Had been soo brave now appointment looming...

[Miss Sparkle]

Hey guys,

I haven't posted for a while. I am due to have 3 teeth extracted on the 20th November

For those of you who have not read my post, I did not go for 14 years and now have to have a totally broken black hole of a decayed tooth removed, together with an impacted wisdom tooth and another tooth is to be removed as there is not enough room for it.

I had been so brave (or in denial) and now the appointment is on the horizon and I cannot eat and am not sleeping well, my work is suffering also.

My dentist said all three at once with IV and all I will feel is the prick of the IV and then it will be over. I am sceptical and keep trying to imagine him taking them out and the horrific experience I had previously. I feel so sick and tired of this fear and do not know if I can go to the appointment.

I know it is the right thing to do. I know I will feel soo much better for it but the thought reduces me to tears, I am scared of dry socket as well and I don't want 3 taken at once as my mouth will be such a mess with both sides and upper and lower extractions.

My question is, will I know what is happening at the time of the tooth removal? If I can feel anything or am aware of pressure or tugging or smells, cracking teeth, noises e.t.c. I know I will leap out of the chair. I understand that I will not remember but my concern is whether I will make it through the proceedure. I now wonder of G.A. would have been a better option but I did not want the drama of that.

Please help me, I need to function!!

Thanks.

 

[Stress Doc]

Hi Miss Sparkle:

IV sedation is an awesome option. The dentist is being truthful with you. A small prick, if you even feel it, and in a minute or less your worries are gone. This is safer option than GA and just as effective. You will not feel any pain. The medications will cause you not to remember anything about the procedure.

After the prick the next thing you will know you will be waking up with everything done. I doubt you will be aware of any time passage. The medications used for IV sedation a basically fool-proof. I can promise you that it will be nothing like your last experience. No pain, no worries, no problems. You will not be aware of what is going on, the medication blocks this. You will be able to follow basic instructions but not be aware of conversations or anything. You are in a state called "twilight sleep" This is semi-conscious state. IV sedation is the best sedation for anxious patients.

The recovery time for extractions is fairly short. You should be eating fairly normally in a few days. A bit of soreness that ibuprofen will take care of. If there is any swelling and ice bag will solve this.

Dry socket is not very common, only in about 5% of the cases. The most common causes are:

1. Smoking. Smoking: decreases healing, decrease blood supply to the protective blood clot, brings toxic products to the area, injuries the gum tissue and the negative pressure of sucking removes the blood clot from the surgery site.​
   
   [*]
   If you do not care for your extraction site as instructed by dentist​
   [*]Drinking through a straw or excessive mouth rinsing

If it does occur it is easily taken care of by the dentist.

You are going to do great. It is virtually impossible for you to be anxious under the influence of the medications used in the IV.

This will be the most pleasant dental experience you have ever had.
I hope this helps.


Peace to you

 

[Miss Sparkle]

Thank you Stress Doc,

So as I understand it, I will not be aware of anything.

That makes me feel a bit better but then scares me if I will suddenly wake up with blood everywhere and a swollen face and horrible gummy bits

I am not scared of blood or particularly bothered about pain anywhere else in my body but this fear of everything in my mouth is a nightmare and I know for a fact the first thing I will do is ram my tongue where the rotten tooth hole is at the moment because I always do that to check it's not changed. I am going to have to be soo strong not to rinse my mouth and not to poke and prod and look at the holes with a dental mirror. As I do not want to give myself dry socket but this is going to be tough as I spend most of my time poking and prodding and analysing!!

Feel sicky

 

[Stress Doc]

Hi Miss Sparkle:

No poking, No prodding. If you feel the urge, go for a walk or doing something to occupy you. We do not break habits, we replace them. Stay out of the bathroom, get rid of the hand held mirrors and what not. The instant you feel the urge to check, get up and get moving. New habits are your best friend.

You have the power to overcome the habit. The checking behavior is done to provide comfort but only reinforces the fear and leads to more checking.

You will be able to rinse with salt water, just not excessively. You dentist will give you detailed instructions.

You will not wake up bloody or a mess. Just does not happen. You will be just fine.

If you can be aware of what is going on with IV sedation that would be a medical miracle. Cannot happen with the medications used in IV sedation. They relax you to such a point we could slide you under most doors and through mail slots.

