This was my first-ever root canal, and I'd put it off for 3 years because of the horror stories I'd heard, from family and friends, about how painful and horrible root canals are.
It was a "difficult" tooth two roots, 2 "S" curves. Meetings with specialists transpired.
The first doctor said he couldn't do it because the roots were too curvy, and he'd break the file up inside the tooth. "Perhaps consider extraction," he said.
The second doctor said he didn't want to extract the tooth, because it was a perfectly good tooth and that I should call Dr. Karmali, who specializes in difficult root canals.
Here we are, one day later. 2nd of 2 visits with the fine folks at Lowry Endodonics. Zero pain (zero! pain!) on either visit.
A few observations: All dentists should learn from Dr. Karmali how to do novacaine injections! That's usually the hardest / most painful part, in my experience with dentists and fillings.
As for the drilling and all of that? On both times, I had to consciously remind myself not to continue falling asleep, because one of those "head-jerk" things could happen, and it seems inadvisable to jerk the head when a guy has a drill pointed up your tooth toward your brains. ;-)
Seriously. It was almost ... relaxing. What! A relaxing root canal?
For these reasons, I give Dr. Karmali and his staff two big thumbs up. Don't go anywhere else. Unless you're into pain. :-)