I totally get what you mean about the cost stacking up—my insurance barely covered half of each visit, so splitting it actually hurt my wallet more. But honestly, I found the single long appointment way more draining. I was wiped out after. My nerves just couldn’t handle sitting in that chair for hours... but at least it was over and done with. Still not sure which is really better.
We had to do the two-visit thing for my daughter last year—she just couldn’t sit still that long, and honestly, I don’t blame her. It meant more time off work for me and another copay, but she handled it way better splitting it up. Sometimes I think the extra hassle is worth it if it keeps the stress down, especially for kids.
Two visits for kids is honestly a sanity saver sometimes. I’ve had adults who can barely make it through a single root canal without getting twitchy, so I totally get it. The tradeoff is the extra hassle, like you said, but if it means less trauma (for everyone involved), it’s usually worth it. Out of curiosity, did your daughter bounce back pretty quick after each appointment? I’ve seen some little ones act like nothing happened and others milk it for all the ice cream they can get...
I’ve actually had the opposite experience with some kids—sometimes dragging it out over two visits just gives them more time to stew and get anxious. I had one little guy who was totally fine during the first appointment, but by the second, he’d worked himself up into a full-blown panic. For certain kids (and adults too), getting it done in one go can actually be less stressful. It really depends on the kid’s temperament... and maybe how much they like ice cream.
That’s interesting—do you think the anxiety is more about the waiting between visits, or just knowing there’s more dental work coming? I actually felt way less stressed when my dentist split my retreatment into two appointments. The first one was rough, but having a break helped me calm down and process everything. Maybe it’s different for adults than for kids? Or maybe it depends on how much you trust your dentist... I still hate the numbing shots either way.