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Huge Dentist fear... Teeth extraction

  • Thread starter Thread starter MelZara
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MelZara

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Mar 27, 2016
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In the next couple of weeks, I go back to the dentist to get a couple teeth extracted.. (My adult teeth) I'm so afraid of the dentist. From when I first walk into the dentist the smell the sight.. Everything in my mind is telling me not to get it done. I have already got diagnosed with periodontal disease & severe tooth decay... All on the top row almost all the enamel is gone off my teeth, None of them are broken off yet, (that I know of)
I will be awake through this procedure & I know that he will numb my mouth but I'm so scared that something is going to go wrong or that I will feel it. I've only ever had a filling filled before.

The thought of me getting this done, is horrible. In my mind I can't do it. I'm trying not to back out. My husband is making me go cause it is getting worse & the pain I have in my mouth now is horrible. I've been on Orajel for almost 3 years now with this going on.

About a month ago was my first time to the dentist in a long time. Over 15 years. & He was just looking in my mouth, & I was shaking in fear. He does however want to clean my teeth first. "to see how much pain I can handle" was his words. All though I have never heard a dentist say that before. I think I would rather just have them taken out. But how? I'm so afraid & I honestly don't think that I can get through this.... Even though I want to so bad, Just to get them out..:cry:


How long does it take per tooth after they numb you?
I just want to get this over & done with..... I really hope that I can just go in there & be brave & get it done & over with... But I don't see that happening.
 
I Believe you can get it done, think positive
 
First, you need to make sure your dentist is phobic-friendly or find a phobic friendly dentist in your area. It's good that he just wants to start with cleanings, but there's no reason why the cleanings can't be relatively painless. Second, you need to make sure you talk to your dentist about all your fears. If he's going to be working on you, he needs to know. There are so many things nowadays that dentists can do to make the procedures go a lot easier. This website lists a ton of things; for example, anti-anxiety pills. I take 1/2 MG Xanax before all my appointments. It takes the edge of any anxiety I feel. Literally the whole 'what can help' tab lists tons of things. What works for me personally is Xanax, Laughing gas and bringing a stuffed animal with me. The dentist can go over other things as well, and discuss/lay your fears to rest. Since you are in so much pain you have got to get it done but trust me, you are going to feel so much better afterwards. I'm 6 procedures in and I am so much happier with my teeth. I was so scared of the dentist I thought there was literally no way to get me to sit through a procedure. Now I'm making my own appointments and getting my teeth fixed. You can do it!
 
I'm sorry you're so scared. You're not alone!

If if those were his words 'see how much pain you can handle' then he sounds as if he's either not a very sympathetic dentist or he doesn't realise how frightened you are. I'm not saying he'll hurt you or not do s good job, but you need to make it very clear to him how you're feeling. I recently changed dentists - my last dentist was a nice guy and good at what he did but he was just too casual and didn't take my phobia seriously enough. For example he told me I was going to lose one of my teeth under an old crown - I was distraught and he was totally casual about it. 'We'll just pull it and you'll get used to the gap'. I think he was trying to put me at my ease but it has the opposite effect!! I have now found a very kind and sympathetic dentist and it's helped massively in helping me deal with the work I needed done (and still need to have done).

Regarding extractions, I can only speak for my experience but I have read a lot of posts on here who've said the same or similar - it's actually much less awful than you think it will be. I had an infected tooth extracted two weeks ago (by the new dentist, not the casual guy!) and it was totally fine. I was amazed at how quick and painless it was. I actually had a much worse time when having fillings done. If you look on the Success Stories page you can see my detailed post about it (Look for my username jbkb and infected tooth extracted). You will be well numbed up, you'll feel no pain, just pressure. If you feel pain at any point you need to signal the dentist, but really they should check first that you're totally completely numb. The process is very quick. No pulling or scary tools. I take my iPod with me to block out noise/distract me and I literally didn't even listen to a whole song and the tooth was out.

I was not in pain before the appointment (just had bad taste/smell in mouth and some gum soreness) but the relief was immeasurable, just to get the tooth out and start looking at sorting my teeth out after years of fear-induced avoidance. If you can find the courage to go through with it, you'll be on the road to a much happier, healthier life with no toothache! So I urge you to try. I really couldn't picture myself dealing with having a tooth removed a year ago and now I've actually dealt with it, can hardly believe it. But you can do it, it's hard but believe in yourself x
 
I have to ditto what jbkb said re: the dentist's comment on seeing how much pain you can handle. As a highly phobic patient myself who has been referred to several practices the common denominator among all of them was that I feel NO pain, at any time, for any reason, period. Everyone has different pain tolerance and there should be no reason to see how much anyone can take when there are ways of minimizing it, eliminating it or avoiding it all together ESPECIALLY when dealing with a fearful patient. It may be a miscommunication or an off the cuff comment poorly worded but it raises red flags for me. I'd be inclined to get another opinion or clarify with this dr. for your piece of mind.
 
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