I grew up with zero tooth decay in my childhood, teens, and young adulthood, so I've never had to get any fillings or other dental work. (I turn 50 in November.)
Lately, however, my right upper second bicuspid and my left upper second molar both went bad.
I had to get the bicuspid extracted last week because the labial side had caved in and the root had an abscess. I can't afford a bridge or an implant for now, so I guess I'll go around looking like an Arizonan for a few months until I can figure out whether to do something about the absent tooth.
But the dentist decided that he could salvage my molar, so this afternoon I had my first root canal, build up and crown. It went a lot better than I expected from all the horror stories I've heard over the years about root canals. The novocaine has already worn off, and while the jaw above that molar feels a little sore, it doesn't hurt bad enough to justify taking one of the Vicodin tablets the dentist prescribed for me. In a couple weeks I'll get fitted with a permanent crown, and that should take care of the problem.
What kinds of experiences have you had with root canals?