Disappointed my dentist and feel really bad

[Thxswxzxy]

Last week I was worrying about getting a halfway-done root canal finished by my dentist on one of my bottom left molars. I asked for an IAN/IDB block and even though I felt a slight pain while they were cleaning my roots with the long, spinning machine it went well. They filled them up and gave me a temporary filling, saying next week (today) they will patch it up permanently.

Unfortunately today didn’t go well. I was expecting it to be easier and when I asked my dentist they even said that there are no nerves and it shouldn’t hurt. They also said they would just be filling it and will not be opening up the nerves again.

I wanted the nerve block again so I could be calm but the head dentist who did mine last week wasn’t in today, so my dentist said she could only do local anaesthetic for that tooth only and assured me it would not hurt.

The second she got to drilling the temporary filling out it hurt…
I told her and without hesitation she stopped and said to come in tomorrow when the head doctor would be in. I have another cavity two teeth down from this root canal and she said she’d do both tomorrow. I could’ve told her to do it today as local anaesthetic should’ve been enough for it, but I was too scared even though I’m 20 and should be a grown man by now. I was too worried and have trust issues.

I feel really bad because I wasted my dentist’s time and it literally took 5 minutes between me going in and her sending me back out. I apologised twice but she said not to and how it’s not about her it’s about me, but I could tell she was annoyed and probably got mad after I left. I had a 1-hour slot and I wasted it.

I’m still confused why I still feel pain when supposedly I shouldn’t as the nerves have been removed and filled. What is wrong with me?

I just feel disappointed and I’m tearing up due to what I did, also I know my family will be mad at me. When my dad heard I was scared of the dentist last week he went on about how “boys your age used to go to war” and I don’t plan on telling him how I backed out because I’ll just get ridiculed. Hopefully tomorrow goes better. Usually local anaesthetic works on me and 2 years ago I had a root canal on one of my premolars that went fine, so I don’t know why it doesn’t work.

Thank you to @Gordon for helping me and congratulating me last week, I’m sorry that I couldn’t do it today.

 

[letsconnect]

Hey, don't feel bad! To be honest, I'm a bit taken aback that a qualified dentist wouldn't know how to do a nerve block, to me that seems odd. Dental treatment should not be painful in this day and age. There's nothing wrong with you, and you've done nothing wrong .

By the way, a nerve block is also a form of local anaesthesia, i.e. numbing a specific part of your body.

I'll let Gordon answer your actual questions

 

[Gordon]

I'm a bit lost for words, a dentist who can't do a nerve block?
I'm not sure where the pain could be coming from, but my best guess is that the tooth in front may be a bit sensitive, if the cavity is down deeply between the teeth then the water spray from the drill could be hitting the back of the root of the one in front, which would hurt a bit. Also you mention you've other decay in that area? Again water spray from the drill or even from the suction hose could set them off if they're a bit sensitive.

As for your Dad, everybody is scared of something and it's not always rational.
Take me for instance, I'm utterly terrified of... fish! (I'll allow you a quick chuckle at that).

Honestly I struggle to look at a fish tank, going into an aquarium is absolute torture for me. I can't even eat the slimy things. I'd sooner face a Panzer Division than go swimming with goldfish

 

[Thxswxzxy]

@Gordon @letsconnect thank you for your help! I went today and it went much better. I got the nerve block and my dentist patched up the tooth with the filled nerves along with the smaller cavity 2 teeth ahead.

I felt no pain this time and it was nice. The only issue was from the injection - I felt a sharper pain than last time but it was quick and I got numb so I was relieved.

I felt numbness all the way up to my ear just behind my temple. It wore off a few hours later, so hopefully no nerve damage or anything occurred, the only issue now is that it hurts quite a lot when I open my mouth to eat. I am certain it’s from the injection and I hope it gets better tomorrow. I haven’t been able to chew as the pain shoots up each time, so I either have to open very slowly or just stick to drinking.

I am happy it is out of the way though and tomorrow hopefully I can start chewing on that side for good.

Thank you for sharing your fear too haha, it’s interesting to hear about and it certainly helped me brighten up!

 

[Gordon]

Your jaw joint will be a bit sore from the injections and general mucking about. A small ice pack from some frozen veg wrapped in a tea towel applied over the area will help. Do it for 5 mins at a time and repeat every few hours for 48 hrs if you can be bothered.

Imagine my surprise and delight when I was 2 weeks into my dental course, walked into the biology lab and was handed a dead dogfish to dissect... almost dropped out on the spot.