My temp filling is broken

[candy-eater]

Hi! Last Summer, I had a toothache and I went to school of dentistry as an emergency patient. The painful tooth was filled with a temp filling. I know I need to go to the dentist to complete this dental treatment but I was not able to go back to the dentist until now. I have again the temp filling but it is broken. I looked for a dental office but I am scared to book an appointment.

 

[NervousUSA]

@candy-eater I sympathise. I have a story a bit like yours, when I first had to go to a dentist after not going for 19 years I had a scary emergency appointment at a random office I didn't want to return to, and then I had to find a practice and book an appointment. I found someone who said on their website they welcomed people who hadn't been in for a long time and let me book by email, I was too scared to call on the phone. What is making you feel scared about booking an appointment? Did you find a good office? Have you seen this page on the website:

How to find a dentist for nervous patients

Discover how to find a dentist who is good with nervous, scared or phobic patients - and who to avoid!

www.dentalfearcentral.org

and this one:

Doomsday - The First Appointment

Find out how to communicate your fears to a dentist, and whether they're good with nervous patients and right for you!

www.dentalfearcentral.org

 

[candy-eater]

Yes, I knew these pages on the website. Dental practice websites are not usual in my country (France). I asked for recommendations on a good dentist on a social media but I did not book an appointment. I am ashmed to admit I am afraid of going to the dentist. I am embarassed to say I had not been to the dentist since July to complete my dental treatment. I hate the dental smell, I hate noises, I hate having to stay the mouth opened wide, I hate feeling the drill. I am also afraid of gagging with all the instruments in my mouth.

 

[Kml1998]

@candy-eater try your best to book an appointment and get it permanently filled, you'll feel so much better after. I belive in you

 

[NervousUSA]

@candy-eater I would say don't be ashamed to be afraid of going to the dentist, or embarrassed you haven't been back since July. I think it is totally normal and natural that we become afraid of situations where we have had a bad experience, just a natural instinct. My belief is what makes dealing with dentistry hard, we have to go against our natural instinct to avoid what feels like a threatening situation. You probably have seen this too, but the website has a page of advice about dealing with common fears which includes the drill, gagging, smells, noises, and embarrasment or shame https://www.dentalfearcentral.org/fears/
Maybe you could find some ideas that would help you deal with your specific dental fears.
In case it may be any use to you, what worked for me to get treatment while very scared was to go ahead and decide to move forward with treatment while afraid, and tell myself it was really the best option I had and I must do it. To kind of do the treatment while accepting I would be feeling that fear and trying to understand how it affects my thoughts, and do what I needed to do anyways. I did a lot of things to relax while dealing with the calling to book an appointment, setting up appointments, attending appointments, etc, including taking anti anxiety supplements that were amino acids, yoga, box breathing, and the 54321 coping technique. I constantly used this website for support, and still do. I struggle a lot with calling the dentists office but can calm down enough to do that with box breathing. Hopefully some of this may be of use to you. I sympathise with you, setting up an appointment is really hard to do, I know.

 

[candy-eater]

Hi!
I booked an appointment with a new dentist and my appointment is on June 9th. I hope that this dentist will be friendly and gentle.

 

[Kml1998]

@candy-eater well done, let us know how it goes

 

[krlovesherkids777]

@candy-eater

Yes, hope they are very kind to you! Let us know how it goes

 

[candy-eater]

Yes, of course. I am terribly anxious about my next dental appointment and I cannot sleep