P
Peace
Junior member
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2006
- Messages
- 8
Just a note that comments are perfectly acceptable if you so choose
My story is similar to another poster's (willow). I am 25 years old, and my first dentist appointment in my life *ever* was in April. Now, I have a lot of anxiety in general, and especially socially (my teeth made this worse, but I would be socially anxious regardless), but naturally I have some for dental work too, especially having no idea what to expect. I went with my mother, it was basically something there was absolutely no use getting around anymore, I had very obvious cavities in my top front teeth (no pain anywhere whatsoever though), and I felt very, very disgusting. My teeth are very crowded (basically both the canines had grown over the other teeth). Suffice it to say, I have been completely and utterly disgusted with my smile, or lack thereof and I tried to keep my mouth closed as much as possible. Every day I would despair about my teeth albeit in my own personal silent prison. But my mother finally pushed me to go to the dentist, and thankfully took me to one that specialized in Gentle Dentistry (which kind of surprised me it existed, we live in a small town, and just have to go to a neighboring town). I had heard not particularly good stories about her and my dad's own dentist which freaked me out even more of ever going to a dentist, but I was at least glad my mother realizes I am highly anxious and highly sensitive and decided I better to go this one.
I was of course nervous, and was quite embarrassed and freaked out about how they'd take in the state of my teeth. We went and I was really surprised at how wonderful the staff there is. I didn't have to wait long, and then they took medical history and gave me a tour of the offices and such. They told me the names of some of the staff, although I was in such a nervous state I'm not honestly sure how much I took in. But then came the part where I needed bitewing x-rays, and they were explaining to me what the stuff they used was etc. And it was a little difficult to get the bitewings in place as I kept involuntarily fighting them with my tongue heh. But the lady was really nice about it, and we did relatively quick enough get that done.
Then the dentist came to physically look at my teeth, she was also really nice, asking if it was ok if she looked in my mouth and such which I thought was great that she let me be ready for it, and they started naming all this dental medical terms and numbers and I'm thinking "oh I'm doomed!"
I would need four fillings in my front teeth (darn Mountain Dew addiction , they just knew I had been drinking a lot of soda, I have since cut down though previous I had been at the point my teeth were utterly doomed anyway) and my top two wisdom teeth were decayed and would need to be out, but I would be referred to an oral surgeon. I was also referred to an orthodontist. I was nervous about all this, but I left feeling relatively good because no one had judged me or talked down on me (I do that enough to myself! And back in school I was made fun of constantly so my self esteem has suffered enough with out my teeth coming into play). I was in... I guess disbelief at how nice the staff and everyone was there, and tried to reassure me about the treatments and things I would need done.
Well, a double appointment was made for my fillings, and then I'd get a cleaning after that. This was some time in the beginning of May, the 9th I think. I was really freaked out, even more so because I had a new assistant I hadn't met now but she turned out to be as nice as the rest of them. Then the dentist that would be doing the fillings showed up, he was nice enough but he didn't talk a whole lot. I didn't even know his name or anything (though it is entirely possible it was said and I just was too much in an anxiety-funk to have heard it, I'm not even really sure, but I get so internally focused on my anxiety that I have trouble outwardly paying attention to things, and some of it is social, too so, this makes it extra difficult). I thought it was going to be the one I had met at my initial appointment, so my nerves were failing some with this new guy, though I had the distraction of a DVD of Golden Girls that they had playing. Then came the ever so dreaded injections (after some jelly stuff put on my gums) and... whoa! I only felt a prick and it was hardly anything! I had more than one but it totally wasn't a big deal! I was pleasantly surprised. Then I was left to watch the DVD some more as the Novocaine set in, and get used to this feeling of weirdness of the Novocaine and being unable to move my mouth, I felt pretty funny and was mildly amused at how weird it felt, at least at first (after awhile it slightly annoys me heh). And then he came back and it was time to roll. I didn't feel a single thing. A friend I had talked to had said that sometimes the pressure of the drill hurt or something so I was expecting pain, but it was no problem for me at all. It was over before I knew it. I waited for the hygentist to get me for the cleaning appointment feeling pretty good, albeit annoyingly numb, heh.
