Relax, I know what I'm doing

I had to get a root canal yesterday. My tooth had been bothering me for the last week or so whenever I ate anything hot or drank any coffee. I actually thought I had a cavity, but I go to the dentist every 4 months, brush and floss regularly, and felt the odds were certainly low. The dentist did his normal routine of checking everything out and determined my teeth were fine above the jawline. After a couple of xrays he suggested I visit an endodontist (root canal specialist.)

A 'emergency' appointment was set-up and I was sitting in the endo's chair 30 minutes later. He reviewed the xrays, decided he wanted his own xrays, and determined after 15 minutes (and a quick test squirting hot water on my tooth) that a root canal was definitely needed. Since I was heading out of town the following day he suggested we get this done asap and agreed to work me in at the end of the day.

Before this procedure, I had no clue whatsoever what a root canal was. The only thing I had heard was that they could be a major source of pain. I have to say, they aren't much worse than having a cavity filled. The whole procedure took just under an hour and really wasn't uncomfortable at all. Perhaps my tolerance for pain has increased with riding/racing? I don't know. What did seem to help was that the Good Doctor really seemed to know what he was doing. Everything went perfectly and while I heard him talking with the assistant the whole time, I never once heard something along the lines of, "Hmmm, I've never seen that before?" or "call Dr. so and so and ask him if he can come in here for a second."

Well done Doctor. Less than 13 hours later and I feel fine. I wish the same could be said for how my right hip feels. Darn tree root. I wonder if the doctor would like to visit Creve Coeur park with his tiny little tools of destruction????