In my life and career I have faced more than my share of extreme fear inducing moments but this morning I have been given the one thing that probably causes me more fear than any. I went to new dentist up here and heard the two words I fear the most. "Root canal". A bad experience as a youngster, and I can't even remember the particulars, has left me with an overwhelming fear of the drill. He said he can offer me sedation if I like but I decided to face it up on straight Novocain. He assured me he will fill my face so full I won't feel a thing for a long time. Now I just have to decide on a day.

This post is only exaggerating a little. Honestly, this is one of my biggest fears in life.

Get plenty of drugs, Dentist's used to give you good pain killers but they got scared with the pill epidemic and backed off. Now most just send you home in pain. I would have this conversation with the dentist. Don't send me home with Motrin.

Get it done by an Endodontist, they specialize in root canals and will be faster and better than a General dentist.

I had never had 1 and at around age 75 or so, I was told I needed 1. Heard horror stories all my life. Wasn't nothing to it, maybe I just got lucky

It ain’t that bad. Get the laughing gas if you’re nervous.

I had one done last year and I have a major major fear of the dentist. It truly was less painful than a cavity filling for me. He numbed me up very well, but the numbing shot did hit a nerve and for a split second it felt like a needle was in my tongue. It did not necessarily hurt, but it scared me for a split second. He told me that happens from time to time. Overall it was a painless procedure. The worst part was all the appointments as far as a temporary crown and then a permanent crown. Ever since I had that done, my fear of the dentist has gone down a ton.

Also, 100% on the gas. I was happy to pay the extra $80 or whatever it was.

I also was referred to an endodontist by my dentist. Dr. Ronald Dichiara performed mine. It is a different kind of numb from a filling, I know that much.

100%. I had a guy in Trussville do my last one. Dr. Looney did it and it was a piece of cake.

I've had 3. They are no big deal,

They put you out. You won't feel or know a thing.

I have a couple and I need another one. They're not that bad... But they're not that good either.

There aint nothing to it. You might be a little sore afterwards but I'm sure you have had worse pain.

Good advice. I too had one done by a general dentist when I was in my 20s. It was awful. When he hit the nerve I jumped out of the chair, sending tools flying and scaring the hygienist to death. He asked "you felt that?" (DUH) and then pumped novacaine profusely down into the hole until the pain went away. Finished with no issue after that. Fast forward into my forties and I had to have another one. I was terrified but knew I had to do it. Endodontist did it and it was less painful than a cleaning. I could not believe how pleasant it was and how different from the first one.

Yes. My dad built a VERY nice house about 30 years ago for an Endodontist who specialized in fixing bad root canals done by dentists.

I will add that painful root canals or extractions are usually related to an acutely abscessed tooth and can be quite difficult to achieve total numbness due to an acid/base reaction between the abscess and the local anesthetic which results in failure of the local anesthetic to anesthetize the nerve adequately.

Couple of years ago I had to get two molars capped. I got novocaine on the first one when the dentist needed to remove the glue holding the "just for a couple of weeks" cap to put on the permanent.

Second one, I opted to not get novocaine to remove the glue from the bit of tooth. Foolish mistake.

NEVER TURN DOWN THE DRUGS.

Good luck with the procedure, Jawbone. You'll be fine.

That could have been the case with my first one. I was already in great pain and it was an emergency root canal. This last one was completely different in every way, including my condition before getting it.

Most root canals cause no real problems other than soreness for a few days. The ones that are bad can be VERY bad.

Opioid addiction is a hot topic right now. Studies show that ibuprofen alternated with Tylenol is more effective than narcotics. Add that to the required continuing education on opioid abuse and there are fewer narcotics written.

I hate them too. Go to an oral surgeon and get the twilight meds, you’ll never even know what happened.

Oral surgeon can definitely sedate you but they don't do root canals!