The cleaning I guess is just your standard cleaning, although the sharp pointy thing hurt me sometimes. That was over pretty quick though, and I was put on a home fluoride treatment.
Next was the Orthodontist consultation... they were as nice as the dentist (and conveniently right next door to it), it was no surprise I needed braces, so I am getting "speed braces" but now it was time to get re-freaked out, for my orthodontic work I'd need three teeth extracted. Eek. Fillings were one thing but... now you want to rip teeth out? Perfectly healthy ones at that? Unfortunately there was no way around it because there simply was no room in my mouth for all my teeth. (I've had two seperate comments by various dental people about how small my mouth was, yay, now you know why my teeth are so crowded ).
May 15 I went in for my extractions (two on top to make room for canines, one on bottom), different assistant but same guy who did my fillings. I at least was more or less comfortable with him now after a good appointment before, and as per usual the assisstant was really nice. What was a little unnerving is they put me in the room Where The Patients Who Take Longer Go that they showed me on the tour (and this time I had the movie The Little Rascals for distraction). I didn't fear the injections so much this time especially knowing this dentist does them virtually painlessly. Although at some point he did inject one in a different place than usual that DID hurt quite a bit, though I got by it ok. That being done, now begins the "fun" part of my teeth being pulled. This, unfortunately, was not painless, so he gave me more injections and waited a bit for that to kick in. He managed to get one out without much pain but the other still hurt, but I guess he decided to keep going anyway since he made sure it wasn't absolutely unbearable pain for me--which it wasn't. Certainly not pleasant, but I managed ok. The bottom one I didn't feel at all (it was already somewhat out of position so apparently was really easy anyway). The healing process went very smoothly. In about a week I was eating pretty normally again, virtually no pain.
Now I wait for June 13, which in the morning I get my braces on (they wanted one month for healing of the extractions), and then later that afternoon is my wisdom teeth consultation at an Oral Surgeon's. I am SCARED TO DEATH about the wisdom teeth removal and I'm rather afraid of what they'll tell me I have to do here. I fear getting an IV; I've never had one before. I don't know if that's what I'll get, but I read this tends to happen a lot with wisdom teeth. I'll freak out even more if I need general anesthesia. (Problem with the Internet, I read way too much, I'm always trying to not have any big surprises). I kind of have this phobia of swallowing pills too, unless they're on the smaller side, and even then I may have a bit of trouble. (I am scared of way, way too much...), so the act of possibly needing painkillers isn't something I'm very keen on. The only thing keeping me from going completely crazy as I wait for this to get straightened out is the motivation of wanting a healthy mouth and nice smile for once in my life. I have days where I feel I can even overcome the fear where I think that no matter what happens I'll get through, and I have days where I'm ready to freak out completely and I don't know if I can get through, though there's really no getting out of it as much as I want a way out. But I want that healthy mouth, too.
What is confusing is the Ortho claimed I have four wisdom teeth when far as I know only three grew in? He thinks I should have them all out, even though the one on the bottom is causing no problem and I don't even know what this fourth one is all about and I can only conclude it hasn't grown in at all if it's there... my regular dentist didn't say anything about the others and only seemed greatly concerned about the top two decayed ones.
So, in one week I'll have the official word on my wisdom teeth at any rate. I really wish those stupid teeth didn't grow in when you get older and simply didn't exist or the worst would be over now, I think. Most of the time they're just useless and a hinderance for most people it seems. ::sigh:: I do hope I don't have to wait as long for the surgery as I've had to for this consultation, because the anxiety can really get to me probably more than anything else can. I admit it is on the unnerving side also that I'll have to meet more new people at the oral surgeon's now too, I really hate having to keep getting used to new people.
Although I am concerned how much pain the braces will give me too, but we shall see. This, however, has always been the lower end of my worries.
