In desperate need of some calming words!

[AnnieHarding]

I suffer from bad anxiety and sometimes panic. I had a filling with the help of some happy gas on Saturday and I was absolutely fine. I met with my anaethesist this morning and I am due to have three teeth removed under IV sedation on Thursday. I thought that I would be fine after Saturday, but now the day is looming near I am absolutely petrified. The thing that frightens me the most (which is absolutely absurd) is the thought of having to use a bite block. I have a ridiculous fear of choking and I do not want to use this device

If anybody has some wise words or has had a good experience with a bite block or IV sedation, please please share it

Thank you in advance!

Annie

 

[chickenjen]

Hi Annie,
I can't say enough good things about IV sedation. I had 9 extractions done with IV sedation and the recovery was easier than my recent root canal.
They numb the site where they will put the IV so you won't feel much more than maybe a slight pinch as they put the IV in.
They get you all settled in the chair and will probably put a blanket over you. You will probably be hooked up to a blood pressure cuff and oxygen.
They will start the medicine and off to sleepyland you will go.
They will use local anesthesia also, so you won't feel any pain.
For 3 straightforward extractions, maybe it will take an hour????
The bite block isn't anything to worry about. It's a soft plastic thing you bite on to help you keep your mouth open while you're on sleepyland.
I used one while I was awake, when I had a long procedure and was having a hard time holding my mouth open so long.
I probably used one with the IV sedation, but I don't remember........a side benefit of the IV sedation is that you usually don't remember much, if anything at all.
Hope that helps!!
Good luck for Thursday!!!

 

[kitkat]

Hi Annie!
I have had experience with the bite-block before (both conscious and unconscious). I first used it for my wisdom teeth extractions with IV sedation and again later for a long filling appointment that I was not sedated for. If you are having sedation, the bite block will probably not even be in place until you are unconscious and will be removed by the time you wake up so you won't even know that it was used.

During my experience when I was awake, I found it to be pretty large and the way it is positioned in the mouth is more out to the side not inside the mouth so it would be pretty hard to choke on it. However there are of course many different kinds. Do you think it might help to see it first and experience it while conscious or do you think that it would make matters worse? The bite block that I had experience with was like a foam rubber piece and the way it was positioned, it was more likely to fall out if it became dislodged not in and like I said, it is quite large and would definitely be removed immediately because it would majorly be in the way of treatment if it fell into your mouth. Also given it's size, it seems like it would be very easy to retrieve. It may be comforting to you to know that I searched for evidence of people choking on bite-blocks during procedures and couldn't find anything. If it were a major safety concern, it seems that it would have happened at least once in the last 50 years. Also, I'm sure that the companies are required to conduct lots of testing to address safety before these products are ever released.

I also had an excellent IV sedation experience with my wisdom teeth extractions. Went to sleep, woke up, all was finished and I went home to recover. It was the best and I highly recommend it! There is no way I would have had 4 teeth surgically removed without it!

 

[tabatha7]

Annie, you won't have any trouble with the bite block. There is no way to choke on it. It's too big. It is actually pretty comfortable as it gives you a rest and holds your mouth open for you. I think you will do great. It will only be like taking a short nap then its over. Looking forward to reading your success story when it's over.

 

[Aldridge]

Hi Annie,
I don't know anything about bite blocks, but I have had IV sedation twice and it was amazing. I don't remember a thing about any of the treatment following the sedation. Good luck for Thursday - but you won't need it!

 

[icosagon]

When I was sedated for my implant, my dentist put in a bite block. I did not find it comfortable, did not like it, but the dentist watched for my reaction to it. He pulled it out a few seconds after he put it in, and all the work was done without one.

The sedation itself was nice. I was able to watch without getting nervous, although they could have entertained me during some of the more boring parts. I'm one of the people who didn't end up with amnesia from their IV sedation, so no feeling of falling asleep and waking up with the work done. Just memories that are mainly neutral, learning that dentists have the cutest torque wrenches, and dealing with the question that was asked evey few minutes: "Do you want another milligram?".

 

[AnnieHarding]

Thank you so much everybody for sharing your experiences with me! I'm sorry I took so long to reply, I've been working. I'm feeling a little more at ease about the bite block now, especially no I know that if it is uncomfortable the OS may be able to remove it.

Still a little nervous about tomorrow... today is going far too quickly for my liking!