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I honestly don't know if I can go through with this. Need a shoulder to cry on!

  • Thread starter Thread starter AnxiousAlice
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AnxiousAlice

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I honestly don't know if I can go through with this. Need a shoulder to cry on!

My dental phobia journey does not seem to be going so well.

I posted here a couple of weeks ago and since I have seen the dentist and had Xrays and a cleaning. I was nervous about just calling to make the appointment, and then was very nervous during the exam and Xrays. The cleaning was actually somewhat pleasant.

So I went back for a full consultation today.

The wisdom tooth bottom right that has been giving me an on and off mild to moderate tooth ache has to be extracted. In addition likely two root canals or additional extractions in the near future and replacement of a bridge and several fillings. What a mess!


Anyway, the first things that needs to be done is the extraction of that wisdom tooth wish has a large cavity at the gumline and has been previously filled (the two molors in front of it wwere extracted when I was just in my teens).


Anyway we decided on the following:

1. Halcion 1 hour before the appointment, and possibly another when I get there. I am not sure how conscious that "conscious sedation" will be since Halcion is a sleeping pill and I take Ambien for sleep at night and sleeping pills put me to sleep. I take very low dose of meds so I am concerned about a sedative over dose and not being able to wake up or function or winding up brain damaged or something.

2. Then the local anesthetic is used. I am fearing yet more drugs but know it has to be numb. I also researched Articaine/Septocaine which is the numbing drug to be used and there is an ncreased risk of parasthesis (not ever getting un-numb so no feeling in tongue, lip, face etc:.

3. A bone graft and membrane over the socket, which would greatly reduce the possibility of dry socket. This would be a much higher added expense but I think I would sell all my worldly goods to insure against pain and complications.

4. The consent forms also say there is swelling and possible bruising (but ibroprofin and ice packs could help with this and are not permanent) Post operative infection (I would be prescribed antibiotics so this would hep with that). But then the big stuff that scares me into just backing out all together:
a. Possibly a fragment of root or bone left in jaw requiring more treatment to the tooth ara at a later date. b. Damage to sinuses requiring surgicval repair. c. Fracture or dislocation of jaw. d. Nerve damage called parastesis. e. Trismus inability to open jaw and f. dry socket which still is not guaranteed with the bone graft membrane etc:

So now I really am dealing with my panic and trying to make a decision and determine the risks of having the extraction or doing nothing and taking my chances with antibiotics and keeping the tooth as clean and germ free as possible. I don't want to have a brain infection or die of course, but nerve damage, a locked jaw, major surgeries to correct complications, not to mention anesthesia and drug risks could alter the quality of my life forever.

If I am to do this my next step is to get preccriptions filled and go ahead with it and hope and pray for the best; or I can ignore the problem and perhaps new technology will lessen the risks.

As it is right now I am absolutely exhausted from stressing out and worrying about all this. For the last two months all I am doing is thinking aobut teeth. I jsut want to live a normal life.

Anyway, I know this is long and I am just beside myself with worry, obsessing over this, panic and tears.

Thanks for letting me vent and have a bit of a cyber shoulder to cry on.

Alice :-[
 
Re: I honestly don't know if I can go through with this. Need a shoulder to cry on!

Hi!

You'll be OK, it sounds like you and your dentist has a good plan.

:)

It's not a very good idea to read up on all the risks of the drugs that you'll be taking on the internet. Yes, every drug that has effect can also have side effects and risks, but there's a reason why you need them in the first place. Anesthetics is necessary to do root canals and extractions, and the calming drugs are probably also a good idea.

About articaine and parastesia: yes, there is a risk, but it is low, and articaine is really effective. I've had 6 root canals and two surgical extractions and had that stuff all over my mouth with no long term ill effects, and even if I knew about the risks at the time, I was glad it worked as well as it did.

Your plan for the extraction sounds good too: With antibiotics, you'll probably not get an infection like I did, and the bone graft and membrane should prevent dry socket. You'll probably be OK. You're worried about other complications, but in most cases there are none. And I'm sure some people here who have experienced them will say that they are not so bad after all.

Definitely don't worry if you have to have root canals, they are piece of cake (as I said, I've had six).

Please, please do not ignore the problem and try to treat it with drugs. The infection will not go away on it's own, and you'll only end up with resistant bacteria.

That's how it often works, the problem will not go away even if you ignore it.

