My only experience with a root canal was on an emergency basis after a course of antibiotics because of pain and infection. It was a large lower molar. 8 hours over 4 office visits. Ultimately the tooth had to be pulled and after almost 15 months and thousands of dollars later I had a successful implant. I would do anything to keep my teeth. But if you aren't in dire straits it's hard to say. I hope it goes well for you.

If it was me and my dentist I would go. But I've been going to my dentist for years and trust him.

Post Covid-2020 I've had a number of appointments canceled and rescheduled. I would go. If things with his folks get serious, they will cancel again

When you open your mouth the dentist should just click into "dentist" mode. That is how it works. One would not normally want to put off a root canal if at all possible. Unless you have some other reason I would just go with this. Frankly it sounds like the immediate emergency is over and the dentist is dealing with the patients.

My ex was a dentist and there were times when he had to cancel, like when our son was in a car accident. ( that was a long time ago and our son is fine). If i were you, id take that 10 a.m. appointment. If your tooth needs a root canal it is better to get it done before it is an emergency and you are in pain.

Its really hard for dentists to cancel due to the number of people who work for him as well as for the number of patients he sees in a day.

Good luck.

I wouldn't worry about it at all. If this is a skilled and well regarded dentist, I completely agree with the above comment that the dentist will "click into dentist mode" when treating you.

While some dentists are unfortunately money-grabbing shysters, I think most are compassionate and sincerely care about their patients. I would look at the rescheduling as being reflective of concern for you and offering you a sooner appointment was an effort to be respectful of your schedule. Maybe not but it would seem that way to me.

Oh and yes, good luck!

Is it your dentist or an endodontist?

How urgent is your root canal? Do you have some other procedure waiting until that one is performed?

I forgot to mention that I have never seen this dentist before, but he had good reviews, and I am convinced that he is not a money-grabber, like many of the dentists in Coachella Valley. I see tons of ads on TV for dental cosmetics, and those turn me off. The reviews for the dentists in Cathedral City all said that the dentists here try to upsell you, but this dentist is in Desert Hot Springs, which is much lower rent.

My root canal is not urgent, and I am in no pain. There is not other procedure waiting.

However, Kevin also needs a root canal, as he already has an abscess, which I do not. He can get his root canal done by our regular dentist in Marina Del Rey, but she could not do mine because it is a back molar. Kevin's is for an incisor, I think, but at least not a molar.

I just hope that neither of us needs another implant, as that is not in the budget at the moment.

I have no opinion of doctors changing appointments, it happens occasionally. I do have opinions of root canals being done by regular dentists though. I’m sure many are fine but I’d not do it again.

ETA - I didn’t see your last post before I wrote. Glad you’re going to an endodontist.

Probably too late in the day for you to reschedule but since you are not having problems I would have waited until the dentist returned but that is only because when I had a molar done one of those metal caps was placed on top of the area. I strongly disliked the feeling of it in my mouth. A lot will depend on what the current method is.

,Yes, I am going to an endodontist, and so I think everything should be okay. I guess my main concern was that this is my first time to see him. When I lived in Venice and was between jobs, I used to go to UCLA dental school in Venice and see student dentists. Some I liked and some I didn't, but there were always enough professors around to make sure that everything was done correctly, and so I did not have problems from going there.

I think you will be fine, Lars, and in good hands. Besides the fact you have done good research into this dentist/endodontist, he must have a good staff who can work a schedule efficiently to accommodate patients. That says a lot to me when I need to reschedule or those rare times like this when the doctor must reschedule.

I understand your concern, but gawd Lars....your using precautions most people don't even consider....so smart of you! Dentists do these procedures several times a day. Your probably his twenty thousandanth root canal. He's in doctor mode when he sees you as someone else said. You've researched and read reviews, due diligence is in place....now just DO IT! Your fine.

my dentist [excellent in every way] suffers from krohn's. There have been more than a few times he has had to reschedule because he was down. I really don't want to find a new one ... but if I have to, i will.

"I do have opinions of root canals being done by regular dentists though. I’m sure many are fine but I’d not do it again."

Could not agree more!

Lars, you'll be fine with the endodontist. You want a specialist who does this several times a day, I never had any problems with mine.

I left to go to the dentist's office this morning, probably when they were trying to call me to reschedule again, but I missed the message and went to the office anyway. The dentist was not there, and the receptionist, Natalia, told me that the dentist's mother had gotten worse in the hospital, and so he was there with her today. I'm getting the impression that she might not pull through.

Anyway, Natalia took an additional X-ray of my tooth to send to the dentist, and he said that I might not need a root canal, as the X-ray did not look that bad. Natalia showed me both X-rays, and the first one did look a bit more ominous than the first one. She also set me up with another appointment for August 12th, and so I will have to come back here for that.

She also quotes prices for the work that may need to be done, including with and without a root canal. Either way, I will need a new crown. My Marina Del Rey dentist was hoping that I could get the root canal only done by someone else and then return to her for the crown, but I am now thinking that I want it all done by the same person. At this point, I may want to stop seeing the dentist in MDR altogether, since I spend enough time in Cathedral City.

Natalia is extremely chatty, and so we talked a lot while I was there, especially since there was no one else in the office, with the dentist not there. She told me that the dentist used to have an office in Dana Point, which is on the beach in an exclusive neighborhood, but he decided that he wanted to open a practice in Desert Hot Springs, where the costs are a lot lower and he would be able to help people with lower income. The people here seem to love him, and he does get booked up, and so I think his motives are probably genuine. He may also have gotten tired of the snobby attitude of people in Dana Point. Dana Point has a yacht harbor, and so I think it is somewhat like Newport Beach, as both are in Orange County. They are very different from Marina Del Rey, which is centered around a huge yacht harbor, next to Venice. MDR is much less pretentious, I think.

I feel better after meeting Natalia in person, even though I did not get to meet the dentist. She only had good things to say about him, and I found her to appear credible.

So at this point, my dental work is postponed until next month, and it remains to be seen as to whether I will need the root canal.

"My Marina Del Rey dentist was hoping that I could get the root canal only done by someone else and then return to her for the crown, but I am now thinking that I want it all done by the same person."

This is not a good sign, lars. Unfortunately dentists in general practice, just like veterinarians in general practice, sometimes act more for their personal benefit than the benefit of their patients. GPs worried about losing work or patients because of a specialist referral are reluctant to refer work out that should be referred. And may do work they're not as well qualified to do as others, simply because of the dollars involved.

Let an endodontist, whichever you use, do the complete job. And find another general dentist.

PS:

I'm a bit concerned about a receptionist taking an x-ray of your tooth when the dentist isn't present. I'm not sure that's kosher, maybe it is. Ask next time you're in contact with them.

The receptionist is also the dental assistant, and she regularly takes the X-rays.

If I end up liking this dentist, then I am considering switching to him as my regular dentist. Kevin has been using the same dentist that I have in MDR, and he is now thinking that he wants to switch to the DHS (Desert Hot Springs) dentist. It only took 18 minutes to get from our house in Cathedral City to his office, and we are here often enough to make it practical to have our dentist out here. We're currently spending at least 40% of our time here. We have to keep our regular doctors in Los Angeles, however, especially since my supplementary insurance is not usable here, as there are no UCLA offices in Coachella Valley. Pasadena is as close to Palm Springs as they get.

Would you consider going to an endodontist, a specialist in root canals?

The dentist in DHS is an endodontist and he specializes in root canals.

Oh good. My dentist did mine, and I had a problem. I'm sure you'll be fine.