Hopefully the answer to a life time of dental problems

[pootle]

Hello I posted here a few months back. I wasn't a typical forum poster, in the way that I was already under the care of a dentist and had been having treatment for years. However due to continued issues with numbing not working and just a build up of anxiety, my dental phobia came back. I stopped going for treatment, stopped looking after my teeth....ending up being so afraid of noticing a new problem that I simply couldn't focus on my teeth at all and even took to cleaning them with the lights switched off. There are a few other issues, but I won't go into them here. Basically I needed a new way forward, but taking the decision to try someone new wasn't an easy one. I trusted my previous dentist (mostly...just not on the painless part), I knew the staff really well, I knew the building and it was within walking distance of where I live. I suspected a few things wrong with my teeth but couldn't face a full checkup. That's when I posted about a "half mouth" check up and one dentist replied....Lincoln Hirst. I liked his reply, I liked other peoples words about him too ! I then emailed him my complete dental history and rather than legging it, he replied and offered to see me. I left it a few weeks, and then yesterday had my first appointment with him. At first I really wasn't sure. new place, new people, new layout and also a very long drive, with the roundabout from hell in the middle. However once inside I slowly started to feel better. Xrays showed that all the things I was worried about were ok, but I needed 5 fillings kind of disappointed in myself but could be worse and I am determined to make this the last batch of work I need doing. I also have a dead wisdom tooth, which in the future will need be root filled or extracted, both of which terrify me, but for now it can stay put as its causing no problems. Lincoln was very patient and the thing that stood out to me....gentle. On one xray the film holder was uncomfortable once in position, and although I never said a thing, he obviously noticed and for the 2nd film suggested I use my finger to hold it in place instead. This has shown me that he's both very aware and also clearly keen to prevent me feeling any discomfort. He was also the first dentist to show me how to brush, remove yak from my gumline etc. His nurse Jean, was also lovely, noticing when I must have given off very subtle signs of getting anxious, because her "pats on my arm" were spot on timing wise! I feel hopeful, I know I now have options if numbing is still a problem, but more importantly I think I've found a dentist who cares about me as a patient as a whole and not just a list of jobs to correct and send on my way. Lincoln, if you read this, thank you (thank Jean for me too and tell her I ended up in those services too on the way home)...and you'll be pleased to hear that I spent a good twenty mins this morning trying to brush how you showed me and even managed to get near that inflamed tissue at the front! Wasn't sure where to post this, hope this is right. I'll post again after my next appointment. Thank you also to the people who I spoke to regarding Lincoln xx

 

[pootle]

So, Friday was my first treatment day. My main issue in the past for me has been with anaesthetic not working properly. Sometimes it did, but a lot of the time it didn't, causing me to feel pain on various procedures. Fillings would start off ok, but then the pain would start and gradually build the deeper the drilling had to go. I tried asking for more local, but often another top up simply didn't do much and that would lead me to feel even more hopeless. I simply learned to "suck it up" and had become a pro at removing myself mentally from situations. However the fact I could feel pain on simple fillings left me terrified of more in depth work. If a filling was a pain scale 5 for me, what would a root canal be With heavily restored teeth, this worry was always on my mind. An awful lot rested on Friday !! I was scheduled to have just 1 filling completed, to kind of see how this went for me and if we could get me numb. In the chair I had my doubts.....I've been a new patient many times before and every time I've hoped my luck would change...and it never did. This time there was a major difference and this was the time spent very carefully numbing me. I timed it.....30 mins !!! I have never, ever experienced that before. I had local next to the tooth and also a block at the back. It was given in very small amounts, starting with numbing gel, something that blasted local using air and then a normal injection (with the addition of a vibrating bit) Now I don't really have an issue with injections, but hey, who likes them really. I've had some really painful ones in the past and tbh wasn't looking forward to them. HOWEVER...I felt virtually nothing. The ones next to the tooth were painless, and the block was better than usual. I did suddenly feel a bit odd and as I sat up, felt like I was about to panic and leg it outside to get some air, but I managed to just distract myself until it passed. Now I'm not sure how much local was used, and I don't care because OMG HOW NUMB When he started work, I couldn't even feel which tooth was being worked on. I also have a phobia about choking and hate those cotton wool sticks. We had agreed to tie a piece of floss on to one, so I could hang in to it. I was so numb though, that I couldn't even tell if I had one in my mouth. I felt no pain whatsoever during the entire filling. Lincoln and Jean were brilliant, checking in on me all time and just taking it really slowly. I actually relaxed and that's a first. I left the surgery smiling, well half smiling because that's all my face could manage. For the next few hours I stayed numb and even my taste buds were asleep too. It was the most reassuring feeling ever. I know this is only the first session and not every one may be as "perfect" but for the first time in ages I have some hope and also, some trust building. My biggest hurdle will probably be letting them know if I feel odd, or feel like I'm about to panic...or indeed if I do ever feel any pain. I'm a bit rubbish at that, sadly a history of abuse left me unable to speak up when I need to....but I'm sure with these lovely two, I can overcome that too. If you read this Lincoln....THANK YOU and please pass the thanks to Jean also xxx