Okay - Here's where I went wrong...

I have always known my dental life choices have been bad.  But, I couldn't quite picture how this would end.
Now I'm getting it.
After a five year absence I've gone back to a dentist because I have pain.
Unfortunately, because I always wait to go to the dentist, my cavities are so big that I either have a huge crown, filling, or root canal that has taken away most of the tooth.  As a result, the next level is either an implant or dentures, neither of which sounds good.
If I had it to do over again, I'd get the cavities dealt with when they were small.  Then, even if I had a lot of cavities, I would have enough tooth left so they could still resolve the issue with fillings.

If I DID have the opportunity to go back in time, though, I imagine I would probably make the same choices because I still get nervous about new environments and I'm lazy about making appointments.

So, the only way I can learn from this (and be ready to change the past if I ever get the chance!) is to face my fear and take "adult" responsibility for my own health and well being.