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Extraction tomorrow

R

Ramkiwis

Junior member
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
6
Location
Germany
I've been lurking around this forum for over a year now, but I registered only today and this is my first post.

I've been struggling with my teeth all my life. They were always in a terrible condition and I avoided dentists for around 10 years. I even moved countries (which was also terrifying for me) but still didn't go although my old fillings kept falling out and bits of teeth kept breaking off. It got to the point where my teeth were the only thing I could think of, I dreamt of them all falling out many nights and my anxiety level was through the roof all the time.

After reading through this forum for months, I gathered enough confidence to finally go to the dentist last August. I was so ashamed of myself, but she was okay (of course she was!). By the end of the year, she managed to get my mouth to a more or less usable condition.

Unfortunately, some teeth couldn't be saved - I need three bottom molars removed in addition to all four wisdom teeth that apparently caused some of my problems.

My surgery is tomorrow. It will be done under general anasthesia. 5 of the 7 teeth will be removed. And I am freaking out. I'm worried about the surgery itself, even more people looking into my ugly mouth, the pain and the possible complications, money, having such a big gap in my mouth for months afterwards. Once again, I've dreamt about teeth for the past three nights. Now, less that 24 hours to go and I want to skip the surgery completely because I'm thinking in the short run it's not worth it. I know it's not reasonable but I can't help it.

I'm not sure what I expect from this post, but I needed to get it off my chest.
 
Worry is my middle name so I can relate 100%, you are about to accomplish a major step in your journey which is awesome. Think of how far you have come, teeth have been a struggle my whole life too. I think about them way more than I should. Post an update on this thread after your appointment. Sending you a hug :hug4:
 
I've been lurking around this forum for over a year now, but I registered only today and this is my first post.

I've been struggling with my teeth all my life. They were always in a terrible condition and I avoided dentists for around 10 years. I even moved countries (which was also terrifying for me) but still didn't go although my old fillings kept falling out and bits of teeth kept breaking off. It got to the point where my teeth were the only thing I could think of, I dreamt of them all falling out many nights and my anxiety level was through the roof all the time.

After reading through this forum for months, I gathered enough confidence to finally go to the dentist last August. I was so ashamed of myself, but she was okay (of course she was!). By the end of the year, she managed to get my mouth to a more or less usable condition.

Unfortunately, some teeth couldn't be saved - I need three bottom molars removed in addition to all four wisdom teeth that apparently caused some of my problems.

My surgery is tomorrow. It will be done under general anasthesia. 5 of the 7 teeth will be removed. And I am freaking out. I'm worried about the surgery itself, even more people looking into my ugly mouth, the pain and the possible complications, money, having such a big gap in my mouth for months afterwards. Once again, I've dreamt about teeth for the past three nights. Now, less that 24 hours to go and I want to skip the surgery completely because I'm thinking in the short run it's not worth it. I know it's not reasonable but I can't help it.

I'm not sure what I expect from this post, but I needed to get it off my chest.
Hi. Dont worry-- you'll be out during surgery, which won't take long, and the surgeon and nurses are not there to judge you, they are there to make you better. You are on the first stage of a short journey back to happiness after a long, sad, and I'm sure lonely trek. You will not believe how you feel afterwards, so concentrate on that future. After all, you'll be unconscious during the procedure. I was awake for mine, and it was fine, really. I wish you well, and hope you get back soon with great news. It will be an excuse for me to drink beer :)
 
Oh, and by the way, you won't be empty mouth for too long--I had impressions taken before and during surgery for immediate dentures, available a month later. They weren't brilliant, but I could eat an apple after thirty years. Woo! Got some better ones now. Best wishes.
 
Hi Ramkiwis :welcome:,

it's lovely to have you here with your first post.

First of all, very well done on having made the huge step in August and if I got you right, there is a good portion of treatment that you already have managed to get through, so give yourself a pat on the back for that.

It is normal to have highs and lows during the journey towards dental health and there are always things that seem to me more difficult than others. It sounds like your appointment tomorrow is one of the more scary things things and it's normal that you are freaking out. Sorry to read about your dreams..

