Okey Dokey. So.......firstly this morning I had the temporary pre-molar worked on. After discussion we decided to keep it in place for some more months, not because any problem is anticipated with the rct, but because of the invisalign future work. So, he smoothed the biting surface and double treated it with some sort of shiny sealant stuff, that smelt like nail varnish. It now feels silky smooth and I can cope with it for some time longer.
Then he moved on to having a quick check of the gums at the top and seeing if there was any plaque reforming - there wasn't !!!! Hurrah. After that, due to my concern about the gum line around the temporary crown on the incisor, which is quite dark in colour, he decided to reshape and smooth it around the gumline and really clean well under the gum to enure there was no periodontal pocket forming there, put some more composite in and ensure nothing can penetrate under the gum. So he got a strip of something white and started 'packing out' all around the edge of the tooth and pushing this white stuff under the gumline to ensure that the gum was pushed away from the tooth and that a few mms of the root area were showing for shaping and cleaning. He said I would feel 'pressure' but I felt pain. He then offered to numb the tooth and I said 'no thanks'...I SAID NO THANKS !!! What a complete prawn cocktail !!! So, yes, it blinkin hurt as he shoved the white strip up and under the gums, but I have nobody to blame but myself. Anyhow, that white strip was in place whilst he did all the messing around with the temp crown and I now have the worlds most gorgeous temporary crown, all shiny and nicely shaped lol with some added special varnish gloss stuff (as used on the on temporary overlay).
Then, the main part of the show - checking and charting the periodontal pockets on all lower teeth. I said 'last time this really hurt you know, and I am just giving you a heads up that I might swear and, and, well.....' I started blathering a bit and verbally working around the issue. He looked all crest-fallen and (after firstly asking what 'a heads up' meant ? lol) said 'so, what are you saying ?' I said I was kind of saying that 'could you be as gentle as possible'. He said that had been as much as he could, but there was lots of inflammation last time and he did need to apply a certain amount of pressure. I just laughed and said 'ok, well, just warning you....' the dental nurse was laughing at this point. I then added 'could you also try to say the right things for the chart this time too' (I did say it in a joking way, and laughed, the dental nurse said it was an incredibly complex chart and they would do their best) By this time I am feeling mean, as he is so sweet and caring and I am feeling like I have hurt his feelings as I am somewhat loud and 'out there'.
He thought that the checking would be better than last time anyway as my gums looked in better condition. AND THEY WERE !!! Already I have reduced the periodontal pockets, rather than 5s in lots of places before on the top, and I know I also had lots of 5s on the bottom too as he had done a preliminary check on one of my first visits, there was only one 5, 2 x 4s, and all the rest were 2s and 3 s ! It is paying off all the effort with the cleaning regime. He commented that it seemed 'not too bad at all' and I could concur that there wasn't the pain like I had the last time. It was basically fine and I was SO delighted to hear the 2s being said !!!!
![Jumping [smiley=jumping.gif] [smiley=jumping.gif]](/forum/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/dfcsmilies/jumping.gif)
Unfortunately I did start a panic attack half way through the checking, even though it wasn't hurting I felt a wave of hot adrenaline and my heart start racing and I had an overwhelming desire to run. I calmly said, can I sit up I am having a panic attack. The dentist said 'that's fine, I'll just leave you on your own for a few minutes' and went to do something at the worktop. I sat up for a few minutes and once I knew that I could escape if I wanted to, I felt ok, and carried on again. The dental nurse and dentist both said that my panic attacks seemed very controlled and calm in how they occurred, I explained that it didn't feel that way inside, but I was so used to the pattern of them and how to deal with them that I was able to be rational about them and had good coping strategies. The nurse laughed and said 'I bet you dont get much sympathy for them when you are so calm about them' and they both commented again on how matter of fact I was about saying 'I'm just having a panic attack, would you mind if I sat up please ?'
As I laid back down I said 'well, as long as you've seen people having worse panics, then I feel better'. The nurse said that they certainly had, and one person, not long ago, had got up during the procedure, said they couldn't carry and on and left very quickly without another word. So, guys out there worried about panic attacks at the dentist.....I've had a few now....and they've seen it all before !!! I suspect panic attacks are part and parcel of the surgery and do you know what, I don't feel so embarrased about it happening as I did last time...I think it is probably natural when you have so many emotional and psychological triggers pushed at a dentist visit to get wibbly.
So, an hour and 10 mins later we are done....AND...the best bit of all: I don't need to see him again until my check up in 6 months time !!!! I have the hygenist in a couple of weeks and probably another time after that, before I see him again, but no more major dental stuff bar the cleaning for 6 months. I gave lots of praise and thanks at the end before I leave, as there was lots of humour, sensitivity and empathy going on during the appointment from both of them

Now, here is my thought, will I be better returning to the dentist after a 6 month break or more nervous again ? I have got into a pattern of regular visits and this has to some extent reduced anxiety, I just hope I manage to retain those more positive thoughts and memories of successful experiences for a whole 6 months.