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Extraction soon

A

Aries92

Member
Joined
May 3, 2021
Messages
31
Location
Massachusetts
It has been a bit since I have posted on here, but I always find myself back here for support from those who understand the fear surrounded by the dentist. Recently I went for a checkup at a new dental office and was pleased with the dentist and thought she was very warm and kind and I trusted her to do work on me. When she gave me a run down of what I needed done it was mostly fillings. A crown on tooth next to my front tooth that never got crowned after a root canal. I was also told that tooth #14, or the “first molar” on my left side which was root canalled and crowned about 10 years ago was now decayed under the crown and would need to be extracted. I already kind of knew this going into this appt so I wasn’t too surprised. I could tell the crown was a bit loose for a little while so I had prepared myself for this news. I informed her I would like to have this tooth replaced with an implant as I am missing the molar behind it already so without tooth 14 there I would have no molars for chewing on the left side. She referred me to a facial surgeon, and after a consultation with him I was quoted 1k for sedation/extraction, 6k for sinus lift, bone graft, and implant/screw, and 2k for the crown/tooth. About 9k and some change, nauseating. After a few weeks of weighing out financial options I have figured out how to pay for this. Now that that burden has subsided I am left with the anxiety of having this extraction, although I will be asleep for it I am still so afraid of missing a tooth, what people will think of me if they see it when I smile (again it is the first molar, or 6 teeth back from your front tooth) and just the self consciousness I will have to feel for the next several months until the implant process is completed. This has affected my anxiety and panic disorder immensely and sky rocketed my anxiety for the last few weeks, and now I am 10 days out from extraction day and I am unable to sleep at night, I wake up every 30 min or so after panic shakes me awake. I have terrible, scary nightmares about the procedure and waking up to find they have pulled all my teeth, that I don’t wake up, etc. this is haunting me and has taken absolute full control over my life. I will attach a photo of the tooth that is coming out. If anyone has any advice or words of encouragement, grateful and appreciative would be an understatement. Thanks for taking the time to read. Love & support to all on here <3
 

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Dear Aries92,

I‘m so sorry to read about your situation. Anxiety and panic disorder is tough even without extractions! :( You are very brave to go through this. Now, let me get to your worries. Not sure how brigth your smile usually is but I‘d be very suprised if anyone noticed. Actually I have had a new job for almost 9 months now and it‘s just few years back that I noticed that one of my colleagues is missing a premolar - a tooth that‘s even closer to the front than your molar. She laughs and smiles a lot and I‘ve never noticed before! When it comes to dealing with the panic attacks, that‘s a tough one. If you have been in therapy before, then maybe refreshing what you learned there may be a good idea. Getting in touch with a therapist to get some extra support and some skills to get through this phase may also be good. If you‘re getting any medication then consulting your psychiatrist to see whether a temporary increase in dose may be of use may help as well, however 10 days may not be long enough to actually have any effect (and I‘m realizing that now it‘s even less than 10 days).
Have you been through similar anxiety-intense-phases before and if so, was there anything that you have found helpful?

All the best wishes
 
@Aries92

I have anxiety and panic attacks too and understand all too well how dental fears can ruin your sleep and take over your thoughts.

Some things that have helped me a little bit lately: having someone to talk/cry to and letting it all out, using a heating pad on my neck before bed (relaxes my jaw muscles so I’m less likely to clench at night and wake myself up), and also laying down and listening to this positive affirmations yoga video by one of my favorite yoga YTers before bed… or as often as needed. I’m not even an affirmations type of person, but apparently I am when I’m really freaked out and depressed.

Best of luck with your procedures. The anticipation seems to be the worst part.
 
For what it's worth I went 10 years with that tooth missing, and was VERY self conscious of it. Then when I finally had a crown and bridge and went around smiling like an idiot and was so excited it became apparent that no one had noticed. When you start noticing, a ton of people are missing that particular tooth. It'll all be good in the end. I find that just being grateful that I can find the money for these things is very helpful. You are doing something really good for yourself :)
 
@Aries92

I totally relate to your fears and not sleeping. I had a tooth extracted under iv sedation in feb i honestly didnt feel or recall anything when i was woken its amazing. Iv is amazing . The tooth your having extracted does not seem to be visible if you smile then i wouldnt bother with a implant . Looks like you have many other teeth . Ps i have bridge and plate tooth purely due to the fact they are at the front and visible .
 
@Enarete thank you so much for your reply. Hearing your experience with your co worker and how you only just recently noticed makes me feel a bit better. As with everything I think we as humans just tend to fixate on things this making it much worse for ourselves. I was luckily able to get some sleep meds from my psych so. At least I can sleep a bit at night. I very much appreciate your kind reply and I wish you all the best :)
 
@Former member 33748 thank you for the recommendations! I am going to try that yoga video! You are so absolutely right the anticipation is much worse than the procedure itself, or any outcome following it, I guess I can find a small amount of comfort in that. Thank you again :)
 
@Cosmo moment of truth I have that tooth missing on the other side as well, and I replaced it with a bridge after years of it missing and I too realized that no one had even noticed in the first place. But for some reason I can’t get out of my own head that this time it will be different. Maybe because I am missing tooth 15 as well, so I am going to “feel” more “toothless” than what others are going to be able to see, making me extremely self conscious. Thank you for your reply it’s nice to hear from someone who can relate and provide some comforting words. All the best to you.
 
@Jackieallen I will be receiving IV sedation as well which I think is for the best despite my fears of getting put to sleep…just can’t wait til this is all over. Honestly I would probably not bother with the implant or maybe even put it off for a while if I had tooth 15, but unfortunately I lost that one as well so I would be without molars on the left side :/ thank you for your reply, all the best to you!
 
I have only molars on one side and manage ok . Seriously please dont worry about the sedation its lovely line in and your out ..and monitored constantly by the ane..tha ...tis can spell it lol . I dont have anything bad to say about sedation it will be a breeze . Although i am sad you have to pay so much i paid only 280 gbp for sedation and extraction.
 
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