Had my first checkup in years, worried about the results

[rany]

Hi all, I usually read this forum when I am having toothache and it lets me think "at least it isn't just me who is scared of dentists!", but today I finally gained the courage to have a checkup and they said lots of stuff is wrong...

I hadn't been to the dentist since I was about 15, I'm 23 now, when I last went I was knocked out for the treatment but woke up halfway through and could feel and see everything, this experience has made me terrified of dentists and scared to go back so I have just been ignoring my problems. In the checkup I only let them use the mirror and so they had to do an xray aswell (I am terrified of the scraper thing that they normally use in checkups)

I have a lot of tartar on the back of my bottom front teeth, which has all joined together and looks gross, my teeth felt so delicate that I daren't brush there and so it has built up and gradually gotten worse, last week it was uncomfortable to eat because my tongue was brushing against it and so that's what caused me to book the checkup. Good news from the xrays.... those teeth need the tartar cleaning off them badly, BUT the dentist said that there's still enough bone there that they are still going to be held in - I was afraid that the tartar was the only thing holding them in because there's so much of it and that made me scared to brush them or use them to chew.

I've only been chewing at the right side of my mouth for years, since a tooth at the left side chipped and I didn't want to chew there for incase it chipped more, there's also tartar on my upper teeth there. The dentist said that 2 teeth at the bottom left back need to be removed and 2 teeth at the upper back right also need to be removed - one of these is just a root though as the tooth chipped off years ago, then I need the cleaning on all teeth and multiple fillings but the dentist thought all my other teeth can be saved.

My main issue/worry was the front teeth that I was scared of losing but they should be ok, so I am happy about that. But... how am I meant to chew anything with back teeth missing at each side?? Now this is my new worry or that they find some other teeth that they think need to be removed nearer the front. One tooth near the front gets uncomfortable sometimes and feels like it has kinda popped out of place, but after wiggling my jaw or poking with my tongue it goes back to normal, I didn't mention this at the dentist but she didn't say anything bad about that tooth, maybe it could be the tartar making it feel like this?

I have to be referred to another dentist which will put me under GA to remove the teeth because I was so nervous, this will be in 4-6 weeks, but then I will still need the cleaning and fillings which I will have to be awake for but the dentist said she doesn't think sedation will do anything?? She didn't specify why? I am not sure why it wouldn't work and I don't think I'd be able to go there knowing I would be awake and aware of what is happening...

Anyway I seem to have written looooads, was just posting hoping for some reassurance or hearing peoples experience of missing some back teeth.. now to brush properly and worry for weeks until the appointment for the GA is booked, but at least I finally got the first step completed!

 

[gamergirl123]

But... how am I meant to chew anything with back teeth missing at each side??

Takes practice but it is doable. I Have partials that i almost never wear and i eat w/o them all the time. I have both wisdoms, a 2nd molar, and front 4 teeth on the top gone and i have all lower molars and a front tooth missing.

 

[GreenTea]

Hi - and welcome to the forum! I just wanted to help with your worries about the tartar by telling you about my recent experience. I recently went to the dentists after a very long break (15 years...). Not surprisingly I've needed a fair bit of work done - extractions, crown, fillings and a whopping great clean. Like you I had loads of tartar behind by front bottom teeth and like you I was convinced that this was all that was holding my teeth in place. Because of this I was terrified of the clean more than any of my other dental work. I had my clean done under sedation and I was sure I would wake up to find that my teeth had come out with the cleaning. But no - I woke up to find super clean teeth still very much in place! I am now so proud of my clean teeth I am looking after them really well. I still have a long way to go with my dental work - still need fillings and next year a couple of implants but now that my teeth are clean again it all seems possible.

Please dont one worry about your clean - you will come away from it feeling really happy I can assure you. Keep in touch on here and let us know how you get on.