Filling and root canal fear

[Xorosetylerxo]

So I went back to the dentist after around 4 years of not going and she said I need 1 filling and 1 root canal but anyway I'm really starting to panic about it.

 

[FearfulInMA]

Hello! Great job for getting to the dentist!!! Can you say what you're most anxious about?

 

[Xorosetylerxo]

Hello! Great job for getting to the dentist!!! Can you say what you're most anxious about?

Anxious about it hurting either during the treatment or it goes wrong and I'm left in lots of pain after the treatment and also I googled about the root canal and one of the pages was why you should never have a root canal and it's freaked me out so much

 

[FearfulInMA]

I've had countless fillings and 4 root canals. None of them have hurt during and they have all settled after a brief time and I have no pain at all now. Prior to each of the 4 root canals I was in agony from a dying tooth and each time the tooth was pain free after. The only thing I felt during was the tiny stick of the needle and an occasional twinge of pain (when I felt this, the dentist gave me more anesthetic - I should note that I had historically been very difficult to numb for those teeth).

In terms of the websites that try to scare people about root canals by saying how awful they are for your health, they are not based on actual science (even though they may sound like they are). Your other option would be to have the tooth extracted and that is not without its own concerns - though also certainly an equally reasonable option.

Does any of this help?

 

[Xorosetylerxo]

Just had my filling done. I did have a bit of a I can't do it moment as I panicked not helped as they were running late. I just got in put my headphones in and just tried to ignore what was happening

 

[FearfulInMA]

That's awesome!!! Congrats for getting through it!!!