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Me again! D Day tomorrow...

RustyRebecca

RustyRebecca

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 16, 2019
Messages
101
Location
Plymouth
Tomorrow at 9am (UK) I will have my front tooth extracted and a side tooth extracted and an immediate partial denture of 5 teeth (canines were removed as a kid). I am so anxious and worried. I have an immense fear of numbing (loss of control).
My doctor is giving me slightly stronger valium (they don't like handing these out) but I know that won't make much difference. There is no IV sedation available.
What if I have a panic attack after she injects me and the numbing happens? (I've had one before at the dentist. He let me walk around for 5. But she has other patients...so, you know). But the numbing, it is top right front tooth and top left about 5 along. How far will the numbing reach? Will it take long? The whole procedure?
I am worrying so much about it; the procedure and the adjustment. I have a gap between my front teeth and they are keeping that in the denture (I would have loved not to have had that gap).
Any tips and prayers greatly appreciated.
 
I posted on another thread about having two teeth removed tomorrow (one is a front tooth) and an immediate partial denture being put in but I don't know if I am making a mistake. Because of anxiety.
I saw an endodontist in April and he told me that I could have a RCT on this front tooth which would take about an hour. He gave it about 60% success rate. He said I would also need gum surgery with a periodontist which would take about an hour and a half. That would have a higher success rate apparently.
The dentist wasn't exactly enthusiastic about saving the tooth, he did say that I could spend this money only to lose it anyway but there was a 60% chance it could be saved.
But I turned it down because I thought I would struggle with the procedures greatly in the dentist chair because of my anxiety and dental fears.
Now I don't know...once it has gone tomorrow, it is gone forever and I am not a candidate for an implant.
I dont know what to do. I know the dentist tomorrow will want to extract this tooth. And I know I have to pay for the denture.
But I am frantic not knowing if I am making a mistake...
 
Hi @RustyRebecca, what a dilemma :(.

You could always call off tomorrow's appointment and get a third opinion before making the final decision... how did you choose your current dentist?
 
I just researched her, after a few bad appointments with other dentists. She is very good but she is only doing this because of the contact with the endodontist (I went to him and then back to her...its confusing but they are colleagues but different practices in the same town. He is obviously more specialised).
I will have to go tomorrow, I will get charged either way, for the plate obviously.
But a third opinion? It is a nightmare :(
 
I feel for you. What a tough decision! I had a similar choice with my front tooth and I did go the route of root canal, and then apicoectomy to try to save the tooth because I was terrified of losing a front tooth. Ultimately mine had to come out anyway, but I was able to get an implant.

It has to come down to what you are comfortable with. Is a 60% chance of success good enough for you to try that? It is so hard to know what to do when you don’t have a guaranteed success.
 
Thank you. It is so hard but when I know there is a chance it could be saved, I feel I have to try. If I have it out and endure all that is involved with a denture, its basically game over (apart from an implant. I dont think I can have one but maybe with a bone graft). I just cant face the thought at all of it being extracted and trying to adjust to a denture. I suffer every day with anxiety and depression as it is. It is going to be expensive whatever the outcome, but to be comfortable and not struggle, I think Id pay anything.
 
I feel for you. What a tough decision! I had a similar choice with my front tooth and I did go the route of root canal, and then apicoectomy to try to save the tooth because I was terrified of losing a front tooth. Ultimately mine had to come out anyway, but I was able to get an implant.

It has to come down to what you are comfortable with. Is a 60% chance of success good enough for you to try that? It is so hard to know what to do when you don’t have a guaranteed success.
Did you have to be without your front tooth before the implant could be placed?
 
@RustyRebecca, I wonder how your appointment today went .... Did you decide to go ahead with the original plan? Whatever happened, please let us know how you got on. Hope you're ok :grouphug:
 
Hi Rebecca!

Sorry I’m just seeing this now, but I hope things went well for you, whatever you decided to do!

As a perspective for you, I’ll be getting at least one of my front teeth extracted in November, most likely both. To be honest, I too questioned why both would need to come out since one seemed to be in much better condition. But deep down, I knew the dentist was right (well I suppose it helps that on one of my teeth, the evidence of the state of it was obvious.) On one of my front teeth, there’s a vertical crack that goes straight up all the way to what is a massive cavity (more crater like, almost all the way through) on top of the tooth. It actually covers about half. That one, I understood. There’s nothing left to save.

On my other front tooth, no crack but browning and grey cavity bits at the top. It looks fine, but my dentist had said even though it wasn’t in trouble now, it would be in the future. And that was my main takeaway: a tooth can seem like it can be saved but sometimes it can’t be. And other solutions might only be a temporary fix.

(Also btw for general information’s sake: I will be going the partial denture route myself)

I’m not sure what you decided to do, but I hope in the end it was what was best for you. Never feel bad about needing another opinion, and always trust your gut :grouphug:
 
@letsconnect Hi there. Thank you.
No, I didn't go ahead in the end. I explained how if there was a chance that the front tooth could be saved, that I wanted to try this first, needed to try this first, despite the expense and despite the anxiety it would cause. If Id had the front tooth removed today, every time that I struggled with the denture, I would have regretted not trying. Aesthetically, the denture would look better but it isn't about that. I know how hard it can be to adjust to a denture and I just go through enough. If that has to be the end goal, then it will be.
I now have to wait for the endodontist and have the root canal before the gum surgery.
Though I did have an idea to have the exact same denture made up with just my canines on, pay for that and use it to practice with, keeping it for as long as I can. So that if I do end up with a denture, it won't be such a shock.
 
@APhobicQueen
Hey there. Thank you for this. I know what you mean. If I'd thought for a moment that I would adjust well to the denture, I would take that route to save so much hassle and anxiety. And high expense!
But my dentist admits my tooth is not really mobile, could be saved. She said I am not in the situation that some people are and to lose a front tooth is a massive thing. It is still a worry though. As all my front teeth are a little mobile as a result of everything.
But I can only hope that somehow, in the end, it will work out okay. And I hope it does for you too.
 
Did you have to be without your front tooth before the implant could be placed?
I did have to go six months (longer than usual due to Covid) without the tooth. I had a flipper in the meantime, so there was not a gap
 
Thanks for the update @RustyRebecca, I'm relieved that you made a decision that you feel comfortable with :). Absolutely understand about avoiding the regret of not having tried.

The plan to practice with the denture sounds good as well, have you run it past your dentist already?
 
@letsconnect Thank you. Really value the support here.
I have to ring the dentist tomorrow with regards to the endodontist and will suggest the idea of the denture with just the canines, see what she says.
 
@RustyRebecca I’m really happy to hear your tooth might be able to be saved and that you did what was best for you in the end. I’m sending you the best :grouphug:

Thank you for the well wishes! Here’s to it working out for us both! (And yes losing teeth is such a massive thing, it’s permanent. I think I’m a bit lucky my procedure is far down the line so I had time to get used to the idea)
 
Tried to do a picture of my teeth! 😁😁
 
I never smile like this, so this felt very false. But you can see the right front one is an issue but onwards and upwards. I will probably be back, freaking out about the root canal in a months time 😁
 
You've got a great smile @RustyRebecca , hopefully everything will work out - fingers crossed xx!

We actually had a suggestion for a dentist in Plymouth who is going to open a practice there in the near future, I can PM you with the details if you like. Not sure though when exactly they're going to open.
 
@letsconnect Thank you. And yes, would love to know those details
 
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