this is a biological fact and every dentist is fully aware of it. When someone wants to "keep" their tooth that is when a root canal is done. Unfortunately many dentists do not inform the patient that the procedure will not make the tooth healthy again as I have stated above.

In your case you have two additional issues going on.

#1 When the large canals inside of the roots are calcified that means that there is limited to no opening into the canals making the typical root canal procedure impossible. Dentists will often create openings using their rotary instruments inside of the roots but all that does is cause further trauma, bacteria and infection to occur. What commonly happens is the instruments end up perforating a side wall of the tooth causing the tooth to fracture or become decayed at that perforation. Even if you wanted to "keep" this tooth after being informed that it will never be healthy.... a root canal procedure is not advisable due to the calcification of the canals.

#2 The swelling that you have is due to the build up of toxins now living inside of your tooth. The bump forming on the top of your gum is called a fistula. This indicates that the toxins are trying to find a path to release the pressure and they've made their way through the bone and to the gum area. This fistula can become quite large and painful. It may ooze pus. This is "commonly" seen in cases like yours because the tooth is very unhealthy. However, do not mistake these symptoms as "normal" as this tooth is not healthy, the bone is breaking down around the tooth and it is not going to go away as long as the tooth is present. The only way to attempt to "cure" this infection is to remove the source of the infection which is the tooth.

Please think twice before letting any dentist talk you into more procedures on this tooth. There is no procedure or medicine that can make this tooth well again. Even if your symptoms were to temporarily subside from taking antibiotics .... the infection will still be brewing and the tooth will be unwell.

I'm sorry to give you this unfortunate news but I do hope this information was helpful to you.