2 Massive cavities, and I'm kinda scared

[pinta77]

I've been avoiding the dentist for about 5+ years, but I just recently went when a wisdom tooth broke in half, and I simply didn't wanna chance it. I got the tooth pulled, but they had a laundry list of other problems going on in my mouth. All and all, it's not too bad, but it can't be ignored.

I was terrified of getting the tooth pulled. But I got through it and of course, it wasn't as bad as I thought.

But that was an extraction, now I need to take care of 2 massive cavities I have on each of my top back teeth. (the ones right before the wisdom teeth) I've never even gotten a filling, and now I need 2 root canals, and I'm kinda really nervous.

They wanted to fix it shortly after I got the last tooth pulled, but I've procrastinated another month because I'm scared. But I feel like it's getting significantly worse, and also, I need to do this before the end of the year because my insurance will only help cover one root canal per year. So I need to get one done so I can do the next one shortly after.

tl;dr I'm afraid of the potential pain from the root canal, and I have also recently developed this fear that if I don't do something in the next few days, something horrible is going to happen. So I'm wondering what a root canal is like, and is it possible that something terrible could happen in the next few days?

 

[FearfulInMA]

Hello and welcome!

To answer your questions, you should not feel anything during a root canal. And, if you are not in pain from the teeth now, you shouldn't be in pain after the root canals either. I've had 4 root canals and have felt no pain during any of them.

Dental decay tends to happen very slowly. So, waiting a few days (or even a week or a month) shouldn't make a difference. This doesn't mean you should put it off indefinitely, but you have time to schedule an appointment before the end of the year.

All the best!

 

[pinta77]

Hello and welcome!

To answer your questions, you should not feel anything during a root canal. And, if you are not in pain from the teeth now, you shouldn't be in pain after the root canals either. I've had 4 root canals and have felt no pain during any of them.

Dental decay tends to happen very slowly. So, waiting a few days (or even a week or a month) shouldn't make a difference. This doesn't mean you should put it off indefinitely, but you have time to schedule an appointment before the end of the year.

All the best!

That's great to hear... or read... lol. I may need to wait til january to fix the 2nd one, but the 1st root canal is today. Wish me luck!

 

[FearfulInMA]

Sending you lots of good luck!!! Please let us know how it goes.