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Anybody ever asked to see the drill/needle/whaever?

T

Tink

Well-known member
Joined
May 14, 2013
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UK
Hello folks,

Just a thought I was musing over - has anybody ever tried asking their dentist if they can have a look at the drill, or the needle, or whatever it is you fear most?

I've been thinking, at the moment I'm in the middle of the process of desensitisation to visiting the dentist (following a very bad experience with a previous dentist and something of a meltdown a few months ago), and the thing that really scares me is the drill. As soon as a dentist has a drill, they become a threat in my head, even if they are completely kind and patient and gentle and will stop at the first hint of trouble - it makes no difference, if they have a drill, they are a threat. It's like a weapon.

I do sometimes find that if I understand something a bit better it gets less threatening and it helps me get my head round it, so I was wondering about asking the dentist if he'd mind letting me have a look at it. I'm always very interested in how stuff works too, it strikes me that it may help to engage the part of me that's interested and give my head something to do that isn't thinking about how scared I am! I'm hoping we might be able to take some of the mystery and threat out of it by getting more familiar with it.

What do you think, has anybody tried this?

(I realise that for a lot of people this would be the worst idea EVER and the last thing you want to do is look at it, that's fine if that's what's right for you - I think for me though, it could help?)
 
I've never actually asked to see anything in particular so far, but I have been shown various instruments when I've sometimes opened my eyes just at the wrong second and gone :o:o:o Arrrgghhh!! :o:o:o and then gone into a bit of a panic :redface:.

I remember during an appointment last year for a filling, when my dentist asked for an Excavator and I thought "Excavator??? :hmm: ... No, I didn't hear that right... My tooth doesn't need excavating! Hang on, I'm sure he asked for an excavator...", then he asked the nurse again and so I thought "He did say excavator.... OH MY GOD... :o:o:o... :terror:!!". I went from being fairly calm (for me :p) to being in a state of complete terror because I was convinced that he was going to demolish my tooth with what sounded like a road drill :rolleyes:. Fortunately my dentist realised straightaway why I was panicking, showed me what it was and said "See? That's all it is, it's fine...". It turned out to be another instrument from the pokey tool drawer that looked pretty much like the rest :rolleyes: :giggle:.

There's absolutely nothing wrong in asking to see the drill or whatever else it is that you fear; in fact, it's a good idea because if you can see something when it's not being used, then you're more likely to perceive it how it actually is rather than as something threatening or as something to be scared of.

If you ask your dentist to explain and show things to you, I'm sure they'll be happy to because it will help you to feel more at ease, which then helps to make their job easier. There's a technique called "Tell, show, do" which dentists quite often use with kids to help them get used to having treatment and the instruments that are used. We have more information here:


Although it was originally developed for kids, I think a lot of nervous adults find it very helpful too. It's a form of desensitisation that allows you to have more of a feeling of control through participation.

I've had quite a lot of treatment over the past year, so I'm fairly familiar with a lot of the things that are used now, but if my dentist were to use something that I hadn't come across before, then I do like to know what it is beforehand (mainly because my brain also perceives anything in a dental surgery as a potential weapon... no matter how nice the dentist is :redface:!).

If you want to see the drill, try asking them to show it to you and to explain how it works... I think you'll be pleasantly surprised :)... From experience, most dentists quite like rambling on (and on and on...) about the various tools and instruments and are usually happy to show you.
 
Thanks vicki!

an Excavator

:scared: :scared:

Hah, I can imagine why that would sound alarming! If he's using anything made by JCB it's probably time to run away…! :)


If you ask your dentist to explain and show things to you, I'm sure they'll be happy to because it will help you to feel more at ease, which then helps to make their job easier. There's a technique called "Tell, show, do" which dentists quite often use with kids to help them get used to having treatment and the instruments that are used. We have more information here:


Although it was originally developed for kids, I think a lot of nervous adults find it very helpful too. It's a form of desensitisation that allows you to have more of a feeling of control through participation.

Thanks for the link, that's useful. I think my dentist is already doing something quite similar, he's very good at talking me through what he's doing at every stage (especially since the meltdown) and I certainly find it helps to be involved and informed like that. Treating me like a child would be a big red flag and probably cause me to run as that's one of the things the horrible dentist did…but my current dentist does it in a way that very much approaches me as an equal, he doesn't talk down to me or try to be in charge. We're trying for a very co-operative approach where we work through it together.


(mainly because my brain also perceives anything in a dental surgery as a potential weapon... no matter how nice the dentist is :redface:!).

I'm glad you understand that! It's not just me then :)

I had a moment where it dawned on me that I'm now more worried about what my current dentist thinks of me (or worried about annoying him) than what the horrible dentist thinks of me after I complained about him - this is because my current dentist is the one holding the drill. The horrible one can't get near me ever again, so he doesn't present a direct physical threat any more, but the new one does, and how nice he is just doesn't come into it.

For now, whoever I allow near me with a drill will be a threat so I choose that person very, very carefully. Trust is vital. At the moment there are only one-and-a-half* dentists who I will allow near me with a drill, although I hope to gradually expand that set over time to include the other dentists in the practice as it's not a good position to be in.

(* The "half" is another dentist who has been helping me with the phobia but has never looked at my teeth…hence half. He's my backup plan for dire emergencies though. Yes, of course I've imagined all the possible dire emergencies. Probably a few impossible ones too.)


If you want to see the drill, try asking them to show it to you and to explain how it works... I think you'll be pleasantly surprised :)... From experience, most dentists quite like rambling on (and on and on...) about the various tools and instruments and are usually happy to show you.