Blessings

 

[faint]

Hi,
just reading through your post there and im also looking for some reassurance. I Have to get 4 teeth removed and fillings all under IV SEDATION throughout december. I have not been to the dentist in about 12 years, and although I thought i have been brave, as my appointment gets closer i constantly feel sick. Cant eat, sleep and I am constantly looking at my teeth. Nothing I do is taking my mind off it.
I am more so worrying about getting the IV because everyone has said you dont remember the treatment just getting the pinchh from the needle. Another 1 of my phobias and I am petrified!!!!!
guess its just a prick. I have heard to many gory stories but all I am heariing now is that IV SEDATION IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am sure you will be fine and will be writing on this after saying what were you worrying about..its nothing at all, over and done with before you know it. Good luck!x

 

[GrahamDee]

I have said this on many postings with regard to IV sedation. I had an extraction under IV (being a hopeless phobic) and trust me, nothing is easier.

A small, tiny little pinch in the back of the hand, sit back in the chair and suddenly find myself in the next room minus tooth. Its quick, instant with no memory or feelings of the whole procedure.

IV is totally fantastic. Please don't worry about it. You will do great.

 

[JessicaB]

I had IV sedation last month for three extractions and I don't remember a thing, in fact when it was all over I didn't even realise that they had taken the teeth out at first! I was very surprised at just how unaware I was. All the best

 

[cradleygirl]

Hi Miss Sparkle:

IV sedation is an awesome option. The dentist is being truthful with you. A small prick, if you even feel it, and in a minute or less your worries are gone. This is safer option than GA and just as effective. You will not feel any pain. The medications will cause you not to remember anything about the procedure.

After the prick the next thing you will know you will be waking up with everything done. I doubt you will be aware of any time passage. The medications used for IV sedation a basically fool-proof. I can promise you that it will be nothing like your last experience. No pain, no worries, no problems. You will not be aware of what is going on, the medication blocks this. You will be able to follow basic instructions but not be aware of conversations or anything. You are in a state called "twilight sleep" This is semi-conscious state. IV sedation is the best sedation for anxious patients.

The recovery time for extractions is fairly short. You should be eating fairly normally in a few days. A bit of soreness that ibuprofen will take care of. If there is any swelling and ice bag will solve this.

Dry socket is not very common, only in about 5% of the cases. The most common causes are:

1. Smoking. Smoking: decreases healing, decrease blood supply to the protective blood clot, brings toxic products to the area, injuries the gum tissue and the negative pressure of sucking removes the blood clot from the surgery site.​
   
   [*]
   If you do not care for your extraction site as instructed by dentist​
   [*]Drinking through a straw or excessive mouth rinsing

If it does occur it is easily taken care of by the dentist.

You are going to do great. It is virtually impossible for you to be anxious under the influence of the medications used in the IV.

This will be the most pleasant dental experience you have ever had.
I hope this helps.


Peace to you

hi miss sparkle, i can tell you i have had this and i promise you,( i am like you scared stiff,) i have never felt or rememberd anything, im going on the 20th nov & im having all my top teeth taken out, i am still scared, but i know once ive had the sedation i will be fine, its just when i first sit in that denist chair,
you will be fine x the stress doc is 100% right

 

[Snowball]

I had avoided the dentist for over 20 years when I had my IV procedures. It took 2 hours, I needed so much done.

I came home, slept it off, and honestly and truly remember thinking *I'd go back tomorrow and have that done again* it was SO easy. Trust me. Just this once - go on! 18 months on and I have since had a root canal with no sedation - because the IV helped me get in the chair and get things done, and then I could see - nothing actually hurts.

 

[Miss Sparkle]

Thank you for all your kind words of reassurance, they are of great help to me.

I am still not sleeping very well and average about 3 hours each night!! I hope you guys are right and I can post a success story!!

I have to confess I did dial the dentist to cancel my appointment earlier but I put the phone down before it connected.

I am going to try and be strong and get this damned thing over with!! Still keep worrying about the aftercare, numbness and pain but am hoping the sense of relief will block this all out!!

Will keep you updated. Not long now....

 

[swansong]

Hi Miss Sparkle,

I just wanted to say I really hope you don't cancel that appointment, and to share something I only recently figured out that's helping me to lower my anxiety levels a bit - there's no point stressing over the after until you've actually done the before.... sounds simple, doesn't it, but I think most of us on here know how hard it can be to stay in the present! So all I can suggest is that you just try to take it one step at a time, that's really all any of us can do isn't it? Good luck and keep us posted....

 

[GrahamDee]

Thank you for all your kind words of reassurance, they are of great help to me.

I am still not sleeping very well and average about 3 hours each night!! I hope you guys are right and I can post a success story!!

I have to confess I did dial the dentist to cancel my appointment earlier but I put the phone down before it connected.

I am going to try and be strong and get this damned thing over with!! Still keep worrying about the aftercare, numbness and pain but am hoping the sense of relief will block this all out!!

Will keep you updated. Not long now....

Sparkle, please, please don't cancel. You will regret it later. You will be absolutley fine - please trust me on this. It will all be over before you realise it - IV is fantastic, awesome stuff and you will want it for everything!!