You don't have that much dental work to get through, so you'll soon be back to living a normal life where teeth are just white things in your mouth (that's where I'm right now!). You can do this and you'll feel so much better afterwards.

:)

Best of luck!

:clover:
 
Re: I honestly don't know if I can go through with this. Need a shoulder to cry on!

I'm totally with you in the fact that I over analyze every single thing that could possibly go wrong. They have to tell you the risk factors, but the chances of them actually happening are very very slim. The Internet is one of the worst things around for us phobics who google every possible side effect of everything! Hang in there
 
Re: I honestly don't know if I can go through with this. Need a shoulder to cry on!

I'm totally with you in the fact that I over analyze every single thing that could possibly go wrong. They have to tell you the risk factors, but the chances of them actually happening are very very slim. The Internet is one of the worst things around for us phobics who google every possible side effect of everything! Hang in there

Kittykat,

You are so right.

Phobias just seem to defy all sense of logic, and phobic thoughts can be so selective.

You are right I have sat at this computer for hours ignoring phone calls and emails while googling and researching every single risk factor from parasthesia (that's a big one for me), broken jaws, trismus, brain damage from over sedation; you name it!!!

I really understand what phobia truly is now and how limiting it can be. I travel extensively for a living, and I have tried to soothe the nerves and hold countless hands of people who have the phobia of flying or cruising. And when I think about their fears, and how they surf the internet for every tidbit of engines falling off airplanes and every possible thing that could go wrong in flight, or about cruise ships on fire, sinking, people getting sick. All I can seem to do is understand that their phobia is very much the same as mine only a different fear.

I love to fly, cruise and travel, and I have never had a fearful thought about any mode of travel. Yet others actually stay home rather than board a plane.

But all I need to do is enter a dental office and get a wiff of those medicinal smells, hear the sound of a wizzing drill, and I am weak at the knees, sick to my stomach, trembling all over and ready to bolt out the door to save myself from the needles, drills, medicines etc:

The logical side of me tells me that my dental phobia is much like any other phobia and it's the emotional side of me that cannot handle it.

But for me I think a part of the comparison is that yes with everything there is risk, it is not so spelled out. I mean if a person boards an airplane they don't need to sign a release form spelling out all the possibilities of an air disaster, a mechanical failure, pilot error and bad weather conditions. I think the fact that Dentists have to inform you of the risks it seems to make the risks far more real and thus directs me over to the internet to check out the odds.

Somehow I have to get beyond this. Right now the fear is taking over my life.

Thanks again for all the responses. It does help to know that I am not alone in this. My husband and friends just think I need to stop worrying. Easier said than done!

Alice :puzzled:
 
Re: I honestly don't know if I can go through with this. Need a shoulder to cry on!

I have actually had several of the complications that you list, and thus have been somewhat hesitant to post. However:

When I had my wisdom teeth removed (all four at the same time, under general), I developed trismus and could only open my mouth about 1/2 inch for about a week. There was no pain, and the effect wore off completely by about day 10. It was not that annoying, since it wasn't really possible to do much of chewing anyway.

I have also had paresthesia from a septocaine (articaine) injection. This one did have a significant, negative impact on quality of life, and lasted for four months, with the first two months being the most difficult. My case seems to have been on the "worse" end of the spectrum in terms of the length and severity of the paresthesia, but it did wear off. Three things about this: first, most (95%) injectional paresthesias wear off completely (and usually in much less time than mine took). Second, a temporary paresthesia is probably less bothersome/painful than a permanently infected tooth, and without risk of damaging your bone or spreading infection. Although I have had a paresthesia, I would not hesitate to have needed dental work done even if it means taking that risk again. Third, if you are concerned about the articaine, you don't have to have it. Ask the dentist to use 2% lidocaine for the IAN block, which is the only injection that has a chance of paresthesia, you can still have articaine/septocaine for the other injections with no risk. I have an arrangement like this with my dentist.

So, I hope that was at least a little helpful and not too scary.... [smiley=hugging.gif]
 
Re: I honestly don't know if I can go through with this. Need a shoulder to cry on!

Thanks again for all the responses. It does help to know that I am not alone in this. My husband and friends just think I need to stop worrying. Easier said than done!

I hate when you try to open up to a friend about your fears and they say something along the lines of "Going to the dentist is not scary" or "Grow up." We understand here though!
 
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