Fear of injection and noise of drill and pressure of drill

[Davidbb]

Please can any dentist help me please I'm 69 and have to go to the local dentist here in fakenham Norfolk for the first time in three years for a filling,however I'm so scared its ridicules. I'm frightened of the injection yet I have injections in my toes and the noise of the drill is the one that's troubling me along with the grinding of the drill. My fear of this is overwhelming. My fear of the anesthectic is that three years ago I had to have a bottom tooth out and the dentist administer the anesthectic but she didn't give enough time for it to work and I felt the tooth being pulled and it hurt me and now I'm going to a new dentist that has a good reputation and yet I'm still scared at my age plus I'm disabled and have a pacemaker fitted yet I'm scared can someone please help me.

 

[akn12h]

I can completely sympathise with you. I'm 3yrs old and went for my first ever filling yesterday. After a 15yrs absence from a dentist chair. The whole experience was no where near as bad as my phobia had have me believe. A deep filling that on a molar that needed a pulp cap. The first injections were totally painless after the numbing gell. I was told that I wanted her to stop at any point to raise my hand. During the drilling it got uncomfortable but she noticed before I'd got to the point of rasing my hand. She then gave me more la.(she later explained that anxiety causes us to metabolise the la much faster so she will stop to do this in future with me.) The biggest tip that I could pass on to dealing with the dentist is to take in a device to play music through headphones. I had an album that holds many memories so played that and got immersed in the music. There's no way of drowning out the vibrations from the coarse burr drilling. Best of luck with it. My next appointment is for a rroot canal. That I'm not looking forward to, but I'm determined to get on top of this.

 

[ScaredyCat22]

there is really no way to get around the vibration that you will feel from the drill, but you could try wearing headphones during your appointment. if you listen to music during the procedure it may help... they also have noise cancelling headphones these days which block out sounds from other sources. you would still feel the vibration but not have to hear it. I hate that noise too, it terrifies me.

 

[AsaGohan]

Let the new dentist know about your previous experience. They need to know about it.

Have you looked into the help section of this website?

What Can Help

What can you do to overcome dental phobia? Get information about psychological strategies, new technologies, and sedation.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

It lists everything the dentist can do to make it easier. I personally love what my dentist does for me.

1. I bring in a stuffed animal to hold during appointment
2. Xanax
3. Laughing gas

Discuss your fears with the new dentist and see what they say. There are a lot of things that can help. I suggest the headphones like everyone else too.