• Dental Phobia Support

    Welcome! This is an online support group for anyone who is has a severe fear of the dentist or dental treatment. Please note that this is NOT a general dental problems or health anxiety forum! You can find a list of them here.

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My Story

L

Lexie35

Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2018
Messages
89
Location
Canada
June 2007 ish
25 years old and feel that nothing can stop me. I decide to make a dentist appointment for a oral cleaning. Easy peasy. I walk in, sit down & prepare for a simple procedure. First, I get some Xrays done, followed by seeing a dentist. He informed me that he cannot & will not clean my teeth. He says I need to get a professional periodontal cleaning, get my wisdom teeth removed and have 4 fillings. I leave feeling beat. He decided to show me why he wouldn't touch them. He also took a tool and removed some tartar that was on the back on my lower incisors and pressed so hard I though he was going to break them. I then make an appointment for 2 fillings bit inform them of my fear. They gave me an Ativan before my appointment. I brought someone along for support. I get in the chair and my friends tells them to not let me see the needle. (I was scared of needles back then) I knew what was coming & attempted to bolt. (Keep in mind I have an Ativan in me...) My friend stopped me. Got the shot. Had the 2 fillings done. Never went back. Called the clinic where I was to have my wisdom teeth pulled and cancel. Never rescheduled. My relationship with dentists was over.

2014
My spouse & I were talking and she said I should get my mouth looked at. The conversation had me in tears and I informed her that I'd rather be hit by a truck.

October 2017.
I'm minding my own business when I walk into SubWay for some yummy food. I proceed to order and leave anticipating my long awaited craving. I start to chow down & have a horrible time due to a bottom incisor. After an inspection I decide to leave it, thinking that I'll deal with it later and it won't get any worse.

January 2018
I found out theres a nrw dentist in town. Female. I decide to email the dentist office. I explain all my fears & inform them that I know my wisdom teeth are in rough shape. The next week they call and we talk. While on the phone, tears were welling up. I knew this was the first step for me.

January 23, 2018
Dental consultation. Scared. I walk into the clinic. Approach reception. They ask how I'm doing. The girl knew. She reminded me that no work is being done. The dentist is just looking. I get Xrays done & give them a medical history. Then, the dentist walks in to see me. She takes a look and is super nice. She doesn't stay in my mouth long because she knows I'm scared. The verdict is in. She tells me I need a good cleaning, I need 2 fillings for bad decay, 4 fillings for minor cavities and my lower 4 incisor need to be pulled. I ask about a fixed bridge. She was totally honest & told me that she to the dental fear I have, a fixed bridge isn't very wise. She informed me that the teeth that the bridge would be fixed onto have quite a bit of bone loss and if I didn't come back regularly, it would be a waste of money. I cried & then walked to to front. I was scheduled to start the cleaning process.

February 1, 2018
First cleaning. I walk into the back & sit down in the chair. Doesn't look so scary. I bluntly ask the hygienist if I will need numbing. While looking at my Xray she suggested that I should. She started with the lower left quadrant. 2 shots. All good. Total breeze.

February 8, 2018
Second cleaning. This time the upper left. Initial shots: 3. But I wasn't taking the numbing well so I was given another 3. It wasn't a nice as the first visit. It was uncomfortable. Afterwards, she measured my gum pockets. They weren't good but she said that if I come regularly, they may get better. They night, I felt horrible. So tired and just felt off. I blamed it on the amount of numbing I received.

March 15, 2018
Third cleaning. Upper right this time. Initial shots: 3. Only three this time. *yay* She went to work. No issues. I went home, feeling fine. Didn't feel ill or anything. While I was waiting, I made my next appointment. This time. For my extractions. The dentist wanted to do them last but we are going away next month and I want them gone so I don't have that worry anymore.

Scheduled date: March 23, 1PM. 4 more days. I have a driver to chauffeur me because I won't be able to drive. This appointment is the one where I WILL be medicated. I think would rather get a root canal. Breathe. Just breathe. It will be a-ok. It will be super easy and afterwards I will be laughing at how simple it was. I got a text reminder about the appointment that I needed to verify. I did that already.