Wow, this is long
My story is similar to another poster's (willow). I am 25 years old, and my first dentist appointment in my life *ever* was in April. Now, I have a lot of anxiety in general, and especially socially (my teeth made this worse, but I would be socially anxious regardless), but naturally I have some for dental work too, especially having no idea what to expect. I went with my mother, it was basically something there was absolutely no use getting around anymore, I had very obvious cavities in my top front teeth (no pain anywhere whatsoever though), and I felt very, very disgusting. My teeth are very crowded (basically both the canines had grown over the other teeth). Suffice it to say, I have been completely and utterly disgusted with my smile, or lack thereof and I tried to keep my mouth closed as much as possible. Every day I would despair about my teeth albeit in my own personal silent prison. But my mother finally pushed me to go to the dentist, and thankfully took me to one that specialized in Gentle Dentistry (which kind of surprised me it existed, we live in a small town, and just have to go to a neighboring town). I had heard not particularly good stories about her and my dad's own dentist which freaked me out even more of ever going to a dentist, but I was at least glad my mother realizes I am highly anxious and highly sensitive and decided I better to go this one.
I was of course nervous, and was quite embarrassed and freaked out about how they'd take in the state of my teeth. We went and I was really surprised at how wonderful the staff there is. I didn't have to wait long, and then they took medical history and gave me a tour of the offices and such. They told me the names of some of the staff, although I was in such a nervous state I'm not honestly sure how much I took in. But then came the part where I needed bitewing x-rays, and they were explaining to me what the stuff they used was etc. And it was a little difficult to get the bitewings in place as I kept involuntarily fighting them with my tongue heh. But the lady was really nice about it, and we did relatively quick enough get that done.
Then the dentist came to physically look at my teeth, she was also really nice, asking if it was ok if she looked in my mouth and such which I thought was great that she let me be ready for it, and they started naming all this dental medical terms and numbers and I'm thinking "oh I'm doomed!"
I would need four fillings in my front teeth (darn Mountain Dew addiction , they just knew I had been drinking a lot of soda, I have since cut down though previous I had been at the point my teeth were utterly doomed anyway) and my top two wisdom teeth were decayed and would need to be out, but I would be referred to an oral surgeon. I was also referred to an orthodontist. I was nervous about all this, but I left feeling relatively good because no one had judged me or talked down on me (I do that enough to myself! And back in school I was made fun of constantly so my self esteem has suffered enough with out my teeth coming into play). I was in... I guess disbelief at how nice the staff and everyone was there, and tried to reassure me about the treatments and things I would need done.
Well, a double appointment was made for my fillings, and then I'd get a cleaning after that. This was some time in the beginning of May, the 9th I think. I was really freaked out, even more so because I had a new assistant I hadn't met now but she turned out to be as nice as the rest of them. Then the dentist that would be doing the fillings showed up, he was nice enough but he didn't talk a whole lot. I didn't even know his name or anything (though it is entirely possible it was said and I just was too much in an anxiety-funk to have heard it, I'm not even really sure, but I get so internally focused on my anxiety that I have trouble outwardly paying attention to things, and some of it is social, too so, this makes it extra difficult). I thought it was going to be the one I had met at my initial appointment, so my nerves were failing some with this new guy, though I had the distraction of a DVD of Golden Girls that they had playing. Then came the ever so dreaded injections (after some jelly stuff put on my gums) and... whoa! I only felt a prick and it was hardly anything! I had more than one but it totally wasn't a big deal! I was pleasantly surprised. Then I was left to watch the DVD some more as the Novocaine set in, and get used to this feeling of weirdness of the Novocaine and being unable to move my mouth, I felt pretty funny and was mildly amused at how weird it felt, at least at first (after awhile it slightly annoys me heh). And then he came back and it was time to roll. I didn't feel a single thing. A friend I had talked to had said that sometimes the pressure of the drill hurt or something so I was expecting pain, but it was no problem for me at all. It was over before I knew it. I waited for the hygentist to get me for the cleaning appointment feeling pretty good, albeit annoyingly numb, heh.
