need encouragementi

[lilmissladybug]

I have been reading for a few months and am hoping to get some support. I have not had dental insurance in about 10 years. I managed to convince myself that the lack of insurance kept me from seeing a dentist, but really it was a fear of going that really stopped me. Needless to say....it was not a good idea. I finally worked up the nerve to find a local dentist and went in for a consult/exam. I was told i would need 3 fillings and an extraction. The fillings went well....i was overcoming my fear and love my dentst....very comforting etc. They had me make an appt to have my tooth extracted....and said i would be able to do it with novacaine and a little nitrous gas.... i was crazy nervous....but decided to go for it. My appointment was today. They numbed me up....and were ready to start with the gas.....but i completely panicked and made them stop. I just did not think i could be awake, held still and let them yank/ pull on my tooth. I was able to make an appointment for a few weeks from now to have it removed by a surgeon.....while im sedated.....but im rigjt back to beating myself up for my stupid fear and feeling terrified of the dentist again. Any words of encouragement?

[chickenjen]

Hi, lilmissladybug and !!!!
Love your name, by the way,!
I hope by telling you a bit of my story that it will make you feel better. I have resumed seeing a dentist for 4 years now (after a 23 year absence) and for the better part of 3 1/2 years, I have been going to the dentist almost monthly.
So you would think my fear would be almost completely behind me, right?? Ah ha, so NOT so !!!!
I've had 9 extractions done (with IV sedation), 2 extractions done with just Novocaine, fillings, bonding....yeesh...suffice it to say, I've had a LOT done!!!
A month ago, I developed a terrible toothache and promptly called my dentist. I was horrible pain for 3 days, couldn't eat, talk, sleep.....basically couldn't function.
I get in to see my dentist as an emergency appointment..........he figures out that I have an inflamed nerve and the only way to stop the pain is to do a root canal. That is ONE procedure that I haven't had done yet (I'm almost 49).
I was SO SO nervous I thought I was going to be . After a bumpy start, (I'll spare you the details) and almost walking out of there because 1) I was so, 2) I wanted IV sedation, I did get through it.
I guess the moral of this story is, no matter how far you are in your dental journey, fear manages to rear it's ugly head. It's nothing to be embarassed about, it just happens.
When it happens, I just think to myself about how far I've come.......before I resumed going to the dentist, I NEVER, EVER would have called a dentist for a toothache....I would have just suffered and taken bottles of Advil in hopes the pain would go away.
The IV sedation I think will positively reinforce your belief and trust in dentistry.........it's a wonderful thing.
Hope that rather long-winded reply helps!!!!
Take care,
Many's,
Jen

[Patti]

Ladybug! I just had a tooth removed in April. I took Xanax before the appt (to get me into the chair) and I used Niterous to keep me there! I just want to say that with the Niterous, you are technically awake but I think I fell asleep for a second or two---that's how relaxed I was. I would say I was almost asleep. Once the Niterous takes effect, you're in lala land. Initially, I actually asked that they turn it down because I thought I was too high and they did. I was comfortably numb after that. Just before he actually started to pull the tooth I heard him tell his assistant to "turn it up a notch" and then I was out of it. It's kind of like you know where you are and why you're there, but you don't care. Actually, when they were talking to me I was a bit annoyed because I was so busy being relaxed! LOL

How did the fillings go? I have my first (of many!) on Thursday. I'm a wee bit nervous, although I had 2 fillings 6 years ago and remember nothing bad about it.

[blackhound]

I have been reading for a few months and am hoping to get some support. I have not had dental insurance in about 10 years. I managed to convince myself that the lack of insurance kept me from seeing a dentist, but really it was a fear of going that really stopped me. Needless to say....it was not a good idea. I finally worked up the nerve to find a local dentist and went in for a consult/exam. I was told i would need 3 fillings and an extraction. The fillings went well....i was overcoming my fear and love my dentst....very comforting etc. They had me make an appt to have my tooth extracted....and said i would be able to do it with novacaine and a little nitrous gas.... i was crazy nervous....but decided to go for it. My appointment was today. They numbed me up....and were ready to start with the gas.....but i completely panicked and made them stop. I just did not think i could be awake, held still and let them yank/ pull on my tooth. I was able to make an appointment for a few weeks from now to have it removed by a surgeon.....while im sedated.....but im rigjt back to beating myself up for my stupid fear and feeling terrified of the dentist again. Any words of encouragement?

Don't beat yourself up! If someone hasn't experienced this type of sheer terror they can't judge. Even after having a decent experience 6 years ago the fear was so great I couldn't go back until a broken tooth has forced the issue. Dental phobia is an awful beast to tame.

BH

[lilmissladybug]

Thank you everyone. Im still in some pain..but its manageable.i will get my tooth removed by the oral surgeon in a few weeks.im more upset with myself for letting the fear get the better of me....but at least reading all of these stories of great outcomes helps!

[mikey]

You can't always beat the fear, the important thing is that you are moving forward, and soon will be done with it! I had my wisdom teeth removed whilst under sedation and it went very well, one minute I was sitting in the chair waiting for them to start, and what felt like 1 minute later I was riding home in the car. You can do it!, good luck!

[carole]

Hi I also got to the dentist one day for a tooth to either be pulled or have a rct on it, I was in such a state when I got there I never got to the chair, the dentist just talked to me while I stood in the doorway. He talked to me for half and hour and made another appointment for the following week.

I couldn't believe I had done this and totally freaked out, I must have looked as bad as I felt by the way he acted towards me, he was so understanding and I did calm down a bit, but it wasn't until I got home over two hours later that my heart stopped racing and I could feel like I could breath again. I went back the week after and got through the rct I decided to have.

Don't kick yourself, you went and tried, and that is all you can do. I don't know why I was so bad on the day I went, the same way you wasn't to know how you would react. Put it behind you now and don't dwell on it. It takes time to build up a trust with a dentist and face treatment we need.

We are all in the same boat here, and fully understand how you feel, might not always be able to explain it, but we can support and encourage you.

GOOD LUCK things will work out you know