I have spent most of my life in fear of extractions and thanks to IV, I would have no hesitation when it comes to having another tooth out.

You will do great - promise.

 

[muso]

You can do it Miss Sparkle...I felt the same and listened to the advice here ..best advice I ever had....we are with you..

 

[Miss Sparkle]

Hey guys,

I have been up all night and am at work now crying.

I really cannot see how I am going to muster the strength to go.

I do not know how I will get myself to the office and into the chair without diazepam or anything. (My dentist said you cannot have it with IV).

I know fear is irrational and cancelling would be stupid because it is putting off the inevitable but it is all I can think of doing

Thanks to everyone for your support and I keep logging on (even though I'm at work and should be doing other things) and am reading and re-reading everyones comments as you are the only people who can understand how I feel.

 

[Snowball]

I hope you go. Afterwards you'll wonder what you ever worried about.

 

[GrahamDee]

Hey guys,

I have been up all night and am at work now crying.

I really cannot see how I am going to muster the strength to go.

I do not know how I will get myself to the office and into the chair without diazepam or anything. (My dentist said you cannot have it with IV).

I know fear is irrational and cancelling would be stupid because it is putting off the inevitable but it is all I can think of doing

Thanks to everyone for your support and I keep logging on (even though I'm at work and should be doing other things) and am reading and re-reading everyones comments as you are the only people who can understand how I feel.

Awww Sparkle....

If someone would grant me a single wish...it would have been someone film me having an IV. Then I could post on here how I was before and then after, and then you could see for yourself how great IV is.

I was a sleepless emotional wreck before I have mine done. I was shaking almost to tears before I went to face the "chair". The anaethetist guy had to come looking for me. Hell - I even looked at climbing out the toilet window at one point.

But I stuck it and made my way into the surgery, and I was a hopeless incoherent mess at that point. But once the cannula went in (a very small tiny little pinch), it was basically over. I laid back in the chair and I was suddenly in the next room minus tooth. All over, finished and done. I felt, saw and remembered nothing.

I guess I am repeating what I've already said before - you will be fine. You will do great. IV is wonderful stuff - its the holy grail of dental-wusses like me.

Please PLEASE stick it out. Hang in there. You have NOTHING to worry about.

I guess you may read this and say its easy to write this than to actually go through with it - but I have been exactly where you are right now.

Please trust me - when its over you will feel SOOO much better.

If there is any more you want to know about it, feel free to PM me. But to be honest, there isn't a great deal I can add to what I've already said.

Pinch...squirt...done!!


As Poodleloo has said "Afterwards you'll wonder what you ever worried about." and its true!!!

 

[Zoritsa]

I have said this on many postings with regard to IV sedation. I had an extraction under IV (being a hopeless phobic) and trust me, nothing is easier.

A small, tiny little pinch in the back of the hand, sit back in the chair and suddenly find myself in the next room minus tooth. Its quick, instant with no memory or feelings of the whole procedure.

IV is totally fantastic. Please don't worry about it. You will do great.

This is what I remember about IV sedation too.In fact,i'm not as frightened by the oral surgeon as I am the dentist,because I know I wont feel or remember a thing.It's almost for my oral surgeon.

 

[faint]

good luck with your appointment. you will be fine. my sister got 3 teeth pulled today under IV and she is fine now. Slept for a while earlier and is watching a film now , no pain. She was so anxious , it was terrible to see her like that because she is great now, and thats it over with. you will be the same. good luck!!

 

[Miss Sparkle]

Thanks again guys.

I have 6 hours to go.......................

I am working this morning (well not really). I got no sleep last night but maybe that is a good thing as will be able to sleep afterwards.

I am really hoping that I can get in the chair this afternoon as you guys have all done it and I am very confident from what you have all said that once the iv is in it is basically job done. It is just getting to the chair and horrible gagging x-rays first.

I am petrified of the aftercare and horrible throbbing and gummy bits too but as Swansong said there is no point stressing about the after until I have done the before and hopefully the relief of completing the treatment will get me through that.

Anyways, I feel I would be letting you brave folk down if I do not go!! So the pressure is on and I really hope tomorrow I can post on here with some good news.

Tears are welling up again now

 

[Snowball]

Aw, you can do it! I had a wisdom tooth out (along with a massive crown, and a lot of fillings some of them deep) and honestly there was no throbbing afterwards. No pain. Not even discomfort. Nothing. As for 'gummyness' yur mouth kind of feels clean (finally!) and nice pretty well from the get-go. It heals fast, and you'll be sleepy enough to probably go home and sleep through the more immediate effects, honest!

Thinking of you today and willing you on. You won;t regret going but you'll hugely regret it if you don't go. xxx