25 Years Old. So Desperate for Help & Support.

[dandelion]

Thanks everyone!

It turns out that they can't schedule my first sedation appointment until August 26th, and I'm supposed to be moving out of state for graduate school that week.

Getting into school was the push I needed to finally face this fear.. I didn't want to start this new chapter in my life without it, but now I'm worried it's going to keep me from being able to go.

I'm thinking of contacting another dentist in my area that does sedation, to see if they could do the work any sooner. But it just sucks, because I love my new dentist so much.

 

[marco]

You can always try to do it without sedation.

 

[bebrave]

I just joined this forum this morning but I have been reading it for several days. Believe me I know how you feel and I am twice your age. Due to some bad experiences I am mortally terrified of the dentist. I have an appointment next Tuesday and I am scared to death and all they are going to do is xray one tooth and talk to me. My husband is going with me. I wish I had some advise to help you with your fears but if I did, I would certainly be doing it myself. All I can say is that it helps to talk about your fears. My husband and best friend are wonderful to listen to me and offer support even though they do not have the same fears I do. That is why I joined this forum. I believe it helps to talk about your fears with someone who also has the same fears and is going through the same thing you are. Don't be embarrassed. We are all in the same boat. Take care. One thing I try to do is tell myself things like "This time next week it will all be over". Try to look past the appointment or maybe plan something fun for the day after the appointment so you can look forward to something rather than just dread the appointment. I am also trying to just take it one step at a time. Although I am terrified of this appointment coming up I am trying not to think about appointment that will follow.

Take care.

 

[dandelion]

You can always try to do it without sedation.

I called this morning to ask about other possibilities (including maybe trying it with just nitrous), but they told me they worried about it being too overwhelming and stressful for me, based on how anxious I was at the initial appointment. I agree, I really think I need sedation to get this done, so I don't have a major panic attack. I really trust this practice, and I'm not too keen on the thought of having someone else do it, but luckily I live in a pretty large city and there are other options.

I made an appointment this morning for a free consultation at another practice who also offers sedation. The receptionist told me they have sedation appointments available in June & July. I'll see what I think of the dentists there when I meet them. Worst comes to worst, I have my appointment booked with the other dentist for Aug. 26, and I'm on his short-call list in case an another appt comes available sooner.

I also went ahead and scheduled my wisdom teeth removal for July 22nd. Of course, I can't get everything done back to back, so I'll just have to talk to the doctors about everything and see.

One step at a time...

 

[sleeplessinseattle]

Positive steps! Congratulations!

 

[Angeldove]

The only exam they didn't do was on my gums, which they also said they would do during sedation, after which they could tell me more about my gum health and if I needed any additional treatment for that.

Is this normal? Is it safe to go ahead with the root canal and cavity fillings before they thoroughly examine my gums?

They might want to wait since the poking can hurt a tiny bit (I did mine with no sedation or numbing and it was just tiny pinches but I had some bleeding since I have gum disease) and they want you to be comfortable during that.

I did have my root canal treatment done BEFORE they did the major gum work for my gum disease, but that was because the tooth had broken off and it was hurting my tongue, so they wanted to take care of it right away. Since then they have been focusing on just helping my gums - teeth work will be later.

Not sure if it matters which way - mine just insisted on taking care of my gums since I had big teeth pockets.

 

[dandelion]

Saw a different dentist yesterday, and she agreed with the first treatment plan. Luckily, she was able to schedule me much earlier than the first dentist.

On July 1st, I'm having a root canal, three cavities filled, and a full mouth debridement done under IV sedation.

I've read up on all of these things, but I still feel like I have no idea what to expect from this experience.

Has anyone had a similar amount of work done in one appointment? I'm going to be traveling for a wedding the very next day and my dentist assured me I would feel fine. Can't help but worry though.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Pollo12]

I'm so humiliated and anxious to even be typing out these words, but I've reached a point where I can't avoid dealing with my fear any longer. I'm a 25 year old female, currently working full time, and even co-own a successful business. I was also recently accepted into a graduate program for this fall.

There are so many things I'm proud of myself for, and I generally love my life and the people in it.. However, a phobia of the dentist has been plaguing me since I was a child.

I'm embarrassed that I've only been to a dentist once that I can remember, to have a tooth pulled when I was around five years old. I don't remember it being a particularly negative experience, but the dentist wasn't exactly patient with me being terrified of her. Somehow, this irrational anxiety has lingered my entire life, causing me so much pain and guilt.

Due to my extreme anxiety, I have neglected my teeth. When I was fifteen years old, a big piece broke off one of my molars, and I never had it fixed. I flush it out with water and brush after every meal, and I try to keep it super clean, but obviously this is NOT the way to handle a problem like this. It was easier for me to deal with the pain than to confront my anxiety all of these years.

It has been TEN YEARS since this happened. I am horrified by that sentence, but I'm even more horrified of the diagnosis I might receive, and the need for extensive treatment. All of my other teeth are white, and I don't even have much plaque, but a portion of the broken tooth has turned black. : (

You can't really see it when I smile, and other than that, I really like my smile.

I know I'm smarter than this. I can't believe I've brought myself to this point. I'm so afraid to tell my parents about my problems. They have always respected me so much, and I worry they will never be able to look at me the same way again, for being so foolish about my health.

Has anyone else been through a similar situation? Waiting ten years to fix a badly broken tooth? Can anyone give me advice on what to expect from my first dental appointment, if I can bring myself to schedule one? Can anyone tell me what I could expect as a possible treatment, or diagnosis?

I'm trying to look at this realistically, but the fear of the unknown is driving me crazy.

Thank you so much for reading my ramblings. I'm so grateful for this place of support.

im in the same postion well wrost off than a broken tooth I have not been to the dentist since 03 i am 21 I was never taught how to brush my teeth only watched people doing it as I grew up in a house hold with 3 diffrent families living in the same home so growing up I only brushed once in a while now I am totally regretting it my molars hurt and my wisdom teeth.i have some tartar and I just set an appiontment yesterday for next wendsday the 24th I am sacredshitless I don't wanna go but I have to. I heard the doc that I called to uses a waterlaser has any heard of dentists useing the biolase?