I was a chicken with dentist phobia. I tend to pass years between 2 dental checkups. But, I finally had to go last Tuesday, left with no choice. A pain in tooth was killing me; guessed it was nerve pain; popped in a pain medicine but it didn’t help.

As I entered the room of the dentist, I thought I would be just given an antibiotic plus pain killer combo. Well NO!

It was not the thing that happened there. Before I could realize what’s happening around the endodontist (tongue twister to utter) stuck needles into my gums and seemed to clean my tooth. I know it would pain close to hell when he tried getting rid of the dead tissue and the debris. The doctor, sporting a salt and pepper French beard lifted a needle-like apparatus that started numbing the tooth area and it went on for ten flicking minutes. The prematurely grayed doctor took out his toolkit comprising of different sized scalpels, files, drills and needles which in no time stuck down into my teeth and lasted there for the next hour or so.

The tooth was first anesthetized, and then an opening was made into pulp area through the tooth crown. The root canal lengths were determined and the deceased and unwell pulp is slowly removed. The root canal areas were then cleansed. Additionally, the root canals are broadened as well as shaped using few endodontic files. These root canals are then filled and sealed. A metal column is then used to give structural support as well as retain restorative materials added. The tooth was then sealed using the filling. Finally, a porcelain crown was added for additional protection. I came out of anesthesia and was updated of what has been done and I was told that the crown or filling needs replacement periodically.

Thankfully, it didn’t really hurt at all. The endodontist did a great root canal job and no doubt he saved my tooth. After all, we have 32 and we need to preserve them for a good long life. Ain’t it? It was the thought that always scared me to go to a dental specialist. But this visit changed my notion. I was glad for two reasons. The dentist is not a terrible person that I was thinking to be all of these years, and secondly, I am glad I have dental insurance so it was only a plus to me. what do you say?