To your worries.. "even more people looking into my ugly mouth". It sounds to me that your dentist had fixed the biggest part of your issues and all you need it to have your wisdom teeth removed (which most of folks do need and a lot of people who have them have decay on them as they are hard to reach which every dentist knows) and three molars. That's less than everyone who works in dentistry sees on the regular basis. Also your dental team providing general anesthesia will be used to deal with phobic patients who very rarely have perfect teeth. I understand that you are not happy with your teeth but nobody of your dental team will judge you. Also they will be too busy focusing on the treatment. I know saying it won't just make your fear vanish, but maybe give you a different perspective.

"the pain and possible complications" - if you can, talk to your doctor about this. Some Ibuprofen should take care of any pain after the procedures and if you feel something is not right you can ask your dentist about it. As far as I know, the most dentists in Germany schedule their patients to a checkup one or two days after a tooth removal just to make sure everything is right.

Money sadly is an issue.. hopefully your dentist provided you with a clear plan about cost and also gave you options covered by your insurance..

Did you talk about immediate dentures that would replace the missing teeth to give you some time before deciding how you would like to replace them permanently in the future? If not, it might be a good idea to talk to your dentist about this, no dentist will want to let you with missing teeth for months..

Fear sucks but you are doing the right thing. Keeping my fingers crossed for you to be able to find a way to stay disctracted until your procedure comes

All the best wishes, and keep us updated.
 
Thank you all for your replies, it's a voice of reason that I need today. It should be less scary than the first couple of visits when my teeth and gums were in a much worse state, but somehow it isn't. My dentist and the surgeon who will do the procedure and both their teams were nothing but professional even at the very beginning, but I just can't help thinking they are still as grossed out as I am.

I can probably deal with the pain and I also have a check up scheduled already for Tuesday. Now that I think of it, it's really the gaps that now scare me. We already have a plan for two implants on one side and a bridge on the other, but healing will take some time.

I also have an estimate on how much this all will cost me, and luckily I've been saving for as long as I was trying to force myself to go see a dentist so next month I'll have just enough, but there's still a chance it will be more if I need bone augmentation for the implants or something. Can't stop the "what if" thinking.

Anyway, I'm really glad I finally wrote here and I wish I did it sooner. It's good to put everything into words and see how little sense some of my thoughts make. And you sharing your perspective is also helpful. Thank you again, I'll make sure to give you an update tomorrow, if I don't chicken out in the end.
 
I went through with it. Not sure how I feel yet as I'm still groggy. They gave me my teeth to take home and I was so creeped out by this I wanted them to throw them away immediately but I couldn't tell them. Yuck.
 
Congrats and very well done, Ramkiwis. :perfect:Wow, the thing with the teeth.. would freak me out as well.. take care, recover soon and keep us posted.
 
Ok, I was thinking it's not that bad, it hurts but I can handle it. I was finally calming down after this day.

BUT. I was supposed to have two wisdom teeth left for now because of something they need later, imprint for the bridge if I remember correctly. I finally made myself look in the mirror and I think they pulled out the wisdom teeth ON THE WRONG SIDE. Maybe I just misunderstood something and all is fine, but now I'm freaking out again. Luckily, I have a visit first thing tomorrow morning so I can clarify this.

On the creepy-funny side, the "Zähnchen", as the doctor affectionately called them (it means little toothies), fell out of the little bag they were in and pieces spilled all over our car and the freaking street as we were getting out. I'm sure at some point in my life I will be able to laugh about this.
 
I wish you well, and hope you get back soon with great news. It will be an excuse for me to drink beer :)

All in all, I'm proud of myself that I went, even if they pulled the wrong teeth and I'll have to add more visits or more money to all this. Get yourself that beer, Veejay, and I'll join you as soon as I can!
 
Well done, Ramkiwis! High five! And so you should be proud of yourself, a huge victory. Life can only get better now, so concentrate on your future, and file the misery away in the back of your mind. I'm off for a beer :)
 
It sounds you have done amazingly well with all this and maintained your sense of humor through it though a little odd things with the little teeth falling out and such. Hope they did not.. get the wrong wisdom tooth.
 
The doctor says they pulled the correct teeth, but he's someone I've never seen before prior to my surgery yesterday. I guess I'll have to trust him for now and I'll try not to worry too much. :(
 
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