• Dental Phobia Support

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Panicprincess

Junior member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Messages
4
I went to the dentist for my initial appt. It is bad. I need several cavities filled, a crown replaced as there is decay under it and a possible root canal. This is all going to take 4-5 visits and I can feel the anxiety swirling in my belly. I have never had a root canal before and the thought terrifies me. My next appt is Monday and they are going to fill the "bad tooth" and maybe do a root canal if the filling wont work.
My teeth and gums hurt from all the poking. I have acid reflux and feel miserable. And what do I do? EAT CHOCOALATE!
I feel like I am going nuts.
 
For what its worth, I have had people tell me that a root canal is not anymore painful than a filling. You will do fine!
 
Thanks Tabatha...I needed to hear that. Thank you for your support!!
 
My root canal was simple...and there is no drill involved! It may take awhile, but novocain and my MP3 made it all OK.
Truly, I was terrified beforehand but would do it again with little fear.
Good luck!
 
How is possible to have a root canal without drilling? (I would LOVE that!)

My old dentist told me that he had a root canal once with NO anesthetic. Nothing. He said he knew there would only be one really short painful spot and he didn't want to be numb because he was going out to lunch.

Sheesh...how do some people get all the superior mental health and inner strength???

And me...I am sitting here with my gums throbbing and wishing I had a tall glass of pinot noir :sleepyjuice:
 
How is possible to have a root canal without drilling? (I would LOVE that!)

My old dentist told me that he had a root canal once with NO anesthetic. Nothing. He said he knew there would only be one really short painful spot and he didn't want to be numb because he was going out to lunch.

Sheesh...how do some people get all the superior mental health and inner strength???

And me...I am sitting here with my gums throbbing and wishing I had a tall glass of pinot noir :sleepyjuice:

There is some drilling involved if only to gain access and/or remove the old filling material and then again to navigate the canals, but there is also lots of flash quiet work with tiny files and sometimes some noises when a special endo system is used (so a bit like drilling)...i.m.e. all 3 are usually involved but the noisy stuff is definitely not the bulk of the long appointment.
'It should be no more painful than a filling' (as someone else just said) and as we all know, fillings should not be painful either...so just lie back and relax.:cloud9:
If the nerve in the tooth is already dead, it is possible to have a painfree rct without LA but you can still opt to have it, as it deadens everything nicely and makes it easier to relax for most people and no risk of any pain if numb.
Dentists should know better than to boast of their 'own dental pain heroics' to their patients, to me that sends an 'avoid that dentist' message as he probably won't automatically pander to my insistence on painfree treatment at all times.
Please don't worry - if you like your dentist and believe them to be competent, it will be no big deal - just lengthy and expensive!
 
OK, I should clarify. No drilling like with a filling. Guess the pre appt meds and nitrous make it hard for me to really remember any drill at all...it there was, it was so quick and unimportant that I don't recall it. And drills are my main source of phobia. As Brit said, there's a lot of quiet time...that's what I remember most. My RC was also on a tooth with an old crown.
Good luck...you'll do fine.
 
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