The cleaning I guess is just your standard cleaning, although the sharp pointy thing hurt me sometimes. That was over pretty quick though, and I was put on a home fluoride treatment.
Next was the Orthodontist consultation... they were as nice as the dentist (and conveniently right next door to it), it was no surprise I needed braces, so I am getting "speed braces" but now it was time to get re-freaked out, for my orthodontic work I'd need three teeth extracted. Eek. Fillings were one thing but... now you want to rip teeth out? Perfectly healthy ones at that? Unfortunately there was no way around it because there simply was no room in my mouth for all my teeth. (I've had two seperate comments by various dental people about how small my mouth was, yay, now you know why my teeth are so crowded ).
May 15 I went in for my extractions (two on top to make room for canines, one on bottom), different assistant but same guy who did my fillings. I at least was more or less comfortable with him now after a good appointment before, and as per usual the assisstant was really nice. What was a little unnerving is they put me in the room Where The Patients Who Take Longer Go that they showed me on the tour (and this time I had the movie The Little Rascals for distraction). I didn't fear the injections so much this time especially knowing this dentist does them virtually painlessly. Although at some point he did inject one in a different place than usual that DID hurt quite a bit, though I got by it ok. That being done, now begins the "fun" part of my teeth being pulled. This, unfortunately, was not painless, so he gave me more injections and waited a bit for that to kick in. He managed to get one out without much pain but the other still hurt, but I guess he decided to keep going anyway since he made sure it wasn't absolutely unbearable pain for me--which it wasn't. Certainly not pleasant, but I managed ok. The bottom one I didn't feel at all (it was already somewhat out of position so apparently was really easy anyway). The healing process went very smoothly. In about a week I was eating pretty normally again, virtually no pain.
Now I wait for June 13, which in the morning I get my braces on (they wanted one month for healing of the extractions), and then later that afternoon is my wisdom teeth consultation at an Oral Surgeon's. I am SCARED TO DEATH about the wisdom teeth removal and I'm rather afraid of what they'll tell me I have to do here. I fear getting an IV; I've never had one before. I don't know if that's what I'll get, but I read this tends to happen a lot with wisdom teeth. I'll freak out even more if I need general anesthesia. (Problem with the Internet, I read way too much, I'm always trying to not have any big surprises). I kind of have this phobia of swallowing pills too, unless they're on the smaller side, and even then I may have a bit of trouble. (I am scared of way, way too much...), so the act of possibly needing painkillers isn't something I'm very keen on. The only thing keeping me from going completely crazy as I wait for this to get straightened out is the motivation of wanting a healthy mouth and nice smile for once in my life. I have days where I feel I can even overcome the fear where I think that no matter what happens I'll get through, and I have days where I'm ready to freak out completely and I don't know if I can get through, though there's really no getting out of it as much as I want a way out. But I want that healthy mouth, too.
What is confusing is the Ortho claimed I have four wisdom teeth when far as I know only three grew in? He thinks I should have them all out, even though the one on the bottom is causing no problem and I don't even know what this fourth one is all about and I can only conclude it hasn't grown in at all if it's there... my regular dentist didn't say anything about the others and only seemed greatly concerned about the top two decayed ones.
So, in one week I'll have the official word on my wisdom teeth at any rate. I really wish those stupid teeth didn't grow in when you get older and simply didn't exist or the worst would be over now, I think. Most of the time they're just useless and a hinderance for most people it seems. ::sigh:: I do hope I don't have to wait as long for the surgery as I've had to for this consultation, because the anxiety can really get to me probably more than anything else can. I admit it is on the unnerving side also that I'll have to meet more new people at the oral surgeon's now too, I really hate having to keep getting used to new people.
Although I am concerned how much pain the braces will give me too, but we shall see. This, however, has always been the lower end of my worries.
Wow, this is long