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I need sedation for fillings

M

Mapleleaftea

Junior member
Joined
Feb 14, 2022
Messages
5
Location
Uk
I'm generally a very anxious person when it comes to my teeth. I have frequent nightmares about cavities or having my teeth removed or chipped. I brush them religiously, very rarely if ever eat jelly sweets. I don't drink tea or coffee.
I also have a condition called pots and several others related too that. This causes me to have low blood volume and pressure. It also causes many faints a day and a menagerie of other related symptoms. This is relevant because i need way more salt and water than normal and its pretty much the only thing that helps. Being as food sets it off i usually opt for warm oxo cube "tea" or crisps or if I'm out and about a lucazade sport.
I went to see my dentist today and he said my teeth look brilliant very clean no decay but that he would xray because i had some sensitivity.
I need 3 fillings...and apparently they have to be silver ones. He offered to do them right then and there so I signed the forms got ready and sat down.
I had a massive panic attack, fainted 3 times and needed oxygen for maybe 15 minutes. In short he decided I will need to be sedated to do the fillings.
I'm 19 and I already have 2 fillings from back in GCSEs when I got so stressed i ground my teeth and developed dry mouth. Im nervous about 3 more especially this young. Are my teeth going to keep developing cavities no matter what I do?
I'm really worried about sedation, he said gas and air or partial sedation but that was also before I fainted. Will that knock me out?
Is that sort of sedation dangerous?
I have two white fillings but he said because I'm over 18 and they have a higher chance of failing I'll need silver ones but if I don't develop more cavities he will change them for white in 3 years. Is that normal?
I have metal allergies will the filling set them off?
Any advice or support would be gladly accepted I'm just really worried and nervous if I'm honest its like I'm living my own personal nightmare.
 
I had some really bad dental experiences growing up. I eventually started to avoid the dentist... I went like 4 years without seeing one and went back. The new dentist I went to was awesome and offered sedation. He removed all of my old fillings and put new ones in, did two crowns and fixed the new cavities I had. I took a pill prior to getting a ride to the procedure... and took one when I arrived... they then put the gas on my nose. I will say it was probably the most stress free and relaxed I have ever been. They could have done all the work while I was in that state and I know I would have been fine... even tho it was 5 hours of work. They put the iv sedation needle in my hand and next think i know everything was over. I highly recommend sedation.... With the oral sedation and gas you might actually fall asleep during the procedure. The IV sedation just knocks you out.
 
Hi Mapleleaftea:welcome:,

sorry to read about your situation, it sounds like getting any treatment must be a nightmare. Inhalation sedation (gas and air) won't knock you out, but will make you very relaxed so that you won't feel bothered by the treatment. Most people feel like they are a little bit drunk, just enough not to care. Also the time seems to pass more quickly. We have an article about that here:


I don't know whether your teeth will keep develop cavities... I would expect your dentist to discuss your dental care, lifestyle, risk factors (dry mouth) with you and to figure out how they can support you so that further cavities can be prevented. There are many ways to do that, but analysing your situation is the first step.

When it comes to the idea of replacing a metal filling with a white one in three years, I haven't heard of that before and would want to know exactly what is behind that decision. In general, if there is anything that you feel you haven't understood or have insecurities about, it's your right to get those questions answered and then to decide whether you would like to get the treatment. If you wish some information on fillings and the differences between white and silver, we have an article for that as well:


All the best wishes
 
I have only heard great reviews for IV sedation yes it costs but seriously worth it. I am having IV sedation on the 18th
 
I had IV sedation, once, privately, quite a few years ago and it is, literally, an amnesiac procedure - you remember nothing, zero. Like general anaesthetic, you get the needle put in, they tell you to count down, or whatever method they use, and you are pretty sure you are counting and then you are out, gone. I remember that I was aware of being asked questions, I think towards the end of the procedure, and I know I answered them, but really still nothing, it was just a blank. You literally go in, go under, come out all done and dusted. All the way home (on the bus) I was apparently very adamant and demanded that the driver double-checked where we were going! So you're still out of it for quite a few hors after. You definitely need someone with you, but I walked and got on buses etc perfectly well, I just don't remember it!

The only alert I would give you is if you need to feel in control. I do. I have to know every move the dentist is going to make, and what he is going to do next, how long it will take etc, and I found that afterwards, with IV, I was quite anxious about everything - had he done it right, was it smooth, etc. I think that's why I interrogated the bus driver! So I was quite surprised that I didn't find it quite as perfect as I expected it to be. But it is absolutely ideal if you have no control issues and literally just want to sleep through the whole thing. If that sounds great to you, then I would recommend it without hesitation.
 
Just had iv amazing amazing so worth the cost
 
@Jackieallen Yes, I think it could be very good if you know and trust your dentist. When I had it I'd never met the dentist before and so the trust wasn't there. I also felt uncomfortable about him being a male dentist and me being 'unconscious', so the trust wasn't there. But as an actual dental experience I think it would be ideal for some people. I certainly would not say no to it if I felt comfortable with the dentist. I'm currently distantly considering root canal/s and I'm not sure I could get through one 'awake' any more. Unfortunately my phobia hasn't improved with age.
 
Mapleleaftea,

First off :welcome: You are in the right place! Sounds like you are doing a great job taking care of yourself and your teeth and really consienscious about it! Having bad dreams about dental is hard, I have them too once in a while and especially when I'm thinking of dental work having to be done .

Sounds like a really hard appt fainting 3 times then hearing you will need sedation.That is a lot to think about . how are you feeling now that its been a few days? Have you thought of a 2nd opinion on the fillings since it seems everything has been going pretty well. not to question him but never hurts to have a 2nd opinion?

One of our staff members did a really interesting interview with a sedation dentist , that you might find interesting :). Ultimately you have to go with what you are comfortable with , when and where and with who.. You are the boss and they should make you feel comfortable and what you want and how you feel matter regardless of what you do. Sorry my copy paste isn't working now but if you go to interview on the forum and to Omar Iqbal.. you will see the sedation interview it is a good one .

Take one step at a time as hard as it is and give yourself alot of credit for going and working your way through this every step of the way! :grouphug:
 
@krlovesherkids777 thank you for the support. Unfortunately yesterday one of my fillings started lifting and a peice broke off after contacting my dentist he decided to wait for sedation to have it fixed. Im really hoping that with the sedation the dentists doing it will be able to have a look and see what they think before they start drilling. Im still very very nervous and have had little sleep over it but after doing a lot of research and reading all of these lovely comments I am not happy but more comfortable and semi-confident with the procedure. I was very very worried about the amalgam fillings instead of the white ones. But everything i have read says that they will last longer and be more durable especially in the placement they will be in.
Im worried it will look more obvious but it's comforting to think the fillings probably wont need replacing or fixing for many years.
Thank you so much again for the kind comment.
 
Mapleleaftea,

When will you have it done? Just know you can come on here and vent anytime , we all know its a bumpy wild ride journey some days better than others. We are here for you! There are alot of great resources as well as the main forum. Alot better than googling :).
 
@krlovesherkids777 thank you ive already found alot of comfort reading others threads and posting this really has helped. Im waiting to get the referral letter but my dentist estimated about 3 months waiting.
 
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