Yep, I think I will! I think he probably will ramble on enthusiastically too… :)
 
**** WARNING ***
By the nature of this conversation, I'm going to be discussing some details about dental tools. Stop reading if that's a trigger for you. My advice for general readers: probably you're better off not looking at the tools.
**** WARNING ***

My experience has been that I like to have a really good idea of what the tools are and how the work, but then when I'm laying back and being worked on, I like to dissociate from the actual physical tools and just kind of envision the abstract function of the tool. Does that make any sense?

In other words, have the dentist show you how the various tools look AFTER an appointment is over, or BEFORE you put the bib on and sit back for the procedure. For me that allows me to see what these things are, completely away from the idea of them being in my mouth. When I'm being worked on, I go into a bit of a mental trance, and I know, for instance, that a rotary file is being used to clean out a root, but I would NEVER actually want to see it near my tooth. Occasionally I catch a reflection of what's going on in my mouth off the dentist's protective glasses, and it oogs me out.

But yes, if you think that knowing what the tools are like will make you more comfortable, then let you dentist show off a little. It really helps me. I know the names and functions of every single tool and substance that's put in my mouth, so there's almost no surprises for me: when the dentist requests a certain tool, I know exactly what's going on. I really really like that.

There are a couple of tools that I'd advise against looking at, just because they look way scarier than they are:
  • The dental syringe (i.e. the "needle"). You know what a syringe looks like from flu shots, etc. Just think of that. The dental syringe functions exactly the same way, but looks way scarier.
  • Extraction tools. Extraction is a really gentle process, amazingly. But it does involve a lot of firm pushing, and as such the tools have big handles and look like they belong in a wood shop. They're actually way gentler than they look, so don't look.

Last, VERY IMPORTANT bit of advice: don't Google for pictures of dental tools. I just did it for you, and it wasn't pretty. You end up with a handful of very safe pictures, and then always a picture of a procedure. I'm pretty desensitized to the tools, but I really don't want to see anyone's teeth being worked on, ever.
 
In other words, have the dentist show you how the various tools look AFTER an appointment is over, or BEFORE you put the bib on and sit back for the procedure. For me that allows me to see what these things are, completely away from the idea of them being in my mouth.

There's a thought, maybe it's best to ask to see it at an appointment when he's not actually planning to use it! I think you're spot on there.


There are a couple of tools that I'd advise against looking at, just because they look way scarier than they are:
  • The dental syringe (i.e. the "needle"). You know what a syringe looks like from flu shots, etc. Just think of that. The dental syringe functions exactly the same way, but looks way scarier.

The needles don't actually bother me too much (probably because I'm diabetic so quite used to them, and also a big fan of anaesthetic so I tend to view the needles as bringers of a good thing...). I do always close my eyes for that bit though.

I think I'm like you actually, I want to know and be more familiar with things, but I don't want to see it at the time it's actually happening.


Last, VERY IMPORTANT bit of advice: don't Google for pictures of dental tools.

:)

Never fear, I know better than to try that one!

I did once google "intraosseous" to see what it meant though. Eeep :scared: It was so far out there into "he wants to do WHAT???" that I just laughed until my sides hurt.

When it came around though, I knew what to expect so I didn't freak out when he got the drill out so it was useful.

Somebody on here mentioned searching for their dentist on YouTube - trust me, if you looked up my dentist on YouTube you'd regret it...:o
 
Somebody on here mentioned searching for their dentist on YouTube - trust me, if you looked up my dentist on YouTube you'd regret it...:o

I did this when I was researching my new dental office. I only found 1 clip about my specific dentist, and I think it actually helped me a little.

I got to see his face, hear his voice, and get an idea of his demeanor before I even met him. I thin it also helps that the clip of just of him speaking at a town meeting about the health care plan debacle and what it means in terms of dental care. . .it's not like he was doing anything scary.

Of course this doesn't work for everyone, because I've seen lots of scary dental stuff on YouTube before, and THAT never helps me. . .but just researching the potential new Dr. made me feel a little more in control.
 
In most cases, I find the more I know the better off I am. Although like Steve said, in the moment, seeing certain things may have the opposite affect and actually escalate things. I find it helpful to see them in a controlled environment and during treatment I'd rather just have a warning about how things feel and what they are doing rather than see the actual tools. I do keep my eyes open though and have caught a glimpse of just about everything over the years. Seeing the drill actually made me feel a bit calmer because it is much smaller than I imagined. My dentist does a lot of 'reframing' which helps too...rather than say she is going to start "drilling" she tells me I'm going to "feel some water and vibration" and that seems to disarm me a bit yet still warns me about what's coming next. The syringe is indeed much scarier looking than I expected but it didn't really make me more or less afraid of them because I had already had positive experiences with injections and was not fearful of them to start with. If I had seen the syringe with no prior positive experiences to reference though I probably would have run for the hills! :terror:I am the nosey patient that prefers a running play by play and needs to be included in what's going on; it helps me feel more in control and I feel way more comfortable stopping if I need to because it feels less like I'm interrupting her.

Vicki-I cannot believe that that happened to you with the Excavator because the EXACT same thing happened to me! :) I will never forget it...we were mid-filling and I was already a bit on edge but trying to zone out and I hear the dentist say to the assistant loud and clear "can you pass me the Excavator?" and I immediately perked up to tune into what was going on! My first thought was "pass the WHAT?!" :o:o:o:wtf:. I made sure to get a peak at it as she started to use it. Luckily, she noticed my new onset of panic and reassuringly told me what to expect to feel with it before starting and apologized for scaring me. I think she forgot who was in the chair for a moment or just became immune to all of the scary names of their tools. They really need to come up with a friendlier name for that thing! That's a terrible name...I think it's worse than "drill." It sounds so harsh! :(
 
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