I hate my teeth >:

[JenMacca]

Domo, actually, root canals aren't THAT horrible really. People make them out to be a *lot* worse than they actually are. They're no walk in the part, that's for sure, but nonetheless......they're nothing to be terrified of. Trust me. I'm probably one of THE world's biggest wusses when it comes to pain.....and for the most part you don't feel anything after the novacaine injection(s). (I have overlaid nerves or something....apparently I have twice as many nerves as most people. So, when something hurts, I feel it that much MORE.) Anyways......for me, I've always found it helps to have a walkman on with something you really like in it. (For me, it's usually the Beatles, or solo Beatle stuff.) Anyway, after they give you the novacaine shots you should be numb enough to where you won't feel anything. They'll recline the chair back and wait for the stuff to kick in. I find that once they ACTUALLY start working on me though, that I have the easiest time if I shut my eyes and just concentrate fully on the music and work on blocking every other sound out. You might feel some pressure with a couple parts, but you shouldn't actually feel any pain. If you do, let them know immediately, and they'll give you more novacaine, and then you should be good to go.
I had a root canal that took 4 HOURS once.....my god I thought I was going to die or something in the office, I eventually started panicking when the dentist had to take a break, and I got a glimpse of the window and it was DARK outside....I had had like a four pm appointment, and I look at my watch, and it's 7, technically after hours, but he didn't want to just drop everything and just leave me there, he wanted to get as much done at once as he could. But that was a very, VERY rare circumstance, and I can almost garuntee it'd probably never happen to you. Normally they only take about an hour and a half, if even that. Depends on the dentist. But really, once you have one done, you realize they aren't all THAT scary. They just seem like it. Hopefully some of this will help you feel a little more comfortable if you ever have to go in and have one done!