Worried about 6 root canals

Might as well just get all the terror over in one go? Not sure my jaw would ever forgive me though.

Honestly, I get where you’re coming from. I had three root canals done in one session a couple years back, and I was a bundle of nerves leading up to it. The upside was only having to deal with the anxiety once, but yeah, my jaw was sore for days after. If you’re a clencher like me, it’s a lot. Still, dragging it out over weeks can really mess with your head too... For me, getting it done in one go made the whole thing feel less drawn out and stressful overall. Just be prepared for some serious jaw fatigue after.

I get wanting to just “get it all over with,” but honestly, I’d be worried about doing six at once. When I had two done back-to-back, my jaw was so stiff I could barely eat for a couple days. Plus, I found it easier to mentally prep for each one if I spaced them out. Everyone’s different, but for me, breaking it up made the whole thing less overwhelming.

Just be prepared for some serious jaw fatigue after.

Yeah, that’s what got me. I couldn’t imagine doubling or tripling that feeling. Sometimes a slower approach is kinder to your nerves... and your jaw.

I totally get your hesitation. Six at once sounds brutal, honestly. When I had three done in a month, just spacing them out by a week or so made a huge difference for my sanity (and my jaw). Did your dentist mention any options for splitting them up? Sometimes it’s worth asking if you can take it in stages, even if it drags things out a bit. I found I could actually eat real food that way... not just smoothies and soup for days.

- Sometimes doing them all at once actually makes sense, especially if the teeth are infected or causing pain.
- Dragging it out can mean more trips, more anxiety, and possibly more issues if decay spreads.
- Recovery can be rough, but you get it over with faster. I’ve seen folks eat soft foods for a week and then bounce back pretty quick.
- Worth weighing immediate discomfort vs. multiple drawn-out appointments. Everyone’s tolerance is different, but sometimes ripping off the band-aid works better.

I had five root canals done in one go a couple years back (yeah, not quite six, but close enough that I feel you). Honestly, I was dreading it for weeks - couldn’t sleep the night before. The idea of dragging it out over months sounded even worse though, and my dentist said the same thing about infection spreading if I waited.

The actual appointment was long. Like, bring-your-own-podcast long. But it wasn’t as painful as I expected - just kind of numb and weird, mostly. My jaw was sore for a few days after, and I basically lived on mashed potatoes and soup for a week. It sucked in the moment, but once the swelling went down and the pain faded, it was actually a relief to have it all behind me instead of worrying about another round.

I will say, recovery is different for everyone. My friend did hers spaced out because she gets super anxious at the dentist, and she preferred smaller doses of stress over one big hit. For me, I just wanted to get it over with - kind of like ripping off a band-aid, like you said.

One thing I wish I’d known: don’t plan anything important for a couple days after. I tried to go back to work too soon and just ended up cranky and tired. And stock up on soft foods - seriously makes life easier.

Looking back, I’m glad I did them all at once, but if you’re really nervous or have other health stuff going on, maybe spreading them out isn’t so bad either. Everyone’s got their own pain threshold and anxiety levels… It’s definitely not “one size fits all.”