I’ve seen both approaches and honestly, it’s a toss-up. Doing them all at once can mean more swelling up front, but you’re not dragging out the anxiety week after week. Long-term, my patients don’t usually notice much difference—just that they’re glad when it’s all behind them. You do get a few days of chipmunk cheeks, though... comes with the territory!
You do get a few days of chipmunk cheeks, though... comes with the territory!
That chipmunk look is real, not gonna lie. I had four root canals done in one go a couple years back (not quite six, but still felt like a lot), and for about three days I looked like I’d lost a fight with a sandwich. Swelling was there, but honestly, the anticipation was way worse than the actual recovery.
I get the anxiety about dragging it out—waiting for each appointment just kept my stress going. Once it was all done, I was relieved to have it behind me. The worst part was trying to eat soup without dribbling everywhere because half my face was numb. Not my finest hour.
If you’re worried about pain, I found it wasn’t nearly as bad as I’d built it up in my head. Ibuprofen and some Netflix got me through. Everyone’s different, but for me, ripping off the Band-Aid worked better than spreading out the dread.
Chipmunk cheeks are basically a rite of passage at this point. I’ve seen folks come in convinced they’ll be out of commission for a week, but honestly, most are surprised how manageable it is. Did you get that weird tingling when the numbness wore off? That’s always the part that makes me laugh—feels like your face is rebooting or something.
I totally get wanting to just get it all over with. Dragging it out can mess with your head way more than the actual work. Ever try drinking through a straw after? It’s like playing dental roulette...
I get what you mean about wanting to just power through it all at once, but honestly, I’ve found the “rip off the band-aid” approach isn’t always the best for everyone. When I had to get multiple root canals (not quite six, but close), I tried to space them out a bit. Gave me some time to recover and not feel so overwhelmed. The swelling and numbness are one thing, but I think the mental load is real too—sometimes you just need a breather between appointments.
And about the tingling—yeah, that’s such a weird sensation. For me, it was more annoying than funny, like my face was trying to wake up but kept hitting snooze. As for the straw thing, my dentist actually warned me off it, said it could mess with the healing. I stuck to spoons and just accepted that soup was my best friend for a while.
Not saying my way is better for everyone, but if you’re feeling anxious, it’s totally okay to ask about spreading things out. I felt way less stressed doing it in stages.
Did you have any issues with pain meds wearing off too soon between appointments? That’s one of my bigger worries—like, what if I’m still sore from the first one when I have to go in for the next? Also, did your dentist mention anything about how long you should wait between each one, or did you just pick what felt right?