I'm scared of the pain again

[rawrses]

Hi everyone,

I went to my dentist today (for a checkup) and he found 6 or 7 cavities (new record :|). He did 2 today and it was so painful. He also removed my wisdom teeth (all 4 at once, under local) 2 years ago and I can remember being in a lot of pain back then.
My bottom teeth just don't numb - my tongue is numb (and takes 4 hours to unnumb), but the teeth are so sensitive I can feel everything really quickly. I have to go through him drilling in pain and it is scary. I have another appointment in 2 weeks and I simply don't want to go. He also stuffs these metal plates between my teeth during filling and always cuts my gums (and I can feel my gums by this point).

Any advice? Encouragements? I dread dentist visits because I have poor teeth and every time I have to go through an hour and a half of pain.

 

[brit]

Of course you are, anyone would be. Change your dentist! If your bottom teeth never numb it sounds like anatomic variation which means the dentist has to identify where your nerves run using an x-ray and then change injection technique accordingly.

Can't Get Numb

Find out why you may not get numb enough, what dentists can do to get you numb, and how to ensure your treatment is painless.

www.dentalfearcentral.org

Did you tell them you weren't numb? If yes and they didn't care...again incompetent uncaring dentist - get a new one.

They may just be incompetent and it just needed more LA or a different type of LA as anatomic variation is pretty rare.
Best wishes - if you are in UK and this was an NHS dentist, you may have better luck with a private one who has more time to work at getting you properly numb, they need to know extra advanced LA techniques though.
All teeth (even infected ones) can be got numb but not all dentists can get all teeth numb all of the time.

 

[rawrses]

Thanks, brit!

I'm going to see the second dentist at the clinic next time I go, maybe he will be better. I will be sure to let him know about the lack of freezing.

I don't think my dentist takes me seriously when I complain. He was jamming some metal thing into my gums and when I complained he just shrugged and did it again. I'm not sure how it will go, but I hopefully better than this time. I'd like to actually be able to relax at a dentist's office once in a while.

Edit: Oh yes, I live in Canada.

 

[brit]

Good idea to see a different dentist - it definitely shouldn't be painful if you have been properly numbed so please don't stay with any dentist who thinks otherwise..it is a fast track to dental avoidance.