• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

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How long should I wait?

M

macc2012

Junior member
Joined
Aug 21, 2012
Messages
19
Location
Macclesfield
Hi there all

Just joined the site today as I have a big fear about seeing my dentist and didn't know there was a forum so am glad I have found one.

I saw my dentist about 5 weeks ago as was getting pain in gum above a tooth and have been to see her many times about and was being given anti-biotics which got rid of the pain for a couple of weeks then the pain would come back.

So my dentist said the best thing would be to have a root canal done or take the tooth out so said I would have it out but I asked if I could be put to sleep to have it out.

She said yes and would send a letter to Manchester dental hospital and if I didn't hear from them within 4 weeks then to contact her again and she would contact them.

So I called my dentist and told the lady on phone(not dentist) who said it can take up to 18 weeks to get to see them and told be its to early to contact them.

So how long should I wait? I know they have long lists but 18 weeks just to get to see them and then could be even longer after that to have tooth out.

Sometimes I just feel like pulling it out myself.
 
What tooth is it? Would you not rather have the root treated? That way you get to save a tooth :) Root treatment isn't painful - it's just dull - I'm having the second half of root treatment today - in 2 hours to be exact.

Have a look here


However, I'm sure there is a better post by Steve in Cleveland about root treatment? Just can't find it right now. Ah here it is ....


Since you seem to have to wait a long time for your extraction.....maybe you should consider it ?:) Maybe your dentist could help you to work on your fear of the dentist? It is perfectly possible to over come the fear - there are a lot of reformed phobics here. I'm one of them :jump:
 
By the time you get this coolin you will be having your treatment, so hope all goes well for you :)

And Hi macc2012 and welcome to you. I think that what coolin' has said in relation to try and save the tooth would maybe worth discussing further with your dentist. This was her first suggestion, and she would presumably have to say what else could be on offer, so perhaps another word with her - not going to do you any harm - is worth a go.

With regard to the NHS and waiting times. Both my son and daughter have recently had surgery, and there are set time scales from when you are initially referred to when you actually get seen, and the maximum wait for this part of the process is up to 18 weeks. If this happens before, then all well and good, but unfortunately a lot of areas just cant do this, and so inevitably the wait time will just about hit the maximum time scale.

I know from recent experiences with my son and daughter, that my daughter's timescales hit the maximum that they could have, and that was just to be initially seen and assessed. My son on the other hand was seen sooner, and on the very same day as his assessment he got sent for a pre-op assessment and within a week had his nose re-set. My daughter's op was slightly more complicated and involved, but nevertheless treatable in the day surgery unit (as was my son's), but just two examples in a very close space of time, and at the very same hospital, of how time scales can vary.

When you do have your initial consultation, that would be all it would be, there would be no treatment there and then, and you would have to be scheduled for your surgery, firstly having your pre-op assessment and then to arrange a date for your operation, so it could go somewhat over that 18 week guideline, but because you would have been assessed within the 18 week time, targets have been met.

I hope that makes some sense to you, and wish you well with whatever course of action you decide to go along with. And you will have heaps of support from this 'motley crew' as you go forward with your journey.

Take care hunni.

Kim
 
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