B
Bastet
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2014
- Messages
- 126
- Location
- Illinois, USA
I'm not going to start at the beginning. I'm going to start with where I was about a year ago. It had been about seven years since I had last been to the dentist. A crown on a tooth with a root canal had come off, and the tooth had broken. I had finally gotten up the nerve to send a note to my previous dentist to tell him my phobia had gotten the best of me again and to ask if I could come back to see him. I don't know why I stopped seeing him. I really like him. He is incredibly patient with my fears. As most people probably know here, our actions as phobics aren't always rational.
When the receptionist called me back, I saw the number on the caller ID, and I was too scared to answer the phone. When I listened to the message, I learned that the dentist had very kindly offered me a complimentary hygiene appointment. I wasn't ready for that, so I couldn't bring myself to call back.
Months went by and another decayed tooth broke. It started being painful, but knowing that things were getting worse made me even more scared to call. A month or so ago, I saw my dentist as I was walking past the building where his office is, and I forced myself to ask him if my first appointment could be with him rather than the hygienist. He said yes, but it was still a couple weeks before I was able to get myself to call for an appointment.
Finally, the big day came. It was weird. When he came into the room and sat down, I immediately felt safe with him again, but I could barely talk. He asked me what was up, and I couldn't even answer him. I just shook my head no. He asked if I wanted him to take a look around, and I nodded. After he checked things out he said he needed x-rays and asked if that was OK. I told him yes. I gagged a couple times (one of my big fears), but I got through it.
All in all, I was happy with the appointment, except he kept asking me when I had been there last. I didn't answer him, and I'm pretty sure the date of my last appointment was right there on the computer screen. I'm really not sure why he was doing that, and I have to admit I'm still upset by it. The appointment ended on a good note, because he told me he knew that was hard for me and said it would be easier as I move forward.
The next step after that was taking care of the tooth that was hurting. It needed a root canal, so I went to the endodontist last week. He is wonderful, and I'm happy to say, a big believer in effective anesthesia. Still, the appointment was a little rough for me. There was no pain, but I was having a little trouble adapting to having all that stuff in my mouth. It was just that trapped, suffocating feeling that I get. He's ask me if I was doing OK when it happened, so he must have noticed I was getting weird. I know I could have stopped him too, but when he'd ask if I was OK, I'd snap back to reality.
My next step will be the hygiene appointment. I need to give myself a little time before I make that appointment. Not too much time. I don't want to lose momentum, but taking a little time will make me feel like I'm more in control. Plus, I want the tooth I just had treated to calm down. The endodontist said he really tugged on the ligament, and I'll be sore for a bit.
Kind of a long first post, but that's where I am now. I'll keep updating as I go on.
I guess I should say hello. I'm new here.
When the receptionist called me back, I saw the number on the caller ID, and I was too scared to answer the phone. When I listened to the message, I learned that the dentist had very kindly offered me a complimentary hygiene appointment. I wasn't ready for that, so I couldn't bring myself to call back.
Months went by and another decayed tooth broke. It started being painful, but knowing that things were getting worse made me even more scared to call. A month or so ago, I saw my dentist as I was walking past the building where his office is, and I forced myself to ask him if my first appointment could be with him rather than the hygienist. He said yes, but it was still a couple weeks before I was able to get myself to call for an appointment.
Finally, the big day came. It was weird. When he came into the room and sat down, I immediately felt safe with him again, but I could barely talk. He asked me what was up, and I couldn't even answer him. I just shook my head no. He asked if I wanted him to take a look around, and I nodded. After he checked things out he said he needed x-rays and asked if that was OK. I told him yes. I gagged a couple times (one of my big fears), but I got through it.
All in all, I was happy with the appointment, except he kept asking me when I had been there last. I didn't answer him, and I'm pretty sure the date of my last appointment was right there on the computer screen. I'm really not sure why he was doing that, and I have to admit I'm still upset by it. The appointment ended on a good note, because he told me he knew that was hard for me and said it would be easier as I move forward.
The next step after that was taking care of the tooth that was hurting. It needed a root canal, so I went to the endodontist last week. He is wonderful, and I'm happy to say, a big believer in effective anesthesia. Still, the appointment was a little rough for me. There was no pain, but I was having a little trouble adapting to having all that stuff in my mouth. It was just that trapped, suffocating feeling that I get. He's ask me if I was doing OK when it happened, so he must have noticed I was getting weird. I know I could have stopped him too, but when he'd ask if I was OK, I'd snap back to reality.
My next step will be the hygiene appointment. I need to give myself a little time before I make that appointment. Not too much time. I don't want to lose momentum, but taking a little time will make me feel like I'm more in control. Plus, I want the tooth I just had treated to calm down. The endodontist said he really tugged on the ligament, and I'll be sore for a bit.
Kind of a long first post, but that's where I am now. I'll keep updating as I go on.
I guess I should say hello. I'm new here.