Root Canal Angst!! Any Help?

Relax as best you can. Of course they will let you take in your iPod. Just be calm and let them do their job. They will freeze you up, so let them know if you feel anything. Undoubtedly you will feel nothing at all. In fact I have many many patients fall asleep through root canal therapy. Expect next to no pain, but expect to have your mouth open for an extended period of time.

By the way 90% of upper first molars have 4 or more canals.

I used to be extremely scared of the dentist. So bad that I hadn't gone to a dentist in nine years, and I couldn't even speak about going to the dentist, let alone hear anyone talk about one! I literally had mini panic attacks! (Bit stupid I know, but all the same).

I recently had two root canals, and three extractions due to dental abscesses, and now- safe to say, I'm totally cured of my fear of dentists, mainly due to one glorious thing.

Nitrous Oxide.

Happy Gas!

All dentists have happy gas, but you will have to ask for it.

It's a relaxant. It doesn't send you to sleep, but a few deep breaths of the stuff, and you'll be as calm as anything!

I honestly didn't believe it could work, the nose piece going over my whole nose was a little daunting, and the site of the needles and lidocaine jar next to the dentists chair, had me wanting to run, but they told me to take a few good deep breaths of the stuff, and bingo! I was happily sitting there, didn't really even notice the needles going in (I had to have 7 injections of local, because I had massive swelling due to an abscess, and the lidocaine wasn't going through- they ended up having to inject it into the central nerve, where the wall of your mouth (back of your throat, meets the tongue and gums).

After that, I didn't really notice any of the procedures, infact they took off the nose piece- and I thought that was all you get, and I asked when they were going to put it back on, and actually finish the procedure, and they told me it had been over for at least five minutes!

It's great stuff.

Remember, NITROUS OXIDE!!!

It's your friend!

the procedure isn't that bad. you might feel a slight poke a couple times from the small files they use, but they will let you know ahead of time. the real pain can happen days later, especially if they do not remove all of the nerves from your tooth. pay close attention to what they tell you about abnormal pain and signs of infection afterwards.

You will be alright just calm down i have had one before and i though that it was just going to be the worst ever but it was alright so you will be ok.~Good Luck~

Really, not to worry, listen to your music, and zone.....the anesthetic is the only pinch you will feel and after that, nothing....