Just make sure he numbs you up real nice and you'll be (mostly) fine during the process. Afterwards there will be some pain, but nothing that can't be stopped/severely reduced with a few aspirins. Or at least that's my experience with it.

I had one a few years back. No real pain during, or in the hours after but I had unbearable pain the next day. I had to drive back in an "Oh god" kind of pain, but they fixed it up. I think my case was the exception, not the rule.

I was around 9 years old and it wasn't that painful. The numbing needles were the worst part, at least for a 9 year old. Mine was a front tooth and the needle into the roof of the mouth behind the teeth was a bitch, but the pain is over quick. I feel like I had to go back multiple times to finish though.

Root Canals get a bad rap, don't hurt at all. I just can't sand the excruciating sounds of the tools, bring your IPOD..

I had a root canal on an upper front tooth after I took a baseball to the face when I was 10 or so (the one day I forgot my mouthguard of course). It took a few trips to get everything taken care of. Now, about 20 years later, my tooth is starting to look a little gray, and supposedly I may have to get a cap on it, but I'm waiting as long as possible because I hate having dental work done.

The procedure itself wasn't too bad, its kind of like getting a cavity. Though because it was a front tooth, it was more accessible. I don't remember much pain after the shot wore off. Like another poster said, bring an ipod and don't sweat it too much.

I had one 10 years ago and it hurt like crap. The dentist tested my tooth and said the nerve was dead, so I wouldn't need any Novacaine. This seemed a little strange because I was there for a terrible tooth ache. Anyway, he was wrong and a had tears pouring down my face.

I have a cracked molar and I'm scared as hell to go to the dentist to get it fixed, cause I know it's gonna turn into dental surgery fest.

had root canal at 16 and got a an onlay. Not a big deal. You may want to use an endodontist (specialist) as opposed to your regular dentist.

This. I have To go back tomorrow to get a crown from a fractured tooth I suffered during my concussion ordeal from two weeks ago. I have learned to only chew on the right side of my mouth but when I forget I feel like screaming.

The front tooth should be the easiest of all teeth since the root is smaller. You'll be fine, like everyone else said its not bad. The one thing I really hated was getting the novacaine right into the gums. Besides that its a piece of cake plus you get percocet afterwards.

I've had 5 root canals - I was always a hard chewer. As someone else said the front tooth root canal is not nearly as bad as one on a molar where there are 3 roots as opposed to 1 root. I agree that you should go to an endodontist vs a regular dentist.

My take is this as I have lost all the root canal teeth due to my hard chewing etc..

When you get a root canal, esp on a tooth where there has been a big filling, you usually require a crown. Then crowns tend to crack or F-Up somehow and you might need a new crown. All that stuff tends to get expensive. I suggest going straight to the implant, its a better tooth than the root canaled/crowned thing that will likely have to be pulled somewhere down the line and you'll end up with an implant anyway.

I like the implant proceedue better anyway, you go in, get put into lala land wake up and its over (tooth pulled and implant inserted in one proceedure) then you come back in about 6 months and have the post attached and go to a regular dentist who makes the fake tooth.

I have 2 good friens who are endodontists and they somewhat agree with me on this, btw.

This thread is brutal.

I shattered my top molar (almost to the gum) playing basketball. I had a choice of a root canal/cap or extraction. I took the extraction. I don't know if this is true or not but I read that root canals have a very high chance of failing meaning you might be up for extraction anyway.