Stay tuned for updates... GULP
 
Good luck for your appointment on the 23rd!

Keep us updated, and congrats on making it this far already.

:XXLhug:
 
***update***

Appointment went well. I got my 4 bottom incisors removed. Then the dentist asked if I wanted my bottom wisdom teeth removed too. So I said sure. Why not. Super excited it's over.
 
***update***

Appointment went well. I got my 4 bottom incisors removed. Then the dentist asked if I wanted my bottom wisdom teeth removed too. So I said sure. Why not. Super excited it's over.

Glad to hear it went well :)
 
***update*** Appointment went well. I got my 4 bottom incisors removed. Then the dentist asked if I wanted my bottom wisdom teeth removed too. So I said sure. Why not. Super excited it's over.
Lexie, was your wisdom teeth removal medically necessary? I cannot believe your dentist would casually ask you if you want them out without a reasonable cause.
 
Lexie, was your wisdom teeth removal medically necessary? I cannot believe your dentist would casually ask you if you want them out without a reasonable cause.

Oh yeah. They needed to go. They were all cracked and broken. I always got food stuck in them. She was going to send me to an oral surgeon due to my fear but I was pretty relaxed. I'm happy they are gone.
 
So today is day 3 post extraction. I feel really good. The back of my mouth is sore from where my 2 wisdom teeth were removed but the front of my mouth feel pretty good. I did call my dentist's office and made an appointment to get my partial started. I'm trying so hard to enunciate properly but it seems like a hopeless cause & I feel very frustrated because of it.
 
Ok, its April 3, 2018. I went to the dentist to start with my partial. I went to get impressions and boy, that sucked. It didn't hurt or anything but very weird I guess. They came at me with this metal piece that looked like they were made medieval times. I didn't know about the whole suction thing so my bottom (which is where I am missing teeth) was not really fun. I have issues on one side due to a wisdom tooth extraction and the suction didn't feel good at all. The top was fine but good thing I don't have a horrid gag reflex. Once again the suction didn't feel good. I wasnt sure if my teeth were going to stay in my mouth. LoL. I need to get my cleaning finished (which will be done April 12) and I need a couple cavities filled (which will be done April 16) before I can proceed with the partial. After that, all I need done is 1 wisdom tooth extracted & a few small cavities filled. Then I'm good to go with getting a cleaning every 4 months. Super happy that I got a big portion done.
 
How are you healing on the extraction site for the lower front? Has the holes closed yet? Hopefully your experience is straight forward and the partial will get you back to speaking clearly very soon.
 
How are you healing on the extraction site for the lower front? Has the holes closed yet? Hopefully your experience is straight forward and the partial will get you back to speaking clearly very soon.

Holes are basically closed. Healing is good. The healing process for the front was super easy. If I would have only got the front teeth pulled I doubt I would have needed pain medication. I took the meds for my wisdom pain.
 
I went for my last cleaning session. Felt pretty good. I go back on Monday to get a couple fillings & have a partial denture 'try in'.
 
Everything went well. I did ask about having a sore jaw though. I'm still dealing with it but I did have 2 appointments a few days apart. One was for cleaning & the other was for a couple fillings. And then I got some impressions done so I'm thinking it was due to my mouth being open for a prolonged period. It's super annoying but I'm plugging through it. Just a few more fillings to go and a wisdom tooth to come out and I'll be good as new. :)
 
Everything went well. I did ask about having a sore jaw though. I'm still dealing with it but I did have 2 appointments a few days apart. One was for cleaning & the other was for a couple fillings. And then I got some impressions done so I'm thinking it was due to my mouth being open for a prolonged period. It's super annoying but I'm plugging through it. Just a few more fillings to go and a wisdom tooth to come out and I'll be good as new. :)

I still have the soreness that was labeled as trismus. But I have a new symptom of some numbness. Definitely getting it checked out later today. Pretty concerned now.
 
well I had another panoramic Xray does and my dentist said everything looks normal. I'm going to give it a bit and see if anything changes. if it doesn't, I will be off the an oral surgeon.
 
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