T
tiamomma05
Junior member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2013
- Messages
- 3
I posted here a few weeks ago about my severe phobia. While visiting the dentist as a child, I was strapped to a board and my teeth were drilled. I could feel everything. I also remember the hygienists telling me that "I was a big baby." I pleaded with them "the shot isn't working!" They continued drilling, saying they had other patients and it couldn't wait. I didn't go back after my parents divorce, at 14.
I am almost 26. I had a very bad cavities, and a tooth that wasn't salvageable. I hated looking in the mirror, it seemed like a new cavity was always forming. I didn't want to think about possibly losing my teeth because they were so bad. I brushed my teeth at least twice a day, but I still had a lot of decay. I decided to go back to school, and I knew I couldn't walk around a campus with my teeth in such bad shape. I finally decided that I HAD to go. I looked online for a good dentist nearby, and found one about 20 miles away. He specializes in people with dental phobia, and uses the latest technology to fix the teeth. I made the first trip about 3 weeks ago. I was crying, anxious, ashamed, and everything in between. The staff made me feel at ease. They didn't judge me, they only told me to lay off the sugar. They told me that the decay wasn't all my fault, and I have periodontal disease. I was scared, but they told me the ways they could treat it. They used some numbing gel on my gums, then used a cool little machine called the wand. It's a replacement for the shot. The needle is much smaller, and it reads your gum pressure. It knows how much Novocaine to inject into your gum. The best part, I barely felt it. I've bitten my tongue and it was MUCH worse than the wand.
After they numbed me, they did a procedure called root scaling. It was basically scraping of my gums to remove the built up tartar from the periodontal disease. They also smoothed down the rough spots on my teeth. I didn't feel ANY of it. Lastly, the dentist came in the room to extract my bad molar. I was SO comfortable with the staff at this point, so I told the dentist to pull my tooth without knocking me out. He agreed, and we had it out in about 1 minute. It was a quick pinch with a lot of pressure, but nothing that I couldn't handle! I was glad to have that tooth out! I scheduled my next appointment for the 10th.
I went back, still very nervous because of my previous experiences with a dental drill. I was physically sick in the waiting room. But I knew I already made it this far, I couldn't back out now. Once again, they used the numbing gel, then the wand. I took a good pair of headphones and told them to tap me if they needed to speak to me. I felt the vibration of the drill, but NO pain! I was shocked that I didn't even feel the slightest pain. Before I even knew it, the dentist told me he already had 5 done. I was ecstatic that it was getting done, and I wasn't in utter misery. They finished the left side of my mouth, and asked me if I wanted to do my right. I agreed, knowing that it wasn't painful. I sat for several hours, all together getting 17 fillings and one fixed chip. The only uncomfortable part was after so long, my jaw was sore from it being open. But it was minor.
Anyway, my cavities are all gone, periodontal disease is treated, and my teeth are looking great! I waited 10+ years to get the proper treatment because of ONE bad dentist. My advice to others who are in fear, research your choice of dentist. Read reviews. Also remember, you're an adult now and if you don't like what's happening, you can get up and leave. You don't have to hurt anymore!
I am almost 26. I had a very bad cavities, and a tooth that wasn't salvageable. I hated looking in the mirror, it seemed like a new cavity was always forming. I didn't want to think about possibly losing my teeth because they were so bad. I brushed my teeth at least twice a day, but I still had a lot of decay. I decided to go back to school, and I knew I couldn't walk around a campus with my teeth in such bad shape. I finally decided that I HAD to go. I looked online for a good dentist nearby, and found one about 20 miles away. He specializes in people with dental phobia, and uses the latest technology to fix the teeth. I made the first trip about 3 weeks ago. I was crying, anxious, ashamed, and everything in between. The staff made me feel at ease. They didn't judge me, they only told me to lay off the sugar. They told me that the decay wasn't all my fault, and I have periodontal disease. I was scared, but they told me the ways they could treat it. They used some numbing gel on my gums, then used a cool little machine called the wand. It's a replacement for the shot. The needle is much smaller, and it reads your gum pressure. It knows how much Novocaine to inject into your gum. The best part, I barely felt it. I've bitten my tongue and it was MUCH worse than the wand.
After they numbed me, they did a procedure called root scaling. It was basically scraping of my gums to remove the built up tartar from the periodontal disease. They also smoothed down the rough spots on my teeth. I didn't feel ANY of it. Lastly, the dentist came in the room to extract my bad molar. I was SO comfortable with the staff at this point, so I told the dentist to pull my tooth without knocking me out. He agreed, and we had it out in about 1 minute. It was a quick pinch with a lot of pressure, but nothing that I couldn't handle! I was glad to have that tooth out! I scheduled my next appointment for the 10th.
I went back, still very nervous because of my previous experiences with a dental drill. I was physically sick in the waiting room. But I knew I already made it this far, I couldn't back out now. Once again, they used the numbing gel, then the wand. I took a good pair of headphones and told them to tap me if they needed to speak to me. I felt the vibration of the drill, but NO pain! I was shocked that I didn't even feel the slightest pain. Before I even knew it, the dentist told me he already had 5 done. I was ecstatic that it was getting done, and I wasn't in utter misery. They finished the left side of my mouth, and asked me if I wanted to do my right. I agreed, knowing that it wasn't painful. I sat for several hours, all together getting 17 fillings and one fixed chip. The only uncomfortable part was after so long, my jaw was sore from it being open. But it was minor.
Anyway, my cavities are all gone, periodontal disease is treated, and my teeth are looking great! I waited 10+ years to get the proper treatment because of ONE bad dentist. My advice to others who are in fear, research your choice of dentist. Read reviews. Also remember, you're an adult now and if you don't like what's happening, you can get up and leave. You don't have to hurt anymore!