People who avoid the dentist can only go for so long without seeing the consequences. When you start getting severe toothaches, you will then be motivated to finally make an appointment. The longer you wait, though, the more likely it is that you’ll have to undergo painful and expensive treatments. For example, filling a cavity is usually a fast, simple and relatively inexpensive procedure. However, if you wait until you need a root canal, you will have to make multiple visits and undergo a long and painful process. If you go to the dentist at least once per year, he or she will usually be able to catch any problems in the early stages. This makes your visits fairly simple and pain free.