I’ve had more root canals than I care to count at this point, and honestly, the build-up in my head was always worse than the reality. That anxiety beforehand—heart racing, palms sweating, the works. But once you’re in the chair and they get that numbing going, it’s almost anticlimactic. The noise is annoying, but pain-wise? Not much to write home about.
One thing I’ll say, though: if you’re getting six done, ask if they can space them out a bit. I tried doing two in one session once and felt like my jaw had run a marathon. Also, don’t underestimate how tired you might feel after—it’s not just your mouth, it’s your whole body riding out the stress.
Music or an audiobook helped me tune out. And bring a chapstick... your lips get drier than you’d expect. At the end of the day, the relief from that constant tooth pain made all the nerves worth it for me.
That whole jaw marathon thing is so real. I had three root canals done over two sessions and, honestly, the second day my jaw felt like it was made of rubber bands. I’m with you on the anxiety being worse than the actual procedure—my imagination went wild before that first appointment, but once I was numb, it was mostly just boring.
I’ve been wondering about spacing them out more, though. My dentist suggested doing them close together to “get it over with,” but now I’m not so sure. Did you notice any difference in healing or soreness when you had yours spread out versus back-to-back? Also, did you have any issues eating after (like sensitivity or just general discomfort)? I could barely manage soup for a couple days.
Chapstick is a solid tip. I’d add—if your dentist lets you—bring your own headphones. The sound of those drills gets old fast. Did you feel wiped out for more than a day? I bounced back pretty quick after one, but after two in a row I needed extra naps and Netflix.
Curious if anyone else’s dentist pushed for grouping them together... or if it’s better to take more time between each one.
Grouping them together can be a bit of a double-edged sword. Some folks like to just power through and be done, but honestly, I’ve seen a lot of people come back saying their jaw’s just exhausted after back-to-back sessions. I usually suggest spacing them out if you’re prone to soreness or get wiped out easily. Eating’s always tricky after—soft foods are your friend, but yeah, even soup can feel like a chore for a day or two. It’s totally normal to feel extra tired after multiple procedures; your body’s just trying to recover. Headphones are a game changer for the drill noise, by the way... makes a huge difference for some people.
I totally get the idea of spacing them out, but honestly, I felt more anxious dragging things over weeks. Doing a few at once meant I only had to psych myself up for the chair once, and the recovery felt like ripping off a band-aid. The jaw soreness was real, though. Anyone else prefer just getting it done in fewer trips?
Doing a few at once meant I only had to psych myself up for the chair once, and the recovery felt like ripping off a band-aid.
That’s actually kinda tempting. I’m still working up the nerve for my first root canal, so the idea of getting SIX just sounds wild to me. But dragging it out over weeks would probably mess with my head too. My dentist suggested splitting them up, but honestly, I can barely sleep before appointments as it is... Might as well just get all the terror over in one go? Not sure my jaw would ever forgive me though.
