Crown replacement anxiety

[stereoswimmer]

Hey again all. I posted here a few years ago regarding a crown put on one of my back molars. The shaping of the tooth was the most traumatic part of the procedure, but once the fittings of the crowns started, it wasn’t too bad.

Well, now due to either teeth grinding or something else, my crown popped off after 4 years and it was while I was eating so I crunched it in half.

Now I need to get a new crown. The previous dentist that I had a bad experience with has left the practice, and the only complaint I have about it is the fact that due to no pain in the tooth, he’s willing to wait two weeks.

Anyway, I’m feeling anxious again regarding the appointment to get a new crown. My anxiety is coming from a fear of pain/discomfort if they have to reshape the tooth for a new crown.

I’m hopeful that because there’s no pain or visible damage (and an xray from two months ago showed no cavity or abscess), that there won’t need to be any reshaping, but the previous experience has me really nervous about it.

Appointment is on Sep. 10.

 

[dade1980]

Hey Stereo-- I have the same fear and am exactly in a similar spot as you are (my appointment is on the 15th). My therapist has helped me work through my dental anxiety and it's (mostly) gone. Here are some thoughts:

1. no current pain is great! it means that the tooth is not a "worst case scenario" in the moment.
2. if (and I say a bit if) it does start to cause some discomfort, you can call the dentist. most dentists have emergency slots built into their schedule for situations like these. I can assure you that you would not be the first (or last) person to call with an emergency
3. for the next two weeks, try to make sure you are going easy on that side of your mouth (no hard stuff or sticky candy)

As far as the anxiety about the reshaping and the fear of anticipated possible pain-- that could actually happen. If it does, you have the option to raise your hand and get more novocaine. Also, when we are anxious, we are hyper aware of sensations in our bodies. You are going to be super focused on the possibility of pain so it multiplies what can be a small twinge into something bigger.

This is the part my therapist helped me with: Another thing to think about is that when you are in that dental chair and getting the work done, remind yourself that you are doing something to heal your body (getting a crown replacement) and that sometimes a bit of pain can come with healing. Pain doesn't always equal danger-- our brains trick us into thinking that. Think about a time when you scraped your knee or got a cut-- in the healing phases, there might have been times where there was a bit of pain because your body is doing it job in healing you.

As I sit here typing this to you, I am having a twinge of random sensitivity in a tooth that has a temporary crown. I'm worried that it's going to become a toothache and it's a holiday weekend AND my dentist is away all next week. What I'm choosing to do is breathe, distract myself, and seek support here. I'm with you-- we can make it through this together!

 

[stereoswimmer]

I appreciate the reply! I think the biggest worry I have is with my tongue. Like I said, it’s got a mind of its own so hopefully the dentist will be willing to numb my tongue from the get go rather than halfway through the procedure when it becomes a necessity.

I plan to communicate all of this with my dentist if I should need to get things reshaped, but the anxiety is creeping in from that fear.

 

[stereoswimmer]

Just chiming in once more because the anxiety is back. In my head, I know things will be fine, but the fear of having to have the tooth reshaped is gnawing at me once more.

As I mentioned, I'll definitely ask to have my tongue numbed. The crowned tooth still has its nerve, so that's another worry. It's to the point where my phobia wants me to cancel the appointment, but logically I know that not having a crown on the tooth will make things a billion times worse.

I think what I'm looking for are tips on how to get through things without having the fear dominate my mind and make me flinch in the chair. I have no issues getting into the chair, but remembering to breathe through my nose and just relax the best I can is tough for me. Thanks in advance.

 

[Vaidile]

Hi! I've never had a crown yet, but I'll share what helps me endure the chair. The most important part is trust and communication with the dentist. I believe yours is a new one - do you have any previous experience with them, or will this be the first time? Either way, I'd urge you to tell them of your fears and anxieties beforehand. It might turn out they have ways to alleviate some of them, and if not, even being aware that you're anxious should make them more gentle and attentive, in turn making it easier for you.

Distraction helps a lot. Some people like to wear earphones and listen to music during treatment. For me it would interfere with communication too much, but my dentist has a radio playing in the room, which is nice. A squeeze ball or fidget toy is a good idea, too. Anything that you could focus on instead of uncomfortable sensations in your mouth. I also highly recommend arranging a stop sign with the dentist. Even if you do not have to use it, just knowing you can stop whenever you get too overwhelmed makes you feel much less helpless and trapped.

With regards to pain, do you think you haven't been numbed enough for the shaping previously, or did it just not work well? Personally, I haven't even realized how stingy my previous dentist used to be with anesthetics before I experienced the difference with my current one. Tell the dentist you're afraid of feeling things and that you had a bad experience with this exact procedure. If they're a decent one, they'll want to ensure this time is different for you.

Try to keep yourself occupied until your appointment so you're not constantly thinking of it (I know it's easier said than done!) Let us know how it goes

 

[krlovesherkids777]

So second everything Vaidile said!! One wording I said to my last dentist was "I'm really anxious about this I want to MAKE SURE that if I'm feeling anything we will stop and make sure I am numb before we continue".. It will I think make them more conscience they need to be careful about this. It's a real fear for sure. you are not alone . Let us know how it goes!!

 

[stereoswimmer]

Thanks everyone, this is making me feel a bit better. I'm new to this dentist but not to the practice. Fortunately the dentist that I had the first time isn't with the practice anymore. It's a part of a regional chain, which... meh? Haha.

The dentist that I'll likely be with actually had to re-cement this crown a couple of months ago, and for some reason it came loose again, but this time I crunched down and destroyed the crown, so there's the dilemma. I feel very fortunate that I don't have any pain in the tooth and there doesn't *look* to be any damage. Plus my insurance won't cover a new crown, so I'm really hoping to get the bare minimum done to get it back in working condition. So we'll see what happens Wednesday.

Thanks again everyone. I feel a bit silly and embarrassed because I'm a guy that's nearly 40 years old, and it's affecting me this much. But you've all been great and I'll keep you posted.

 

[stereoswimmer]

Just wanted to pass along an update. I was able to get into the dentist a day early. I'm an overnight worker, so taking a little bit on control back and asking if they had an opening the day before in the afternoon was huge, and I was able to move things up.

I was able to explain everything to the dentist, who was very understanding and even lightly numbed me. There was a little bit of reshaping done and the numbing agent wasn't quite ready, but the shaping was so minor that it was a few moments of discomfort followed by all the easy stuff (getting the impressions done, fitting the temporary crown, etc).

I'm still not a fan of this process at all and I would probably request even more numbing next time they have to do anything, but hopefully that's far down the road. So in short, there was a bit of discomfort, but nothing that's left me a terrified, anxious mess. Progress!